Chapter 28
My nap that afternoon is long, luxurious, and completely dream-free.
I awaken refreshed and starving. Reeve orders in Thai.
I spend significantly longer than usual getting dressed for a celebration that Kitty would undoubtedly approve of: dancing, cocktails, and acknowledging that I am proud of what I did today, no matter what happens.
I descend Reeve’s terrifying staircase, feeling pretty, smart, and hopeful about my life, especially as I take the last few steps into the living room and catch him watching me.
“You look great.” His eyes start at my silk cami, drop to the same knee-length black skirt I wore to my interview, and move past my nylons to my fancy black heels, usually reserved only for weddings, before they reverse their way back up to my face again.
“You are far less fancy than you normally are.” I eye his simple fitted T-shirt and jeans. “I think I like this look on you.”
When we put on our coats, he holds mine, then brushes my hair out from under the collar, his fingertips leaving soft tingles on my neck.
In the elevator, we’re forced to press close as it fills with other twenty-somethings out for the evening.
He grabs my hips possessively, pressing my back into his front.
A position that would be far more obscene if not for the thickness of our coats.
On the Uber ride to the club, Reeve points out various landmarks from the windows as they blur by: his office in the distance, his favorite shawarma spot, the corner where he once stood next to Dustin Hoffman, not fully realizing who he was until he crossed the street.
His thumb strokes the back of my hand the entire time, a rhythmic back-and-forth that distracts me from the conversation.
By the time we pull up in front of the club, I am ready to dance. No, I am ready to press up against Reeve, run my hands all over his chest, and feel how his body moves under my fingertips.
The line is short enough that it takes only a few moments until we are at the front of the line, showing the bouncer our IDs.
The club is deceivingly bigger than I anticipated from the narrow front entryway.
The lights are low, and the music is so loud that the bass reverberates under my rib cage as we weave through the sea of bodies toward the dance floor at the back.
“Do you want to grab a drink?” I ask Reeve, only to realize his attention has shifted to someone standing at the end of the bar: a tall, good-looking Asian guy with broad shoulders and a nearly shaved head who raises his hand and smiles.
“Baldwin. Buddy, what’s up? It’s been a while.”
Two women turn at the sound of Reeve’s name.
The short one, also Asian, has long brown hair, red lipstick, and a short leather miniskirt.
The other woman is white with chin-length blond hair, wearing tight black pants and a black strapless crop top.
Both are so effortlessly cool they look as if they’ve been plucked from some Netflix TV drama.
“I hope you’re in the mood to meet some of my friends,” Reeve says, dipping his head to my ear as we approach.
My heart flutters in a brief panic as the guy sticks out his hand for a fist bump.
“How’s it going?” he says. “I’m Anders.”
“Jules,” I reply, almost missing his fist, our knuckles hitting at an awkward angle.
He shakes his hand, laughing it off before reaching for Reeve and pulling him into a half hug, giving his back a loud but friendly slap.
“Jules, this is Keshe”—Reeve introduces me to the brunette, who smiles—“and that’s Kendra.” He waves at the blonde, who acknowledges me with a slight raise of her drink.
“We all went to Queens together.”
“So, Jules.” Anders leans against the bar. “How do you know my man Reeve?”
I automatically look to Reeve as I attempt to summarize our history into a single digestible sentence.
“We met at a party two years ago,” Reeve answers. “It just took until now for Jules to finally agree to go out with me.”
Anders laughs, throwing his head back. “Smart woman.”
Our conversation is paused as Anders gets the bartender’s attention.
Reeve abandons me momentarily, following Anders to the bar and whispering something in his ear.
They return a moment later. Anders with two vodka sodas, which he gives the girls.
Reeve with two more and a Pbr, which he hands to me.
Kendra holds out her glass toward Reeve for a cheers. “I thought you were working this weekend?”
Reeve clinks his glass with hers and shakes his head. “No, I said I was busy. Jules is in town visiting for the weekend. I didn’t plan on inflicting you guys on her so quickly. I’m trying to make a good impression.”
Kendra drops an arm around my shoulders, pulling my head to hers.
“Then you made a big mistake bringing her here, Baldwin. Three more drinks, and I’ll be spilling every one of your secrets.
