This past month has been a dream come true.
The only problem has been the man on my right. The big one. The one touching the skin of my back. The one sheltering me from the excited press. The one who whispers in my ear, “I want to dance with you tonight.”
I’ve held firm. I haven’t kissed him since that night in the car. Since his confession and my passion for him took over. He hasn’t tried anything either. Nothing. Zilch.
We went back to being us.
Like the car or the elevator never happened.
He started going out occasionally, leaving me home if I decline joining him or to hang out with Naomi, Viola, and the girls. And every night he went out, I was racked with jealousy. Fighting it in fits and waves while resisting the urge to text or call him.
I’m not his girlfriend. I had no right to my jealousy.
But then he’d come home early, and always make a point to find me to say good night or see how my night was or hang out with me on the couch if I was up watching something.
Whether he had been with any women in the hours he was gone, I don’t know.
My gut tells me no. He always appeared exactly how he left, flawless. Unrumpled by the hands and scent of another woman. I tell myself it doesn’t matter. I’m on lockdown, after all.
But everything with him matters, and my pep talks are growing more futile as the days spent with him pile up.
Stepping over the threshold of the club, I feel hands slip from my body as I meander farther into the dark room, taking it all in. It’s exactly what I expected a club to be. Warm, loud heavy bass music, flashing lights, and gyrating bodies.
“Break her heart and I’ll break your face,” I hear Henry murmur behind me.
“Huh?” I whip out, spinning around.
Henry glances over to me with a wan expression. Just as quickly he returns to Keith who is shaking his head balefully.
“Nothing,” Henry states firmly. “It was nothing. You know. Just guy shit.”
“But you just Some Kind of Wonderful-ed him. Why?”
Henry rolls his eyes. “I’m pretty sure that’s not a saying.”
I roll my eyes back. “I just made it one. What gives?”
“You’re not supposed to know that line. Watts was a drummer and Keith was obsessed with her from like the time he grew pubes on.”
“Dude, it’s like you don’t even know me,” I say to Henry, feigning injury as I hold my hand over my heart. “I’ve seen practically every film since the invention of film, and that includes silent films.”
“We know,” Keith growls in deflective annoyance. “You’ve made me watch them all with you.”
“And you love it, so quit your nitching.” I return my focus to Henry. “Tell me what you meant by that.”
“Nitching? That’s not even a word.”
I cock a brow at him as he glances uneasily at Keith.
“Bro code, princess,” Henry states. “Back out of it. It’s between me and your domestic partner. But let’s just say the warning has been laid down and it extends to you as well though I would never break your pretty face. For you, I’m speaking metaphorically. For him, I’m not.”
“Oh my god!” I exclaim, grabbing on to Keith’s shoulder and giving it a good shake. “I just realized the dude in that movie, his name is Keith.”
Henry laughs, pointing at me. “Now she’s finally getting it. If you’re going to Some Kind of Wonderful him, make it count. The only things in his life he cares about are you and his drums.” He winks at me before walking off.
“You said the line wrong,” I yell after Henry who just throws up a hand as he disappears into the crowd of dancers.
Keith scowls. “Don’t even try. It’s Henry.” He states this like that should be a sufficient enough reason, and I think it is. Henry is kind of an enigma. You wouldn’t think his soul goes as deep as it does but yeah…
Still, I want to ask why Keith needs any warnings when it comes to me since I’ve been persona non grata since the fingering in the car incident.
And because I’m me… “Why does he feel you need a warning. Nothing’s happened for weeks. Does he know about the car?”
Keith grunts at the mention of the car, but I need to know. Even though I shouldn’t ask. I should just let it ride because I’ve been doing my job and Keith’s been doing his, and things have been really good between us. And when he doesn’t answer me, I do let it ride and for once keep my mouth shut. Mama used to tell me not to rock a boat I didn’t want to capsize.
She was rarely right about anything, but in this instance, I think she is.
We’re ushered into a waiting elevator only to step off once we hit the fifth floor. Up here is a completely different club than the one I caught a glimpse of on the first and second levels. It’s not as dark for one, but the deep purple mood lighting casts a sexy, sultry glow over the white furniture. There are about a dozen separate lounge areas surrounding a large open dance floor in the center where a DJ is spinning a mix of techno and pop.
“This is a private, members-only floor,” Keith half-shouts into my ear so I can hear him over the music. “If you look around at the other people, you’ll understand what I mean.”
Surveying the room, it takes me a half-beat (literally) to understand what he means. It’s filled with actors and musicians, as well as businessmen and women who look like they’re busy running the world while out having a good time. All have entourages. All have lavish bottles of champagne, cognac, and vodka on their tables that they’re drinking as if there is no price associated with the expensive liquors.
This is so far removed from my world, from who I am that I hardly know how to process what I’m seeing. And most of the time, I don’t view the band in this sphere of wealth either. But in this moment, as we’re led over to a large U-shaped sectional that is equally as stacked as the other tables, if not more so, I realize just how wrong I am.
“Come dance with us,” Naomi demands, clutching my good hand and tugging me away from Keith. I roll my head over my shoulder and find him with the guys at the table, already pouring himself a drink of his favorite Jack Daniels. He tosses me a wink and a smirk and then proceeds to look away.
“Oh my god,” Vi exclaims already shaking her ass all over the dance floor, a bright smile plastered across her face. “I love my girls, but a night out as a grownup is everything.”
I laugh. I can only imagine.
“How long are Jasper’s and Gus’s parents in town?” I shout as I start to move my body to the music.
“Just the weekend, but they offered to babysit the girls so we could have this night out together and I’m very grateful. They’ve really been making an effort to be involved more.”
“Yes,” Naomi agrees. “They offered to do the rehearsal dinner for our wedding. I think that really meant a lot to Gus.”
“Less than five months to go. Not that I’m counting or anything.” Viola beams at Naomi. “I can’t believe how quickly it’s coming up. I’m so flipping excited.”
“Shhh,” Naomi hisses with a playful grin. “No one can know anything about it.”
Viola laughs, throwing her head back and her arms over her head. “Right. Like the press didn’t find out about mine and Jasper’s. Good luck with that one.”