Page 29 of Don't Fall

She smiles. “I can work with that.”

I sigh just as I turn into the parking lot. I don’t know if it’s intentional or not, but Lane picks a spot beside an empty one, which I’m assuming is for me. I would assume that. In reality it was likely just the first spot available.

Victoria is working the front door tonight. She waves me in before I even have a chance to say hello, eager to keep the foot traffic flowing. When she stops Jules and Lane to charge them, I’m tempted to let her. Lane already has his wallet out by the time I decide not to be a dick.

“Hey, Vic. They’re with me.”

She smiles. “Got it.” She turns back toward the pair. “Tessa says you’re covered. Y’all have a good time.”

Lane nods politely as Jules hooks her arm into his and drags him inside the main bar.

I’ve never been much for socializing where I work. I’m not sure why. I guess because who I am behind the bar is so vastly different from who I am on the other side of it.

“Tessa!” Cara yells over the music as she leans in for a hug. “Girl, look at you! You are smokin’ tonight!”

I blush, having momentarily forgotten about the dress in all the Lane-Jules chaos. “Thanks.” I stop myself before I add, ‘Drea made me wear it’ and sound like a two-year-old.

She works her way around the table like a pro, taking orders fast and efficiently with minimal shouting and just enough flirtation to flatter the boys without offending the girls. It’s funny to watch when you know her. Cara is married, and a preschool teacher by day. She’s also the only person who works here who knows my daytime persona.

“What about you, sugar?” She’s back at my side in a flash. “Water?”

“Yes, please.”

Jason groans so loudly, I can hear him even over the band blasting their tunes over the crowd. “Come on, Tessa. Live a little. We’re supposed to have a good time tonight.”

“I’m driving.” It’s as simple as that.

“One little drink ain’t gonna kill ya. Hey, gorgeous, do me a favor. Bring my uptight friend here a Purple Viking. See if we can’t loosen her up a bit.” Jason winks at me. If I had a Purple Viking in front of me right now, I’d toss it in his face.

Cara looks at me while she answers him, “Sure thing.”

I’m getting a water. I know this. She knows this. That’s all that matters.

“I’m going to go dance,” I announce, sliding off my bar stool. I walk away from the table without stopping to see if anyone else is joining me. I don’t care if they are. For Jason’s sake, he better not.

Thanks to the house band, the music is booming. Mark is pounding away at the drums, helping me drown out everything else. I close my eyes and let my body be taken over by the rhythm. This is all the escape I need. Maybe coming out tonight wasn’t a bad idea after all.

Slowly but surely, images of Jason’s condescending smirk and Jules hanging all over Lane begin to fade and I can feel myself begin to smile. Even the lingering thoughts of Meredith starts to disappear into the mist of memories I hold at bay day in and day out. Nothing can touch me. Nothing can bring me down.

Then it happens. Hands. On my hips. The feel of another body behind me, grinding into my backside.

I want to scream. One moment of peace. That’s all I needed.

I’m about to turn around to tell whatever douchebag saw fit to crash my party for one to get his hands off me, when the crowd of dancing people parts and Lane shows up. His expression hard, his eyes are locked on the person behind me. Within seconds, all that’s left of the intruder are tingling traces of where his fingers were digging into my sides.

Then, Lane’s arm is around me, bringing me to him, pressing me up against his body, just as the music changes to something slower.

Timing. It really is everything.

“Thank you.” I nearly choke on the words. Not because I have a hard time saying them. Because I’m suddenly overwhelmed by what just happened. I’ve been taking care of myself for so damn long, having someone just swoop in and save me, even from something small, is sort of surreal.

His expression is still stern, and his eyes won’t meet mine when he nods briefly.

Then his grip on me loosens, and his chest is no longer touching mine, his hand on my back rises, moving away from the intimate way it was resting on my lower back, and I exhale. Rather less gracefully than I would have liked, but he doesn’t seem to notice.

My thoughts are racing back and forth between wondering what he would do if I decided to close the gap between us again and then convincing myself I should break out of his hold completely before Jules walks over here and sees us. Then she does. And I realize what I think we look like together dancing, is not at all how we’re perceived.

“Oh, thank goodness, he’s with you.” Jules laughs, pinching my side and casually moving me out of the way to take my place. “For a second I thought I was going to have to bitch slap one of the Basement hos for stealing my date.” She turns to him and winks. “Well, trying to anyway.”

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