Chapter 28
Afamiliar crunch of gravel sounds in my ears as we pull into the parking lot just as the sun starts to set, the sky on fire with incredible shades of orange and red. For some reason, a part of me thought it would look different here after everything that transpired, but the building is the same. Imposing brick covered with ivy that stands out against the sandy gravel ground. Toni sees us pull in, looking surprised as he waves, before continuing to check the IDs of those lined up to get inside.
The motorcycle comes to a stop around the side of the building, Jax no doubt giving us privacy from curious spectators on purpose as I cautiously get off the bike with his help.
I take my helmet off carefully, handing it back to Jax before running my fingers through my hair, trying to smooth it out after the wind whipped it around violently.
“If you need anything tonight you call me, okay?”
“Okay, Dad,” I say jokingly as Jax gives me a look.
I take a breath. “I will call you if I need anything.”
“Good girl.” He nods, drawing me in for a kiss.
“Jax, I…” I pause, my nerves getting the better of me before I can finish the sentence I want to tell him. Tell him exactly what he means to me. I take a breath “I can’t wait to see you later.” I chip in quickly.
He smiles, his lips meeting mine again for a final kiss. “Me too, love.”
With an extraordinary amount of willpower, I manage to pull away from Jax, the cold night air replacing the warmth of his touch. But despite the chilly breeze, heat rises to my cheeks under his stare, the primal spark of want flickering beneath the sea of green promises what is to come later tonight. I smile quickly before turning around, my walk unsteady as the gravel crunches beneath my shoes.
“I’ll be back at three to pick you up,” he calls out to me. I turn around in response, giving him a small wave before turning the corner of the building and approaching the imposing front doors, taking a deep breath as I step into the darkness within.
As soon as I step through the threshold, a weird sense of nostalgia washes over me. The dim lighting, loud music, and the smell of sweat mixed with alcohol floods my senses reminding of all the time I spent working here. All the memories—good and bad—that I made inside these walls.
A shriek pulls me back to reality, and I see Alex running towards me.
“Evi, you’re back!” She practically screams in my ear, embracing me in a tight hug. “Mike said you were off on leave for a bit—said you weren’t feeling well and needed some time to recover. I was so worried! But I didn’t have your number and Mike wouldn’t give it to me, something about workplace policies.” She rolls her eyes. “Speaking of Mike, he tripped over a step last week and ended up breaking his leg, so Greg has been running the show and it’s been… different,” she says unimpressed. “Are you okay? You haven’t said a word.” She takes a breath, her arms never leaving my shoulders and her voice not pausing long enough to give me the chance to answer her. “Something’s different… you look good. Not that you didn’t look good before.” She chips in quickly. “But something is different. I can’t put my finger on it, but I’ll figure it out.” She laughs, her smile lighting up the dim room.
“Nothing’s different, Alex, just glad to be back,” I say, my smile genuine as she walks with me towards the main room.
She makes her way back behind the bar, and after storing my bag in my locker, I join her a minute later. I steady myself as I step up to the counter, feeling rusty despite only being away from work for such a short amount of time.
“Are you going to offer us a drink, or just stand there looking gorgeous all night, hun?” An unfamiliar voice drawls loudly from across the bar, eliciting a laugh from the men around him.
I flash a fake smile, hoping it reaches my eyes for the sake of my tips, and step towards the counter, leaning on it in a way that highlights everything that this dress is amplifying.
“What can I get for you guys?” My words are flirtatious under my smile. The rest of the night continues in a similar fashion, filled with flashing smiles and mixing drinks. I look out at the crowd surrounding the stage, watching Red do her thing. The club is packed, and I can barely hear myself think over the beat of the music and cat calls from enthusiastic customers. Towards the end of my shift, I realize that the anxiety I felt earlier has been replaced by confidence, and I find myself feeling thankful that my first shift back has been rather mundane.
I reach down to scoop ice into a glass, and the frosty air from the freezer bites at my skin, sending a shiver through my body.
“So, you actually came back.” I jump as Greg’s voice sounds close to my ear.
“Hi, Greg, nice to see you too,” I say dryly, glancing at him quickly before shifting my attention back to the drink in front of me, carefully measuring some amber liquid before pouring it on top of the ice.
“Here I was thinking you were too good for this place now,” he continues, a hint of malice in his tone.
My eyes never leave the drink I’m making. “What are you talking about?”
“Rumor has it you’ve gone ahead and shacked up with Turner,” he says, and I glance at him quickly, unable to read the look behind his eyes.
“What’s it to you, Greg?” I fire back, finding myself immediately defensive at the mention of Jax’s name.
“Well, I was going to see if a date is in the cards for us, but it seems you don’t leave much time before jumping from one guy to the next.”
“As if that’s the reason I wouldn’t go on a date with you, Greg.” I smile, but it doesn’t reach my eyes, and I hope he can read the anger that is slowly building behind my gaze.
“Oh, leave her alone would you, Greg? She’s not interested,” Red says, sauntering over to us having finished her last dance for the night.
She winks at me as Greg stalks away, whipping out his phone and pausing to look at us once more before shutting himself in the office. I hand the drink I made to the guy waiting by the bar, his eyes glued to the dancer on the stage, oblivious to the conversation at hand.
“What is his deal?” Red asks incredulously.
I laugh, the tension leaving my body with Greg’s retreat. “I have no idea,” I say with a shrug.
“As if you would ever date him.” She chimes in. “He’s condescending at the best of times, and outright mean when he’s angry.” She smiles, her eyes twinkling as she looks me up and down. “Plus, I hear a certain someone has you well and truly occupied lately.”
I can’t hide the smile that sweeps across my face. “Are there no secrets in this city?” I laugh.
“Not when it comes to something this juicy! So, it is true!” She grabs onto my hands. “I’m happy for you, Evi, I truly am. Mr. Turner is, well, he’s something alright.” She winks at me, and I know exactly what she’s trying to say.
“Oh, he sure is,” I confirm with a knowing look.
She turns to walk back to the staff room, her steps effortless despite her eight-inch heels. “I’m glad you’re back though Evi, seriously!” She calls back to me. And I realize that so am I.