” She winks at me and laughs. Then she drops her arm and links it with mine.
“Come on.” She inclines her head toward the dance floor, holding her other arm out to Keshe.
“That dance floor is calling our names.”
She pulls us into the crowd, weaving through the dancing bodies until she finds a small clearing in the center.
Turning, she spreads her arms wide and backs up, pushing the other dancers away to make room for Anders and Reeve, who have followed us out onto the floor.
She raises her arms above her head and begins to sway her hips.
Keshe and Anders join in with an ease that makes me painfully aware of my lack of natural rhythm until Reeve’s hand snakes around my waist, pressing his body against mine.
He lowers his head so his mouth is at my ear.
“Sorry about all of this. I know it’s not what we planned.
If you’re not into it, let me know. We can go somewhere else. ”
I begin to dance as well, moving as best I can with the beat of the bass. “This place is perfect. Cold beer, excellent music, and…” I dance across our little circle away from Reeve and closer to Kendra and Keshe. “I need to hear more about these secrets.”
Kendra lets out a laughing “Yessss.” I can smell the vodka on her breath. It mingles with the vanilla of her perfume when she leans in close. “Remind me later to tell you the streaking snowman story.”
“And why his nickname is Bobby Gorgeous,” Keshe chimes in.
They both look at Anders, who holds up his hands.
“I can’t be a part of this. It violates the bro code.
” But then he reaches over and pulls Reeve into a headlock, covering his ears with his arm, and says, “Come find me later, Jules, and I’ll tell you why Reeve is permanently banned from Red Lobster.
” He releases him with a loud laugh and a quiet “You’re in trouble, buddy. ”
We dance for almost an hour, singing off-key to the songs we know, taking turns going to the bar for the next round of drinks.
I’m sweaty and happy and slightly dehydrated, so I’m not upset when the DJ makes an unexpected foray into an ambient house set and we head for a small bar table tucked around a corner, far enough away from the speakers that there is a little relief from the thumping music.
“Hey, man.” Anders slaps Reeve on the back. “I think it’s our turn to grab the next round.” He nods toward the bar, not waiting for Reeve to answer before taking off.
“I just need water,” Keshe says to Reeve, wiping her sweaty forehead with the back of her hand.
“Me, too,” I agree.
“Wimps,” Kendra yells, smacking her palm on the table. “I will take a double tequila soda, s’il vous pla?t. Somebody has to keep this party going.”
“I’m on it.” Reeve squeezes the side of my hip before following Anders to the bar.
Kendra sighs, her eyes following Reeve as he goes. “I really missed him,” she says, then turns to me as if explaining. “I don’t think I’ve seen Reeve in months. I’m so glad you guys came out tonight.”
“Really?” Reeve has mentioned his friends only in passing. Still, I’m surprised by this.
Kendra gives me a knowing look. “His job is the worst. He missed my birthday in September because of some work trip and Anders’s birthday in December because of a company party.
He made it out for Keshe’s in January but only because he felt terrible because he bailed on her engagement party back in October. ”
“To be fair, he was at a wedding that day,” Keshe says as if defending him. “I can’t get mad at him for that.”
Kendra rolls her eyes. “Yeah, some random wedding with some client’s daughter he barely knew. That still counts as working.”
It’s a beat before I fully register what she just said.
“Reeve went to a wedding with a client’s daughter?”
Keshe shrugs as if confused by it, too. “She needed a date. It was a favor to his boss or something. They were looking to close some big deal, and his boss wanted to keep the client happy. Reeve called me and explained everything.” She directs her last comment at Kendra.
“They basically pimped him out,” Kendra argues back. “And Reeve went right along with it.” She turns to Keshe. “You know that if the situation were reversed, Reeve would be the first one calling it out. Telling us we shouldn’t put up with that shit.”
“Okay, okay.” Keshe links her arm through Kendra’s. “As you can see, Jules, Reeve’s work is a bit of a hot topic with Kendra, especially when she’s fueled by vodka. But we love Reeve, and we’re just glad he’s out tonight and happy.”
I get the impression Keshe wants to change the subject, but I want to know more.
“Does that kind of thing…happen a lot?” I ask Kendra, trying to sound nonchalant.