Page 55 of Keeping London (Flawed Heart)

“How old are you?” I question.

He doesn’t look old enough to be a senior of anything.

“Twenty-eight.”

“Huh,” I let out.

“Yeah, too bad you don’t live out this way. I might have a job for you.” He winks, grinning wide.

I’m momentarily stunned at just how attractive he is.

“No way!” I shriek as I grab his arm.

Wait, I can’t live out here.

I release my grasp. “Well, I have to stay in Michigan.” I sigh.

“The boyfriend?”

“Yeah.”

“If you don’t mind me asking, why isn’t he here?”

“He’s in the military. He’s overseas in Afghanistan right now.”

“Ah,” he makes a sound of understanding. “That must be hard.”

“It is,” I agree.

“You have to drill me!” I exclaim louder than necessary.

“I’m sorry?”

“Drill me with questions. Like, if I were in an interview with the paper, what would you ask me? I might not be able to work at your paper, but you could help me with what to say in my interviews with others. You know, show me what you people are looking for.”

“Us people?” He chuckles. “Okay, let’s order some drinks and talk shop, shall we?”

“Yes, let’s!”

“All right, we have a table reserved over there.” He points to a table in the corner of the VIP section. It’s surrounded by a semicircular cushioned bench.

I tell Paige and Georgia where I am going to be. Each girl seems interested in their make-out buddy of choice for the evening and barely care that I’m stepping away. I follow Brad to his table, and a waitress comes to take our order.

“Can we have a bottle of Dom Perignon Rose?” he asks the server.

She smiles politely before leaving the table.

“You didn’t need to order that,” I say, knowing that the particular bottle of champagne usually costs around four hundred dollars in a place like this.

“You don’t like champagne?”

“No, I do. But I would have been fine with a glass of something else.”Less expensive, I think to myself.

“It’s fine. We need to celebrate.”

“We do?” I question.

“Of course. We need to toast to the New Year, for one. And to new friends.”

---