Page 23 of Bad Reputation

I stand up, brushing off the skirt of my blue gingham minidress. “I think we might be making a mistake going to Cure. We’re definitely hot enough to go anywhere.”

Alice and Maia look at each other. Something secret passes between them, and they both supress smiles.

“Let’s plan to start at Cure. Then if the party sucks, we’ll go somewhere else,” Alice suggests.

I raise my eyebrows, but I don’t argue with them. Besides, it’s not like I have a better idea.

“Alright, let’s go then,” Maia says, getting her phone out. “I’ll call an Uber, so no one has to worry about what cars are where tomorrow morning.”

We head out of the house. I follow Alice, carefully picking a spot of dark colored lint off of her strappy white dress. She smiles at me as we climb into the Uber.

“I’m so glad you finally agreed to come out with us,” Alice says. “We were starting to worry about you.”

Maia looks back at me from the front passenger seat, her expression mouth quirking. She knows that Jameson and I were a thing, but she’s far too polite to ask what happened.

“Yeah, I don’t know why I took so long,” I say, glancing out the window at the darkened street. “It’s not like I’ve been doing anything for the last month.”

“Well you’re here now, that’s all that matters,” says Maia. “And we’re going to have a great freaking time tonight.”

“Yes we are!” Alice cheers.

Soon enough we pull up to Cure and hop out of the car, thanking the driver. Maia is off like a shot, practically running to get in the door of the bar.

I look at Alice, raising my eyebrows at her in a questioning glance. She shrugs and rolls her eyes, and we both hurry to catch up to Maia.

As soon as Maia pulls the door open, the throb of the bass line vibrates the soles of my shoes. I step in the doorway behind Maia and A, my eyes adjusting to the room. It’s dark in here, with plenty of fog and lasers.

It’s also packed to the limit. It’s only ten thirty, but the DJ that Gunnar has been talking up is apparently a huge draw. There are people everywhere, dancing and talking and listening to other people shouting.

“Wow,” Alice shouts. “I did not expect this!”

Maia pushes her way through the crowd, and Alice and I follow her. On the way, I spot Brad awkwardly dancing with Gisella, grinning like an absolute idiot.

I stop and greet them for a minute, noting the way that Brad’s hands never stray too far from Gisella’s hips. I’m jealous of them for that. They both look deliriously happy, and I am jealous of that too.

When I say goodbye to them, my eyes automatically start to search for Jameson. The bar is so crowded that it takes a minute to suss him out.

But then I see him, tall and dark in his rolled up shirt sleeves, working silently but furiously behind the bar. When I get up to the bar, squeezing into the space that Maia has saved for me, he’s got two cocktail shakers going at once.

He smoothly shakes them, and then pops them open, pouring their contents into glasses. It’s nice to be able to see him like this, in his element. It’s almost like it was before we ever kissed, when I would just watch him bartend like a lovestruck little girl.

I sigh, just as he looks up and makes eye contact with me. Jameson looks confused for a second, and then this ridiculous smirk takes over his whole face. I narrow my gaze at him.

“Here,” Alice says, pressing a drink into my hands. I take it, turning my attention to the girls.

“To us!” Maia shouts, holding her champagne flute up. “May we live forever.”

Alice and I clink our glasses to hers, and I sip mine. It’s pretty good, all the fizziness of champagne with a little bit of… maybe chai flavor? Cinnamon and cardamom and all that jazz.

“Woo!” Alice cheers. “Let’s get this party started!”

She turns to the bar, pointing at Forest. “Make us another round!!”

Forest flashes her a grin and does her bidding. I sip my champagne again, giggling when Maia puts her fingers on the stem of my glass, pushing it upward.

It forces me to drink a lot faster than I normally would, but I figure it’s okay. I’m in about the safest place ever to get drunk, considering that Asher and Jameson own this place.

Glancing at Jameson again, I quickly finish my first drink. He makes eye contact with me again, and for a second, I swear that there is no one else in the room. Time slows. I take a step forward, almost forgetting why we aren’t seeing each other anymore.

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