Page 27 of Shattering Nash

The girl chuckled. “Yeah, you’re VIP.”

It was quite the offer. An all-expense paid night at the X-Lounge must’ve cost a fortune. She may as well try and enjoy it while she had the chance. If the money had come from her pocket, she wouldn’t be here. It may not have been her scene, but it was for plenty of people. The line outside, wrapping around the building, proved that. Those patrons would be waiting for hours if she had to guess.That’s crazy.

“Okay, can I have another one please?” Charley pointed to the table.

The waitress grabbed her empty glass. “You sure can, and I’ll bring another water so you can pace yourself.”

“Thank you.”

Charley scanned the club in search of Keely. It was impossible. The crowds were so thick it was a wonder anyone could move. Was this really people’s idea of fun? As she looked around, she quickly realized she was the odd man out in her thinking. Everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves.

Charley casually looked around, taking it all in. There was definitely a different vibe from the first time she’d been inside. The music, the lights, the people. And the energy. The DJ stage was set up higher than the dance floor. As she circled her gaze around the room, she noticed the balcony. There were four men in suits lining the railing. Most had their backs to the room except for one in particular. He was staring in her general direction.Or is he looking directly at me?

Charley angled her head as a woman passed by her table, obstructing her view. When she moved, Charley squinted then gasped.Nash.She froze in her seat and locked her knees. Hewas staring at her with an intense gaze. Her heart immediately fluttered, and her stomach swirled. She’d been adamant to Keely about not wanting to see him. But dressed in his suit, his arms braced on the railing, watching her? She wouldn’t have wanted to miss this. She offered a jittery smile. Her nerves were at an all-time high.

She couldn’t just sit there gawking at him without some type of acknowledgement. She lifted her hand. It was shaky, but she was hoping he wouldn’t notice as she gave a small wave. The gesture wasn’t returned, but his mouth softened, and the corners of his eyes eased. He lowered his chin before straightening.

“Hey!” When the table jerked, Charley jumped in her seat. “Still no luck finding the exclusive VIP, but I refuse to give up.” Keely grabbed her glass. “Let’s go walk around.”

Leaving the safety of the table was the last thing she wanted. Besides, seeing Nash had been the highlight, and she was hoping for a repeat performance.

“I’m waiting on my drink.” It was the perfect excuse.For five seconds.

The waitress headed to their table and placed her glass on the table. “You need anything else?”

Charley mustered up a smile. “No. Thank you.”

As she walked away, Keely moved around the table. “Come on.”

“You don’t want to just hang out here?”

Keely raised her brows and widened her eyes, “We can’t just sit here all night, Charley.”

Why not?If it was up to her, that’s exactly what they’d do.

“Look, we always have the VIP table to come back to, but we should check out the club. I know you’re not into dancing, but we can at least people watch and hit the bars. I think they’ve got three. Chances are neither one of us will ever get this opportunity again. Let’s make the most of it.”

If she never came back, it’d be fine by Charley. But she recognized this might be Keely’s only time too. Charley casually glanced over her shoulder and shifted her gaze to the balcony. Three men were still standing at the railing, but none of them were Nash. It seemed their small moment was over.

She slid off her stool and waved Keely to take the lead. Making it off the VIP platform had been easy as most people were on the dance floor. A fact that became clear as they weaved through the dense crowds. It took close to twenty minutes to make it to the other side of the room. Thankfully, they had drinks and didn’t need to wait in line at the bar. They were tucked in a corner taking in the scene.

“Isn’t this great?”

Charley clamped her lips and nodded.No.

“Maybe we’ll run into your guy.”

“He’s not mine, Keely!” she shouted over the music.

Keely eyes sparkled, and she winked. “Not yet.”

Oh hell.Charley needed to act fast before yet another embarrassing situation arose.

“I need you to promise me, if we run into him, you won’t say anything.”

Keely snorted, rolling her eyes. “Of course I won’t. I will play it cool.”

Did she even know how to play it cool? Charley loved her best friend, but Keely had a habit of speaking before thinking. She forced herself to stay calm and relegate all thoughts of Nash to the back of her mind. After all, there were so many people, the chances of seeing him again or randomly bumping into to him were slim. Charley drew in a breath, and the knot in her chest loosened. This was going to be fine.What could go wrong?

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