Page 51 of Somewhere Only We Know
“I’ll split my pizza if you share your pasta,” he says when he looks at my food and then to me with a smile that can only be described as dazzling.
“Deal.”
We start on his pizza first and then move on to the pasta. When we’ve polished off the entire meal, I’m stuffed to the brim and the alcohol is all soaked up. Kamryn’s knowing smile from across the table is one that I’m choosing to not acknowledge. When we were in high school and our parents would take us to dinner, sharing meals like this is what we would do to have the best of both worlds. Her seeing that I’m doing this with Nate, no matter how small the exchange, shows that the bricks I had up to keep him out are finally coming down.
“How did you remember?” I ask Nate as our dishes are being cleared from the table. He tilts his head as if he doesn’t know what I’m talking about. “The food,” I clarify, although it could also be said for the candy basket he brought me.
“I remember everything,” Nate tells me and our eyes lock again.
It’s like that moment in movies where everything blurs: people, sound…life. There is this energy running through meat the thought of finally kicking down that last brick wall. Sure we said friends. But a tentative friendship at best. Only, when he says stuff like that, I want to bypass the whole friendship route and try to pick things back up to where we were in college.
“Alright, gang!” Chance booms once again and it’s enough to break the connection between us. “Let’s go.”
Him and Sophie pop up from their seats, eager to get the rest of the night started. It’s fun seeing these two so excited to get married and all the celebrations that come before getting married. One by one we all push up from our seats and head back out to the strip. In the two hours we were at dinner, it seems like Vegas is finally waking up.
Chance and Sophie lead us to a cocktail bar that is filled to the brim with all kinds of celebratory parties that we all have to sandwich ourselves to stay together. The closer I get, I’m hyper aware of Nate and his patchouli scent, and something else that I can’t quite place. People bump into us from all around like a pinball machine. Hands locked together, we manage to find an empty table and flag down a cocktail waitress to order some drinks. I’m not sure how long we’ll manage to last here. Or how we’ll find our way out.
Thirty minutes later our drinks are being delivered.
“Shots? Really?” Kamryn yells over the noise.
We’re all adults so we can agree that shots, no matter what’s inside, leads to bad decisions.
“Do we need to call your husband and have him fly out to save you?” I joke.
She gives me a devious look and I plug my ears again to avoid hearing all the things my sister and Mason get up to.
“It really can’t be that bad,” Nate says and his voice rumbles over my body and sends tingles to my core.
I look up at him and meet his eyes. “Picture walking in–nope, I can’t even say it.”
His laughter sends vibrations over my body and I feel his torso brush against my arm.God, pull it together Jax. It’s an arm, I tell myself.
“Okay, cheers. To an amazing group and hopefully an unforgettable night,” Sophie cheers loud enough to be heard over the sound of the music and the lively crowd.
I eye the brown liquid like it’s a pit of snakes before my glass is tapped by the one next to me. My head turns and I meet Nate’s eyes.
“Bottom’s up, Bee.”
Our eyes stay locked as we take the shots. My mouth would go dry if I wasn’t downing fire in the form of liquid.
I cough and set the glass back down on the table. The room comes back into focus and I grab my cocktail and take a sip of that. While this place is busy, it’s definitely not the party scene. And once we leave some cash for our waitress we’re onto the next place.
“Oh, the light show,” Kamryn says when we get to the Bellagio.
We stay standing on the sidewalk to watch the rest of the fifteen minute show before heading into the first casino we can find. Walking to the entrance and through the lobby, the sound of slot machines echoes throughout the room. People of all, hopefully, legal ages fill the area. Sophie and Chance run off shouting Blackjack while the rest of us look around with our eyes as big as saucers. Kamryn takes a step away but pauses when she realizes I’m still here.
“Go ahead,” I tell her.
“Are you sure?”
“Positive. Go wipe the floor with them.”
Her glee is infectious as she kisses me on the cheek. “I’ll see you later. Text me when you’re ready to head out.”
I watch my sister run further into the casino with a Poker table in her sight. And then it was just me, Nate, and Bryce.
“Huh. I see some very single ladies begging for my attention,” the black haired baseball player says. “You two have fun.” And then he’s off leaving Nate and me.
