Chapter 9
HANNAH
The second we walk into the club Kinsley leans over to whisper-shout in my ear, “Oh my god. Marry him.”
“What?” I bark out a surprised laugh as I beg the butterflies in my stomach to calm the hell down.
The music is loud, the lights are going, and the energy of the crowd is contagious.
“He’s hot, he adores you, and he just walked us in here past that huge ass line like it was no big thing.”
“So I should marry him?”
“Are there better reasons?” Her grin widens.
I hate to admit it, but it was worth the trouble to get in here. Don’t get me wrong, I would have been perfectly content to go somewhere quieter and hang out with only Kinsley and Skylar. But this? This feels like a celebration.
Heidi and Christina got tired of waiting in line and went to another club. I’m glad we didn’t do the same. This is going to be fun, I think.
Travis glances over his shoulder to make sure we’re still following him. When he notices the small gap he’s put between us with his long strides, he pauses and waits a beat for me to catch up.
“We have a table on the main floor,” he says.
“Oh, you don’t have to babysit us all night.”
“It’s no big deal. We have extra spots at our table.
” I’m not sure what I expected, but it wasn’t for him to invite us to his private table.
I know just enough about the price to get in here to know the closer we get to the stage, the more expensive.
And a table? I have no clue what those cost, but I know it’s one of those if you have to ask, you can’t afford it things.
He stops walking and looks down at me, something serious taking hold of his expression. “If you don’t want to hang out with me, then at least use the table as a home base to chill and get faster drink service.”
“Why are you being so nice to me?” It’s so loud in here I’m not sure if he can even hear me since I don’t bother raising my voice over the noise.
His lips twist into the playful smile I’m much more familiar with. “I like you.”
That’s it. So simple and so complicated. I don’t have time to question it or ask a follow-up before he takes my hand and pulls me behind him. I look over my shoulder to Kinsley and Skylar, then wish I hadn’t. Their smiles are smug and far too knowing.
Travis’s hand is big and warm. He holds my fingers loosely but somehow still protectively as he navigates through the crowd.
On the sides and in front of the dance floor are tables that hold a dozen or more people at each.
Large, plush U-shaped booths with high backs that give them a sense of privacy while looking out onto all the people dancing in front of the stage.
He stops in front of one on the far right side. Two guys and two girls are already sitting there.
“You made it!” One of the guys exclaims as he looks at Travis then down at our still joined hands. “And you brought some friends.”
He has dark hair and a mischievous grin similar to Travis’s. Unlike the guy next to me, he has colorful tattoos all up and down his arms. One is around a beautiful woman with jet-black hair. She offers me a friendly half smile.
“That’s Danny but we call him D-Low,” Travis yells to me, Kinsley, and Skylar. Then he points to the other guy at the table. “And that’s Conrad or Shep.”
Conrad lifts a hand in a wave. Conrad or Shep is hot.
Really hot. He has dark blond hair and a sharp, defined jawline that gives his face a pleasant and interesting edge.
The rest of his features aren’t that remarkable on their own but together he’s possibly the most attractive man I’ve ever seen in real life. I’m a little warm just looking at him.
He seems less excited to see us, but I can’t decipher if it’s arrogance or if he’s just not as outgoing as his friends. He too has a woman next to him but he’s sitting a good foot away from her.
“Hi, I’m Kinsley!” My friend wastes no time scooting into the booth. She drags Skylar with her. “This is my girlfriend, Skylar.”
“Hey.” Skylar waves as she scans the group.
More reluctantly, I take a seat next to Skylar as I introduce myself, “Hannah.”
“Wait.” Danny leans across the table toward me. That mischievous grin is downright feral. “The Hannah?”
I open my mouth to respond but how does one reply to that?
And what does “the Hannah” even mean? I distract myself by checking out the gorgeous artwork on his arms. I’ve always liked tattoos but never had the guts to get one.
How do you decide what to get and where to put it?
I’m not generally indecisive but it feels like too big of a commitment to not be certain. Plus, I’ve heard it’s painful.
Travis drops into the booth. His cologne smells nice.
Not overpowering but strong enough that it clings to him.
I wonder if he has any ink besides the one I spotted on his bicep.
I turn my attention from Danny to Travis, scanning what little bare skin he’s showing, absolutely not noticing the way his dress shirt hugs his shoulders and biceps or how the rolled sleeves highlight his tan, veiny, ink-free forearms. He might not be as striking as Conrad, but my body definitely lights up differently when he’s around.
“Yes. This is the Hannah,” Travis says.
Wait. What?
I pull my focus from his arms (A major feat I might add.
Seriously, forget mastering the Van Leeuwen.
This is the bigger accomplishment. I deserve the gold medal.
Parades should be thrown in my honor.) and study his face.
There’s no sign of humor or embarrassment or…
any emotion really. Like he’s talking about the weather instead of essentially admitting he’s talked about me to his friends.
Right? Am I reading the situation wrong or is that what this means?
“I am?”
His dark brown eyes lock onto mine, briefly drop to my mouth, and then lift. “Of course.”
I look away before he does, which somehow feels a little like playing a game of chicken and I’ve lost.
“He’s been talking about you nonstop since you moved in next door,” Danny adds.
Shep nods.
“How do you feel about love at first sight?” Danny asks. His lips hitch up at the corners and I get the sense that I’m missing a lot of context needed to answer that question appropriately.
“I’ve never really thought about it,” I say truthfully. “Possible but not likely?”
“Fair enough.” Danny continues grinning at me, then waves a hand to the middle of the table.
