Chapter Nine - Verity
CHAPTER NINE
VERITY
“ D oes my left boob look weird?”
Hannah squints at my chest. “No, it looks normal.”
“Are you sure? I feel like the–”
“Vee. Trust me. Your tits look phenomenal. I wish I had giant melons like yours instead of these little apricots. Now stop overthinking your outfit and do me a favor by grabbing more seltzer from the fridge.”
I let out a huff through my nose, sparing one last glance at myself in the mirror before I turn on my heel and leave Hannah to finish her makeup.
“Fine. What flavor?”
“Lime. Thank you. Love you.”
I wrinkle my nose. That is her favorite flavor, and it makes me question our friendship. Lime seltzers taste like plain, fizzy water with a mildly alcoholic sting. At least the mango one has a sweet taste.
I pluck two chilled cans from the fridge and pop the tabs open. My phone lights up from where it’s charging on the kitchen counter, and I place the seltzers down to check the notification.
CULLEN: let me know if you change your mind
I bite my lower lip, trying to temper the grin that threatens to break free. Cullen is back in town last minute to close out a deal in Chelsea. He’d texted me this morning before he boarded his flight from Miami and asked if I was free for another date once his meetings were over.
I’d been three seconds away from texting him ‘yes’ before Hannah practically bodychecked the phone out of my hand.
I’d promised her the other day that I’d go to her friend’s social club for a Friday night out.
After bailing the last few times due to Shitty Mike, she’d even gone so far as to make me pinky promise.
I want to see Cullen, but I also know that sticking by my promise is the right move.
I can’t keep being that girl who bails on her best friend because a guy suddenly wants my attention.
That goes against the whole goal I’d set for myself.
I’m not going to chase after Cullen; he could chase after me.
Even if this is the hardest thing in the entire world.
With a reluctant sigh, I flip my phone over and pick up the seltzers.
Hannah is humming along to a song on her phone, her face practically smooshed against the bathroom mirror as she threads a heart-shaped stud into her earlobe.
“For you.” I hold the lime flavor out to her like a gift.
“Thanks.” She takes a deep swig. “I swear I’m almost ready.”
I let out a snort. The only time Hannah is ever punctual is for work; otherwise, she is notoriously late.
“You said that twenty minutes ago when we were supposed to leave.”
“Yeah, well, that was just a buffer time. No one shows up until eleven, anyway.”
“Uh-huh. It’s quarter to.”
“Shit. Really?”
I take a dramatic sip of my mango seltzer before popping the word, “Yup.”
“Fuck. Okay. Okay. Ugh. The guys are going to murder me. Can you check when the next train is, and I swear I’ll be ready in five. I just need to find my shoes.”
I give her a loving eye roll before heading back into the kitchen to unplug my phone. Cullen’s text blinks back at me and I push past that tug in my chest, swiping free from the temptation and pulling up the train schedule, determined to resist him.
Music thumps along my skin as I sway my hips to the beat, an empty plastic cup of tequila in my hand.
Hannah smiles, completely lost to the song, the purple lights of the club shining off her metallic mesh crop top.
One of the DJs briefly places a hand on the small of her bare back, drawing her attention to him.
She leans her head in as he whispers something, and I watch that signature feline smirk melt onto her face as she responds back. She gives his bicep a brief squeeze before stepping away and shuffling over to me. She plucks the empty cup from my hand.
“Come on, let’s head back to the table. I’ll get you a refill.” She has to shout to be heard over the music. It’s always a million times louder behind the DJ booth.
“I’m good.”
She links our elbows anyway, leading us off the raised platform. “Fine, but just pretend.”
“DJ guy giving you a hard time?”
“Huh? Oh, no. He is always touchy like that. We almost banged a few times, but the moment’s passed.”
“Of course. Then why are we rushing off?”
“I spotted this guy that I did bang heading over to the table. If I’m lucky, he may want a repeat performance.”
“Guessing it was a good lay?”
“Definitely one of the better ones.” She winks.
God, I love her.
We get to the table, which is packed with expensive bottles of tequila and vodka and has a ratio of seventy percent women to thirty percent men—and all the girls are clearly hotter.
One of the girls pulls Hannah into a conversation, and while I know a few of the people here, I don’t know them that well.
Hannah and I have been living in the city the same length of time, but it never ceases to amaze me how widespread her social circle runs.
I pull out my phone to check the time and see another text from Cullen from an hour ago.
CULLEN: get home safely tonight. Text me in the morning if you want to grab breakfast before I fly back.
My stomach fills with the fluttering of butterfly wings. It is a little past one right now, and he is surely asleep, but I can’t resist shooting him a text back.
ME: don’t worry, the subway is always open
I stifle a laugh, loving this inside joke we have going.
