Page 72 of Cinderella Screwed Me Over
“I asked her not to. I don’t want it to be the first thing people know about me. I’d rather tell them in my own time.” He sat back. “Everyone keeps saying I should get back out there. But it’s impossible not to compare them all to Monica.”
“At least you had training on how to make those six years good.”
“You’d think. She used to get mad whenever I’d ask her counseling-type questions. I had to word them differently so she didn’t know what I was doing, and even then, she caught on pretty quick.” He stared at the table, a faraway look on his face. One corner of his mouth twisted up. “She taught me the real-world experience I needed.”
“So after going through that, don’t you hesitate to do it all again?” I asked.
Karl nodded. “Sure. It’s why I’m sitting here with you right now instead of going over to the blonde at the end of the bar and asking her out.”
Trying to be subtle, I checked out the girl he was talking about. She was pretty, dressed in clothes that were sexy but not completely revealing, and had these cute black glasses.
“You should go,” I said. “The worst she could say is no.”
Karl shot me a sidelong glance. “I’m not sure I should be taking relationship advice from someone who dumped a perfectly good guy.”
“Just because I’m a big failure at relationships doesn’t mean I’m not right about the blonde. She keeps looking back here, and she’s going to think you and I are together.” I nudged Karl with the tip of my shoe. “Go.”
He reluctantly stood up and headed over to the bar.
Another song started and Stephanie and Anthony didn’t come back. When I’d thought about getting out, sitting in a nightclub by myself wasn’t what I had in mind.
Is that my phone?I could barely hear it over the noise. I dug my cell out of my purse and stared at the display.Jake.
Finger over the accept button, I went back and forth on whether I should answer.
“You look sad sitting here all by yourself,” a guy said as he approached, interrupting my dilemma. He extended his hand. “Come dance with me.”
I was going to say I should save the table, but Anthony and Stephanie were making their way back.
What the hell? I might as well try to have a good time while I’m here.
I took his outstretched hand and let him lead me to the dance floor. It had been a while since I’d danced in a nightclub. Not much had changed: girls in Barbie-size clothes danced like they were auditioning to be America’s next top stripper; one look-at-me girl was dancing on the platform; people grinded against one another.
The guy who’d led me to the floor threw his arms around me and started swaying to the beat. Within seconds, he leaned in for a kiss.
I jerked away. “Whoa, buddy. Aren’t you supposed to buy a girl a drink first?”
“I’ve got some wine at my apartment.” He pulled me closer. “It’s only a few blocks away.”
“How nice for you.” I stepped back. “I’m all danced out.”
I huffed off the floor and went back to sit with Stephanie and Anthony.
“That was quick,” Steph said.
“Yeah. He thought I’d be interested in the fact that he has an apartment a few blocks away. I wasn’t.”
Stephanie leaned her head on Anthony’s shoulder. “I’m so glad I don’t have to deal with that anymore.” She shot a pointed look at me. “You wouldn’t have to deal with it either if you weren’t so stubborn.”
“The point was to forget about everything, not have it rubbed in my face.”
“But part of a best friend’s duty is pointing out things you might not want to hear.”
Karl sat down in the chair next to me. “How’d it go with the blonde?” I asked.
“Had a nice conversation. Got her number. So, we’ll see.”
The four of us sat there, listening to the music as the lights bounced around the room. Watching all the other people mingle wasn’t making me feel better. I’d wanted to get out so badly, but now that I was out, I kept thinking it really wasn’t all that great.
