Page 30 of Getting Over You

I nod.

“Fine.” She grabs my drink, surveying it. “I need this,” she decides, and throws her head back to down the whole thing. “Wish me luck.”

“Go get ‘em,” I chide. “You got it.”

I watch her saunter over, hips swaying, blonde waves that cascade down her back swaying with them. I can’t hear what she’s saying, and I’m horrible at reading lips, so I focus ongetting another drink. If all else fails and I overdo it, I’ll call EJ to come pick us up.

“You here to drink sorrows away?” someone says after a while.

I didn’t hear the tan, chocolate-haired goddess that is speaking to me now sneak up on me like a stealthy gift. But I’m glad she did. Because god damn, I need it.

“I don’t have any sorrows now that I’m talking to you,” I chide.

She hums, satisfied. “Since I’m so welcome, buy me a drink?”

The way sheasksmakes me think of the way Gigidemands.“My pleasure,” I say, flagging down the bartender for two lemon drops.

Her name’s Nicole? Nicolette? Nikki?

I don’t remember, and at this point, I don’t care.

Because I can’t stop thinking about Gigi.

She disappears with White Sneakers after they talk and laugh, and she flips her hair at him for at least an hour. He has his hands on her waist, and next thing I know, she’s nowhere to be found.

I send a text. Just a quick,

You good?

Wonderful.He’s just coming out of a relationship, too. Perfect candidate!

We love using sex to avoid emotional issues.Have fun. Text me if you leave the bar.

I love avoiding emotional issues.

Nicole/Nicolette/Nikki is still talking. She’s stirring her mojito, chattering about her day-to-day working at a law firm as a secretary. “And my friends ask me, ‘Nadia, how do you keep yourself from just abandoning it all and running to the Bahamas?’And, I’m like, I don’t know. Fredrick & Riker Law pisses me off like nothing else, but it sure pays the bills!”

Nadia. That’s it. I was interested in Nadia. More than. And then Gigi disappeared, and I can’t help but wonder about her. I haven’t been able to stop since she walked off with him.

“I gotta run to the bathroom,” I tell Nadia. “Order us another round?”

I’m on drink three, and with this extra drink with Nadia, I won’t be driving home tonight. I walk to the back of the bar and am pulling the men’s restroom door open when Gigi stumbles out of the women’s bathroom.

Her hair is disheveled, her dress riding up her legs, until she realizes and pulls it down. “I tried to fix myself,” she says softly, “before I came to find you.”

“Where’s your guy?” I ask. “Take care of things that quickly? Where’d he take you?”

Gigi shakes her head. “I don’t want to talk about it.”

I understand her desire to keep it a secret. I don’t kiss and tell either. But my jaw is ticking. “Fair,” I say. “You ready to go?”

“Please.” She nods.

I tell her to wait for me by the bar. I use the bathroom and make my way to Gigi, feeling like the weight that has been sitting with me all night has lifted. I’m happy for her, getting her fling out of the way, being the one night girl and walking away like the confident girl she is. It’s pretty badass.

“Hey,” I say to Nadia. “I have to call it a night. My friend is ready to go, and I’m her ride.”

Realizing Gigi is standing with me, Nadia purses her lips. “Oh. You’re leaving with your friend.”

---