My eyes widen as my phone vibrates with a new text message.
He’s still up?
CULLEN: don’t play with me Verity
ME: idk what ur talking about
CULLEN: it’s 1:30am
ME: and?
CULLEN: Verity.
ME: What? are u going to call me a car again?
CULLEN: if i have to
CULLEN: seriously, just tell me when and I’ll get you a ride
ME: Hannah prob wont leave till 3…
CULLEN: that’s fine i can wait
I purse my lips, but the apples of my cheeks still puff up with the smile that pokes through. Is it bad that a part of me loves this?
At first, I felt a little guilty that he was calling me these rideshares, but it kind of makes me feel special. He is showing he cares, even though he is getting nothing out of it. It’s refreshing.
I glance back up to check on Hannah, spotting her with a cute guy. She has one arm resting lazily over his shoulder, and he has a hand on her hip. I can feel the sexual tension between them from over here. He has to be the guy she was telling me about.
I mean, if she is going to go home with him, then maybe I can dip without feeling bad?
The balls of my feet are hurting from standing in heels for so long, and most of the alcohol I’ve drunk over the last few hours is wearing off, leaving me more tired than tipsy.
ME: actually, i kinda do want to head home
CULLEN: i got you - where are you?
I send him my location, but when a few minutes pass without a response, I start to get a little worried.
Did he fall asleep?
I try not to let the disappointment curdle in my gut. It’s not like he has any obligation to send me home, but that doesn’t lessen the hurt from the anticipation I’ve built.
“You good, Vee?” Hannah taps the edge of my phone screen.
“Yeah, I–”
CULLEN: ok - come out front
“–I’m actually going to head back.”
Hannah’s brows furrow. “Are you sure?”
“I’m kinda tired.”
“Want me to come back with you? I can just grab my purse.”
I look over her shoulder where the guy she’d been flirting with is chatting with a few of the other men. I know Hannah would much rather go home with him than back to our place.
I shake my head. “I’ll be fine. I’ll text you when I get back, ok?”
She wraps her arms around me in a slightly sweaty hug. “KK, love you.”
Once she releases me from her embrace, I wave a quick goodbye and then begin weaving my way through the sea of dancing people.
It is still totally packed in here, so by the time I finally make it to the second-floor landing, I practically sigh with relief from making it out without getting an elbow to the ribs.
I grip the railing of the spiral staircase and carefully make my way down. The glass walls are windows to the bustling night, a large crowd of people still lined up outside the venue, all hoping to get in and have a taste of the luxury.
The bouncer opens a second door for me to exit through, and I give him a smile as I step onto the breezy sidewalk. The temperature is a stark difference from the stuffiness inside the social club.
I wrap one arm around myself while I start to text Cullen back, realizing he never gave me the license plate I’m supposed to look for.
“Need a ride home, miss?”
I almost jump out of my skin as the deep voice rumbles close to my ear. I whip my head to the side, only to be met with a barrage of confusing emotions.
“Cullen?”
He smiles down at me, dressed totally differently than any other time I’ve seen him. He sports a black hoodie and dark blue jeans, nothing like the usual walking suit advertisement he typically is. But even in his casual clothes, he looks absolutely delicious.
I’m pretty sure he could wear a garbage bag and look hot.
I instinctively reach out to hug him, and he opens his arms for me. I snuggle against the soft fabric of his hoodie, my entire body getting all fuzzy from being wrapped up in him.
“What’re you doing here?” I mumble, cheek against his chest.
“My hotel is around the corner. I couldn’t resist seeing you when you were this close.”
“Weren’t we going to grab breakfast in the morning?”
“I had a feeling I’d have better luck seeing you now than getting you out of bed at eight.”
“Eight?!” I pull my head back and tilt it up at him. “I didn’t realize you meant that early.”
“Yeah, my flight’s at twelve.”
“You were barely even here for twenty-four hours.”
“I know.”
I squeeze him tighter, mourning the time that had been taken from us.
I don’t want to go home anymore. I want to spend what little time I can with him. Except it is almost two in the morning. What could I possibly do about that?
“What’s got you sighing, angel?”
I hadn’t even realized I’d done that.
“Nothing, it’s just…I don’t know.”
He pulls back, those hazel eyes boring into me with such tenderness. “Come on, tell me. What can I do to fix that frown?”
“I was just thinking that I wish I didn’t have to go home.
I want to spend more time with you.” I nervously tuck a strand of hair behind my ear, a need to fidget rising as I try to tamp down the anxiousness I feel at speaking my truth.
I hate seeming needy, but I trust Cullen not to judge that side of me.
“Hm,” he hums. “How do you feel about pizza?”