Page 144 of Wild

I shake my head. “We’re already here, we might as well try to have some fun.”

I follow her inside, we check our coats, and then she heads straight for the bar. She orders us shots and I take one to be a good sport but have no intentions of having any more.

I hop up on an empty stool and before Kira can sit down a guy is already asking her to dance.

She gives me a look.

“Go,” I encourage. “Have fun.”

She flashes a smile and let’s herself be pulled into the crowd.

“Pining over someone?” I turn at the sound of the voice to find a guy a little older than me sitting on the stool to my left nursing a beer.

“Uh…”

He smiles. “Don’t worry, I’m not trying to hit on you. I am too—pining that is,” he sighs.

“It’s not fun.”

“No, it isn’t. I’m Jake, by the way.”

“Mia,” I reply.

“Nice to meet you, Mia.”

“Likewise.”

The bartender comes over and asks if we need anything.

“A water please.”

“Designated driver?” Jake asks me when the bartender moves away to get my glass of water.

“Self-imposed designated driver,” I laugh. “I’m not much of a drinker. Or a partier. Or … honestly, I’d rather be home sleeping right now.”

He chuckles. “You and me both. That was my friend who dragged yours away. Apparently, they both thought to get us out and distract us from our broken hearts—only it’s them who is having fun.”

The bartender hands me water and I drink down half of it, hoping to get rid of the liquid fire taste of the shot.

I’ve probably been sitting there an hour, maybe longer, chatting with Jake when he says, “Do you want to dance?” I make a face. “Just dance,” he adds. “That’s not code for anything else.” He cracks a grin. “What do you say?”

I mull it over and nod. “Yeah.”

He stands and I take his hand letting him pull me into the crowd.

It’s a fast song, but I do my best to keep up with the beat, and honestly … it feels pretty damn good to let loose, to not think about Hollis, or how much I hurt, to justbe.

* * *

“In you go.”I practically shove a drunk Kira into the passenger seat of her own car. I swear when she’s drunk she weighs three times her normal weight.

Across the lot Jake is doing the same with his friend. He waves and I raise my hand.

He offered me his number.

I declined.

The last thing I need right now is a rebound. I need to focus on myself.

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