"The manager," Pia explained.
Zoey nodded. "Friends in high places, I see," she teased.
"Just like you," Pia said, again taking Zoey in her arms.
Zoey tried to resist whatever force was drawing her to Pia — both physically and emotionally. God, even just Pia's touch drove her crazy.
"Do you want a drink?" Zoey asked, pointing towards the main venue area.
Pia stilled, her hands no longer exploring the curve of Zoey's hips. "Uh, sure," she said.
"Cool, I'll go out first," Zoey said, turning and hurrying away.
She was being an asshole, especially when Pia had been so supportive as to come to the release party, but she was also a little too desperate to just leave the whole party to go home with Pia.
And that was not what friends did.
Sure, she had driven over to Pia's house late at night a few times in the past week, but that was what they were. Just friends who sometimes made each other feel good. No strings. Nothing more.
If it was more, that meant she had some soul-searching and reflection to do, and who had time for that? So, no, there was nothing more.
She pushed through the heavy door, breathing a sigh of relief as she walked into the venue, full of cocktail tables, waiters carrying trays of champagne, and friendly faces excited to see her.
She saw her parents, her mother holding her purse tightly to her chest as her father sipped at a beer. It wasn't their scene, but they were trying. She made her way over to them, grabbing a flute of champagne on her way.
"Mom, Dad, what'd you think?" She asked as they exchanged hugs.
"It was so loud," Mom said.
Zoey nodded. "Yeah, kind of how these live music things go," she said.
"I liked those girls who came out to sing with you," Dad said.
"Yeah, they're fantastic. We're big fans of them," Zoey said, downing half of her glass in one large gulp.
Just like always, it was like pulling teeth to have a nice conversation with her parents.
"Zoey, fantastic job," someone said behind her, and she turned to find Pia looking radiant in the soft lighting of the party.
"Pia Marino?" Mom asked, looking completely starstruck.
"Guilty as charged," Pia said, laying the charm on so thick that Zoey nearly laughed.
"Pia, these are my parents. Greg and Donna. Mom, Dad, this is Pia Marino, my friend," Zoey said.
"I watch your show every day," Mom said, positively gushing. She had taken Pia's hand and was holding on for dear life.
Pia was smiling warmly. It wasn't even a fake smile. She looked genuinely pleased. "I'm so grateful for that, Donna," she said. "I couldn't do it without you."
"Mom, don't break her wrist," Zoey said, watching the exchange with confusion.
"Oh my gosh, Karen and Pat are never going to believe I met you. Can we take a picture?" Mom said, taking her phone out of her purse.
"Of course," Pia said.
"Honey, take our picture," Mom said, shoving her phone into Zoey's hands. "Use the flash."
"I know how to use a phone, Ma," Zoey said, reverting straight into her angsty teenage years.
Dad leaned into the picture, and before Zoey knew it, she was taking a picture of her parents with Pia.
They had come to her release party and were taking photos with Pia.
Fucking classic.
"Wait, Zo, get in here," Pia said, waving an arm. "We can take a selfie."
Zoey nearly objected, but Pia looked so earnest in her request. Also, she thought it may be necessary to get between her mother and Pia. Pia took the phone and angled her body, tucking Zoey into her chest with Zoey's mother beside her and Dad in the back. She extended her arm, fitting the four of them in the shot.
"Thank you so much. I'm texting it to the girls right now," Mom said, looking down at her phone.
Zoey held her tongue, replacing her empty champagne flute on a tray as another waiter came by.
"Zo, I came to grab you because Micah was asking for you," Pia explained, giving a wave to her parents as she took Zoey by the elbow.
She led Zoey away from her parents and through the crowd.
"Where's Micah?" Zoey asked.
"Oh, I was just saying that because it looked like you needed a break from Greg and Donna," Pia said, shrugging.
"I could kiss you right now, you evil genius," Zoey said quietly, grinning.
"I mean, I've kissed you in much more crowded spots than this," Pia said, leaning forward as though she was going to take Zoey up on the offer.
"Don't you even dare," Zoey said, shaking her head.
"Your parents are delightful, by the way." Pia said with a smirk.
Zoey rolled her eyes. "I got out of Omaha the second I could. We’ve never been close, and being the biracial daughter of a perfectionist couple set us up for some... difficult moments in terms of understanding one another," she said.
"Ah, makes sense," Pia said, nodding. "Omaha does have great music, though."
"Where do you think I learned to play?" Zoey said with a raised eyebrow.
"Zoey," Sabrina called out. She noticed Pia and gave her a tight hug. "Hi. So glad you could come."
Pia looked surprised, but not offended. "Thanks," she said.
"You're needed for a cake photo op thing," Sabrina said, grabbing Zoey's arm.
"See you later?" Pia asked, her voice barely audible.
"If you're lucky," Zoey said before being pulled back into the crowd.
Zoey sat on the couch in her living room, her feet kicked up on the wall next to Freya's painting. The velvet flared pants she had worn at the party were pushed down around her hips, but she hadn't been able to get them off before landing on the couch.
She flipped through her phone. A selfie she had taken with Archer, the flight attendant from Pia’s plane, popped up in her tagged photos on Instagram with the caption, “Proud of my girl for this killer album!”
My girl? Zoey rolled her eyes, but liked it anyway and commented a heart emoji.
She had a little too much to drink at the release party, then she had received a ride back to her house. She had walked in the door, kicking off her heeled boots as she texted Pia.
Zoey: Come over?
Pia: I've never been to your house. Send me the address.
Zoey sent her the address and waited.
Pia showed up 45 minutes later and Zoey had made it to the door, but leaned against the doorway once the room started to spin.
"You made it," Zoey said, with only a very, very tiny hint of a slur.
Pia gave her one look from head to toe. "Oh, I see what's going on here," she said, laughing.
"Hell yes," Zoey said, trying her best to pull Pia inside.
"Come on," Pia said, wrapping an arm under Zoey's arms to lead her to the bedroom.
Zoey could walk perfectly well on her own — ish — but when she got to the bedroom, the only thing she wanted was to flop down on the bed. Pia helped her take off her pants and body suit — which was, in Pia's very rude opinion, "the least sexy item of clothing a woman could wear." Pia left the room and came back with a glass of water and a few pain killers, which she made Zoey take immediately.