There’s a bucket filled with ice and bottles of Modelo, plus a fifth of vodka and another of bourbon.
“Help yourself to anything you’d like, or the server should be over again soon if you want something else. ”
As he talks, he grabs the bourbon and an empty glass and pours a drink, then slides it down to Travis.
Travis takes it with a dip of his chin, then says, “Let’s get some champagne.”
“Champagne, huh?” Conrad’s voice is barely audible over the noise, but his expression is friendlier now, making me think maybe he’s just the quiet one of the group and not a cocky asshole. “I guess that means you’re finally up for celebrating the big twen—”
“It’s Hannah’s big night!” Travis raises his voice as the DJ picks the same moment to yell into the microphone. “She…” He pauses and looks to me. “What’d you do again?”
This makes me laugh. He’s sort of adorable when he’s not trying so hard to be just that.
“She convinced the best coach in women’s gymnastics to take her onto his roster,” Kinsley is quick to shout my success. God, I love her.
“He only takes on the best of the best. He’s coached most of the Winter Games medalists from the past five years,” Skylar adds.
“You do listen when I talk,” Kinsley says to her girlfriend with hearts in her eyes.
Skylar laughs as Kinsley leans forward to kiss her. They’re so cute they make my insides all gooey.
“Then we should definitely celebrate,” Danny says as he tips his drink toward me. “Congrats, the Hannah.”
“Thanks, the Danny.”
He grins then shoots me a flirty wink that somehow doesn’t feel flirty at all.
“I don’t like what’s happening here.” Travis narrows his gaze at Danny and moves closer to me, draping an arm around the booth behind me. He isn’t touching me, but I can feel his warmth. It’s pleasant and has me wanting to lean back into him. I don’t, of course. I have my dignity.
When the server returns, Travis orders two bottles of champagne and a round of shots. Kinsley catches my eye and gives me a taunting yet approving glance that I pretend not to understand.
Still, it’s hard to be in this place and not get lost in the music and fun.
“I like him for you!” Skylar shouts as we dance a foot apart in the middle of the floor.
“Who?” I play clueless as I glance back toward our table where Travis is sitting with his friends.
Unfortunately, he picks that exact moment to look this way and catches me staring at him.
My face flushes (from the dancing) and my stomach does some sort of weird swoopy, dip thing like the first time I did a handstand on the high bar (also probably from the dancing).
Fanning my hot cheeks, I turn back to Skylar and Kinsley. “I’m going to get some air.”
“Do you want us to come with you?” Kinsley asks.
“No. Stay.” I back away from them with a wave of my hand. “I’ll be right back.”
I weave my way off the dance floor and stand in line for the bathroom. I lean one shoulder against the wall and text Wren to check in. My sister calls me two seconds later.
“Hello?” I answer, putting the phone to one ear and placing my hand over the other to block out the noise. Luckily, there’s some stellar soundproofing in the hallway.
“I figured it was faster to call you then to try to assure you I’m alive and well via text.”
I snort. “You know me too well. How are you?”
“Alive and well,” she repeats.
“How was your world history test?”
“Eight-four,” she says with a huff of disappointment.
“I’m sorry. I know you studied so hard for it.”
She hums. “I think all the studying is actually making me dumber, which is why I’m going out tonight.”
“You are.” My body tenses. “Where? Who are you going with?”
Wren laughs. “A party with half the college. I’ll be fine.”
“Be careful. Don’t accept drinks from anyone and make sure your phone is charged so you can get an Uber or text me if you need anything.”
“O-kay. No more true crime podcasts for you. You’re not emotionally equipped to deal with them.”
I laugh. She might not be wrong about that.
“Be careful,” I say. “I love you, Baby Bird.”
It was my nickname for her when we were kids. I found out a wren was a kind of bird and I thought I was so clever.
“I love you too,” she says back.
With a shake of my head, I drop my phone to my side. I do a quick check to make sure she’s still sharing her location with me.
“Who’s Baby Bird?” Travis’s voice startles me, and I fumble my phone, catching it against my chest seconds before it falls to the ground.
“No one.”
He stands in the middle of the hallway, blocking the path of women walking out of the bathroom. He steps closer to me to let someone pass, enveloping me in his warm, spicy scent.
“What are you doing?” I ask him.
“Looking for you.”
“Found me,” I say, stepping forward with the rest of the line. So does he.
I arch a brow in question, but he doesn’t comment on why he’s decided to hover.
“Are you having fun?” he asks.
“I am. Thanks for getting us in.”
“You’re welcome.”
He stays with me as we inch our way to the front of the line. His presence makes me nervous for reasons I don’t quite understand.
When it’s my turn, he hangs back.
“You’re not coming in to make sure I don’t slip out a window?”
“Nah. You’d miss me. Besides, there aren’t any windows in there.”
I don’t even want to guess how he knows that.
When I come out of the bathroom, Travis is still waiting for me. He’s attracted attention from the other women in line, but he either hasn’t noticed or is actively ignoring their gazes. He pushes off the wall when he spots me and smiles. “Do you want another drink?”
“No, I’m good. I think I want to dance.” I start down the hallway and out to the main part of the club. It takes some effort to push my way through the dance floor again, but I find Kinsley and Skylar exactly where I left them.
I pause and watch them. They’re dancing like there’s no one else in the club. Kinsley’s arms are draped over Skylar’s shoulders and their foreheads are pressed together. I know if I join, they’ll break apart and include me, but I don’t want to intrude on their moment.
I turn back to Travis. “Actually, a drink sounds great.”