Ever since she was four, her singular goal in life had been to avoid losing herself and to stay true to the woman her grandmother raised her to be—strong against the odds. It was exhausting but worth it when she knew what being weak did to a woman. Mom. Every day that she looked in the mirror, she was reminded.
For one night and for the friends who were coming to celebrate with her, though, she could afford to let loose. Heck, she was already dressed the part.
Zora put on her game face. “Fine.”
Oli did a bouncy, happy dance and stepped forward as they reached the door. She opened her purse for the beefy doorman, then stopped to give him a sultry, batted lash look before she turned back and waggled her eyebrows at Zora.
“Work and play don’t have to be mutually exclusive,” she purred.
Zora was pretty sure that last bit wasn’t meant solely for her benefit, considering the fine specimen of man her friend was flirting with.
Zora opened her small clutch, smiling awkwardly at the bouncer. “Thanks. Anyway,” she said to Oli. “Mike and I are friends. That’s it. I’m fine by myself. Plus, he’s with Kate, and, he’s not here.”
Oli snickered. “I’m just going to mind my own business, sit back, and watch what happens.”
Chapter Two
Mike
Michael Kennedy sat on the edge of a wooden stool with his elbows propped on the long, sleek black bar and his chin resting on his clasped hands. While he knew he should be looking around the silent disco for Olivia and Zora, he wasn’t exactly in any hurry to find them, considering Kate’s prickly mood.
“Do you see them yet?” she asked for about the fifth time since they’d arrived.
“Relax.”
He wrapped his hand around Kate’s and flashed her a reassuring smile. Within a few minutes, a young bartender with a full beard and two sleeves of tattoos nodded in his direction.
“I’ll have a jack and Coke and a vodka cranberry for the lady,” Mike called out over the hum of the crowd.
“You’d think they’d be here before anyone else.”
The impatience in Kates’s voice ripped through Mike’s thoughts. It irritated the shit out of him, but at the moment, he was picking his battles. Really, he didn’t know what to expect.
Would Kate and Zora resort to that female tendency to hate, then judge, before looking closer to see if they liked one another?
Mike blew out a breath to try to take the edge off. It wasn’t Zora he was worried about. He’d known her since she was a kid. The girl was laid-back, even-tempered, and fun-loving. But Kate was territorial and unpredictable—always on defense. This meant he was going to have to spend the rest of the night convincing Kate she had nothing to worry about.
He and Zora were friends.
How many times do I have to say it?
Mike scanned the sea of faces and swaying bodies. The silence was baiting his nerves. Maybe if he saw Zora first, he’d have a small advantage. Be able to gauge the situation and see where her head was at…warn her. But, still no sign of them.
Kate released an audible sighed.
“Chill. We just got here, too. They’ll be here soon.”
She whipped her head around to face and scrutinize him as if there was more to this night out. “I’m just a little confused. Tell me again why you have to be here?” Her tone was laced with accusation. “You’re Everett’s friend, not Zora’s.”
In a divine act, the bartender placed their order on the edge of the bar, saving him. Mike made a mental note to leave a generous tip.
“Thanks, man.”
For a few seconds, he pinched the bridge of his nose. Then he grabbed both of their drinks. At this point, Kate seemed to sense his annoyance and shimmied between his legs, appealing to a lower power. Mike’s hands betrayed him as he set his drink down again and let his hands wander down the thin fabric of her black mini dress.
He sighed.
Sadly, and far too cliché for his liking, if there was one thing that he was a sucker for, it was a tight dress.
Kate ran her fingers through his hair and waited for him to meet her gaze.
“I told you,” Mike began. “With the high-risk pregnancy, Everett and Sophia didn’t want to be out. Plus, Zora got a book agent and everyone is going to be here to celebrate. She’s like a sister to me. I’ve known her forever.” He exhaled and began again slow and measured. “You wanted to come. I could’ve just as easily dropped in by myself. I just want to tell her congratulations, so we only have to be here for a little while.”
Mike laid two twenties on the bar, picked up his drink, and stood. “Tell you what. Why don’t we put these headphones on and enjoy ourselves—have a good time while we wait for them?”
Kate shrugged and forced a tight smile. Her eyes were a frigid shade of iced marble.
“Drink up. Let’s dance. I want to see you how you move in this dress.” Mike winked, ignoring her attitude, and polished off his cocktail. As he waited for Kate to finish hers, he checked his phone one more time and pulled his headphones over his ears.
Before long, he and Kate were vibing to the hard beat of a rap mix, courtesy of the deejay on the right. Their headsets illuminated with blue lights, and bass pounded in their ears. Mike preferred the green station, but Kate kept urging him toward the upbeat sounds of some new mumble rapper.
Beat for beat, she matched Mike’s moves, their bodies molded together as they grinded up against one another, groping and kissing.
Inarguably, Kate was fine. Physically, she could make any red-blooded, heterosexual male drool. She had wild, curly, blonde hair, cool ivory skin, and, usually, a pair of sunny blue eyes. Her face was Cosmo, her body was Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition, and if that weren’t enough, she was a Trailblazers cheerleader, to boot.
For the life of him, he couldn’t understand how a woman with all the goods could be so insecure.
Zora wasn’t his girlfriend. She was his bounce-ideas-off-her, call-when-you-need-a-friend, gets-me-on-a-different-level person, but that was just because they’d known each other for almost two decades. Kate should understand that. The fact that Zora had grown up from a scrawny, ashy-kneed kid into a woman was beside the point. It was bound to happen.
Mike lifted his chin and his eyes darted into the dark corners of the club, searching for Zora.
Still nothing.
“Turn to the green,” Kate moaned, closing her eyes. Her hips were winding as she threw her hands up in the air.
“Gotcha.” He forced a smile as he pushed the button.
As far as Mike was concerned, awkward introductions like the one about to happen tonight were further reason he kept his romantic life separate from his friends and family, especially Zora. It just seemed cleaner and neater that way.
Which was why he hadn’t mentioned Zora’s party to Kate.
When Olivia called out of the blue the week before, he’d only answered because he thought it might have been an emergency—that, and sheer curiosity since she never called him. During the few interactions they did have during game nights, he got the distinct impression Olivia hated him. So, he couldn’t imagine why she was calling.
Unfortunately, once he was on the phone and Olivia got to talking about a celebration for Zora’s book deal, he had a hell of a time trying to get her to pump the brakes. Not only was he busy working on the building purchase proposal that could tip the scales toward making him partner, but Kate was only a few feet away in the shower. Still, Olivia pressed on, insisting he take the details, and by the time he’d jotted them down, it was too late. Kate was already out of the shower, wondering where “we” were going.