Page 269 of Sin Bin

“Thanks,” she mumbled.

Emily looked around the posh lobby in awe. “Are you really sure you wanna walk away from this guy? I mean, he is Logan Brassard. And look where he lives!”

Jess rolled her eyes. “She’s not breaking up with him. She’s just giving him a taste of his own medicine. Now, c’mon, let’s do this!”

When they got to the club, there was a line down the block.

“Shit,” Emily complained. “Look at all these people!”

“Girl, you know I don’t do lines.” Jess tossed her hair and strutted to the front with Meadow and Emily trailing behind. The bouncer took one look at her, grinned broadly and waved them through.

Once inside the darkened club, they surveyed the scene. The music was blaring, neon lights were flashing and the dance floor was packed. The sensory overload made Meadow’s stomach roil.

Jess looked around with a satisfied grin. “This will do just fine. C’mon, girls.” She grabbed Meadow’s hand and plunged into the crowd, ignoring bad pickup lines and groping hands.

They sat at the bar and ordered drinks. Meadow let Jess order for her. Emily grudgingly requested a nonalcoholic cocktail.

The bartender brought their drinks, smiling flirtatiously at Jess. She returned his smile and winked.

After taking a few sips of her virgin cocktail, Emily excused herself and headed to the bathroom.

Jess rolled her eyes at the blonde’s retreating back. “She does this every time we go out.”

Meadow blinked. “What? Use the bathroom?”

Jess snorted. “She doesn’t have to use the bathroom. She just goes in there to call her baby daddy and pick a fight.”

“Or maybe she really has to pee,” Meadow suggested. “She is seven months pregnant.”

“No, that’s not it. She’s in there arguing with her loser boyfriend. Trust me, I know. We won’t see her again for at least another hour.” Jess sighed mournfully. “She used to be so much fun. Getting knocked up was the worst thing that could have happened to her.”

Meadow made no reply, taking a sip of her mojito and praying the loud music would drown out the chaos in her head.

Jess pulled out her phone to check the score of the playoff game. “The boys won 5-3.”

“Really?” Meadow managed her first smile in hours. “That’s great.”

Jess scrolled through the game stats. “Logan scored a goal. So did Hunter and that rookie who’s always ogling my ass. Viggo scored the other two goals.” She put her phone down and smirked at Meadow. “Is it petty that I’m glad Dubs didn’t score?”

“Yes,” Meadow said unequivocally.

Jess laughed and drank her mojito.

Meadow felt her phone buzz in her snakeskin cross-body clutch. She unzipped the tiny bag and looked at the glowing screen. When she saw Logan’s picture, her heart squeezed. She felt conflicted. On one hand, she missed him badly and wanted to hear his voice, especially after the traumatic day she’d had. On the other hand, she was pissed at him for going to the party and not telling her. What was he hiding? How could he go out partying the day after reassuring her that she was the only one for him?

Frowning, she rezipped her clutch without answering the phone.

Jess raised an amused eyebrow at her. “So you are mad at him. I was beginning to wonder.” She glanced down at her own phone, frowning a little. “Dubs hasn’t called.”

Hearing the disappointment in her voice, Meadow said consolingly, “Give him time.”

Jess forced a shrug. “Whatever.”

As an unhappy silence settled between them, Meadow propped her elbows on the bar and stared into her glass, thinking about her parents’ senseless deaths. As a fresh wave of grief slammed into her, she squeezed her eyes shut and took another gulp of her cocktail.

Jess cackled. “That’s right, girl. Drink up and enjoy yourself. We’ve earned this.”

After just one mojito, Meadow’s head was already buzzing.

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