Page 17 of My Sweetest Temptation

“Come on,” she said, adjusting her purse straps over her shoulder. “Let’s get this party started.”

I followed her out of the room but nearly crashed into her when she stopped dead in her tracks. “Oh! I almost forgot!” Swiftly pivoting on her ankle-strap black heels, she headed back to the closet. “Your outfit just wouldn’t be complete without these babies,” she declared.

She caught sight of my hesitation and started to sway a pair of shoes back and forth in front of me. I took a deep breath and then reached out to grab the heels.

She grinned in response.

We left her bedroom and found her five-year-old son Tristan in the living room, deeply engrossed in his coloring book, with his sitter, Emily. At the sound of our heels reverberating on the wooden floor, he jerked his head in our direction.

“Wow!” He beamed as he looked at each of us. “You both look so pretty!”

“Thank you, baby.” Tabi pulled him into a hug, smothering him affectionately and leaving a bright red lipstick mark on his cheek.

“Ew, Mom!” he exclaimed, wiping his face. “Gross,” he muttered, making us burst into laughter.

“My turn,” I declared, teetering toward him in my heels, trying not to stumble like a newborn giraffe.

“No!” Tristan shrieked, giggling as he tried to hide behind Emily, who doubled over in laughter.

“Fine,” I conceded, feigning defeat. “How about a hug?”

He peeked over Emily’s shoulder, a mischievous grin spreading across his face. He propelled himself off the couch and leaped into my arms.

“Oh, wow,” I said with a grunt, barely catching him.

He wrapped his little arms around my neck and whispered, “Have fun, Winter. I love you.” His sincerity melted my heart. I feel incredibly grateful to have Tabi and Tristan by my side. They both provided so much comfort, helping to fill the emptiness left by those I’d lost and had to leave behind.

Giving him one more squeeze, I set him on his feet. “I love you too,” I said, kissing my palm and tapping it to his forehead.

“We’ll be home late,” Tabi told Emily. “But you have my number on the fridge, so call if you need anything. And I mean anything. Be good,” she cooed to Tristan, enveloping him in one last hug.

“I will,” he muttered against her neck.

When Tabi pulled back, she glanced at me and grinned. “Ready?”

I took a deep breath. “Ready as I’ll ever be,” I replied.

Tabi and I sat in the back seat of the Uber on our way to the club.The overpowering scent of the driver’s cologne was so strong it made me nauseous. I wanted to roll the windows down and stick my head out just to get some relief.

I gazed out the window as we drove through the bustling city. We moved past high-end shops that transitioned into dive bars and luxurious condos.

We pulled up outside the nightclub, and its neon lights illuminated the street, casting vibrant shades of pink, purple, and blue across the sidewalk. Women in flashy outfits and stiletto heels flooded the entrance as they made their way inside.

The Uber driver maneuvered his car to the front of the valet station. A muscular man with intimidating tattoos on his face and arms approached the car and knocked on the window with his knuckles. The driver lowered the window just enough for him to speak.

“You can’t park here, man. This is an invitation-only zone,” the man declared.

The driver gestured toward us in the back and said, “I’m just the Uber driver.”

“But we were invited,” Tabi chimed in.

The man nodded and opened my door. “Let’s go,” he instructed us.

Okay, then.

A chill in the night air sent shivers down my arms, prompting me to hug my jacket closer to my body.

I followed the tattooed man until I stood in front of another bouncer outside the club. His massive frame covered the entire doorway, and his muscles rippled under his suit jacket.

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