Page 48 of Vas

“I know, I can hardly believe it.”

“And this is all paid for?” Tiffany asked as she made her way up the stairs to the bedroom.

“For as long as it takes to get my degree.”

“Wow.”

Yeah, Anna’s thoughts, exactly. “I keep pinching myself, thinking I’m going to wake up from a dream.”

“When are you going to move in?”

“I’m not sure. When I talked to Vas last night and told him about the scholarship, he said he’d arrange for movers, but I’m not sure when. Probably not until he gets home.”

“Was he excited for you?”

Anna smiled, recalling their conversation.

Tiffany waved a hand. “Never mind. That cheesy look on your face answers my question.” She walked to the window, looked out, then turned back to Anna. “New school, new home, are you ready for the new you? Let’s go shopping!”

And as they walked down the stairs and Anna took everything in one more time, she couldn’t help but feel that maybe, just maybe, her luck was finally turning and a chance at her dreams was a real possibility.

Chapter 17

Anna was just putting the finishing touches on her makeup when her phone beeped with a text from Tiffany.

We’re here.

I’ll be right out.

Looking in the mirror one last time, she decided she was as good as she would get. Knowing they’d be dancing, she artfully piled her hair at the top of her head, securing it with extra pins and a layer of max-hold hairspray. She was pretty pleased with the results—purposefully messy. With perspiring in mind, she’d kept her makeup light and her deodorant heavy.

Shopping had been a success. She’d bought a simple, sleeveless, black dress with a cowl neckline and flowy skirt that fell to just above her knee and would create a dramatic effect on the dance floor.

Rushing to the bed, she grabbed her wallet-size cross-body andshoved her phone in before tossing the long strap over her head. Then she slipped her feet into her new ballerina flats and headed out the door.

The club Tiffany selected was in Hollywood. Not Anna’s first choice of location but, then again, not driving, she wasn’t in charge. Having Luke with them did make her feel safer, at least, when they had to walk a block and a half from the public parking lot to the club.

Hollywood was a little dirty, a little seedy, and a lot flamboyant. Anna passed all walks of life as she, Tiffany, and Luke strolled down the star-embossed sidewalk, stepping on the names of such famous people as Anne Bancroft, Jack Benny, Ronald Reagan, and Perry Como before reaching their destination.

The club was loud, dark, and crammed full of people. Not exactly Anna’s speed, but she was there to have fun so was going to make the best of it.

“Let’s get drinks before finding a table,” Tiffany yelled close to her ear.

Anna nodded and they made their way to the bar where Tiffany proceeded to push her way through a wall of people. Anna hung back, a little in awe at her friend’s tenacity and feeling a lot like a fish out of water.

Tiffany handed her a glass filled to the brim with red liquid a surprisingly short time later. “Sorry, I forgot to ask you what you wanted, so I got you a Cosmo.”

“That’s fine,” Anna reassured, knowing she’d only be sipping on it anyway, but was still pleased to discover it was more cranberry juice than vodka after taking a small taste.

She stuck close to Tiffany and Luke as they weaved around bodies to find a small table in a corner that they all crammed into. Anna was happy to be a bit off the beaten path. The techno music was still loud but there was less foot traffic, and Anna took a deep breath for the first time since entering. She also took another—larger—sip of her drink.

"Let me know when you’re ready to hit the dance floor,” Tiffany said, already shimmying in her seat, the empty glass in front of her a testimony the alcohol was having an effect.

“I’m ready whenever you are.”

“Great. Let’s go.” She gave Luke a messy smooch on the cheek then followed Anna out of the booth.

Anna hadn’t been out dancing for well over a year. She’d forgotten how exhilarating it felt to move to the beat of the music, getting swept away in the pure joy of letting loose. With work obligations and money problems always on her mind, it had been a long time since she’d felt so free.

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