Chapter 11 Lucy #2
“I wish I had some meaningful allegory,” Marsh says with a look on his face that says he’s afraid to disappoint me. “It’s really because I don’t have a life outside of work. Writing is all I’ve ever really cared about.”
“I feel the same way.”
“Not a lot of people do,” he says, and I can read between the lines. I know firsthand that if you want to spend your life with someone, they need to understand that what we do isn’t just a job. It’s a lifestyle. It’s our whole world.
Almost finishing my drink, I start to feel a little push on my bladder. “I’ll be right back,” I say, hopping off my seat.
Marsh nods. “I’ll be here.”
The restrooms are large and clean, and it feels like I’m at the Plaza Hotel. I stand in front of the full-length mirror and smooth my dress, touch up my lip liner, and run a hand through my hair to give it a little more volume.
My phone buzzes again.
Chris:
Lmk where u are. Or come over later
I shove my phone deep in my clutch. When I step back into the club, everything seems darker, louder, and more alive.
Marsh is still seated with his back to me, but he’s talking to someone.
There’s a woman with sun-kissed hair and tanned skin standing, laughing at whatever he’s saying.
She’s holding a martini glass and places her other hand on his shoulder while playfully pushing him away.
I walk toward them, and her smile quickly turns into a confused one.
“Hi.” I take a seat across from Marsh and end up beside the blond woman who I regret to report smells like coconuts instead of reeking of alcohol.
“Hey,” Marsh says. “Lucy, this is…” he gestures to the woman, stumbling on her name.
“Anna, did you forget already?” she responds, and I catch a very distinct Australian accent.
“Right, Anna.” He then turns in my direction. “She was just telling me how I looked familiar.”
“Oh, is that so?” I look up at Anna. I’ve got to hand it to her for making the first move.
“Well, Marsh, it was really nice meeting you,” she says, smiling at him. “My friends and I are sitting just over there. Maybe we’ll see you in a bit?”
“Maybe.” Marsh politely smiles back.
Anna gives a subtle wink then spins on her heel, walking back to her booth. She has one of the most incredible asses I’ve ever seen.
“So…” I turn back to Marsh. “Anna.”
“Yeah, she came up just as you left.”
“I bet she did.”
“I guess she thought she knew me,” he says.
“Marsh,” I say evenly. “You’re joking, right?”
“She said I looked familiar,” he says. “I think we’ve met before.”
“She doesn’t recognize you. She wants you.”
“No.” Marsh shakes his head incredulously. “We barely spoke.”
“Yeah, because I cockblocked.”
“I don’t think so.”
“Oh my god, I can’t believe how oblivious you are.
I saw how she was looking at you and playfully touching your arm.
” I mimic Anna and gently nudge his shoulder while laughing.
“Seriously, if I didn’t show up, that could’ve been you two.
” I direct his attention to a couple on the dance floor grinding.
Marsh looks at them then turns back to me. “Do you think I still have a shot?” I laugh, and then his face drops as he looks behind me. “Shit.”
“What?” I turn around and don’t see anything unusual, just people talking, dancing, ordering drinks.
“Dani,” Marsh says, trying to keep his eyes away from whatever is happening behind me.
“Who’s Dani?”
“Julia’s best friend,” he says in a way that tells me we do not like Julia’s best friend. “Let’s get out of here.”
“Whoa, whoa, wait a minute.” I place my hand on his forearm. “What’s wrong with her? Is she mad at you?”
“No,” he says. “I just haven’t seen her since Julia and I broke up, and I’m not in the mood to talk to her.”
“Okay, we can go,” I say but don’t move. “Or, we could not let your ex and her best friend ruin this evening?”
Marsh adjusts in his seat and sighs. “I sound like an idiot. I’m sorry.”
“You sound like a guy who wants to let go of his past and avoid confrontation,” I correct. “That sounds pretty mature to me.”
“There’s just always something with her,” Marsh says.
“Which one is she?”
“Red hair, green dress.”
Subtly, I turn around to catch a gorgeous redhead at the bar. “And I assume she’ll be at the rehearsal dinner?”
“She’s the maid of honor.”
“Okay, you’re right. She looks scary,” I admit when I catch a glimpse of her eyes, which are, I am not exaggerating, cold as ice. “Want to leave and get smashburgers?”
“I would want nothing more.”
“Marsh?!” I hear a voice behind me. I close my eyes in defeat knowing we’re too late. “Oh my god, Marsh!”
Marsh plasters a fabricated smile on his face. “Hey, Dani!”
“What are you doing here?” Dani stands next to me yet completely ignores me. Maybe there’s something about this seat. “This doesn’t seem like your vibe.”
“I’m, uh—”
“We’re just having a little date night,” I cut in, noticing Marsh struggling.
“Oh…” Dani looks down at me, surprised there’s another person beside her.
“Dani, this is Lucy,” Marsh says. “Lucy, this is Dani…an old friend.”
I can feel Dani judging me through her bright green eyes. At least now we’ll know if Marsh and I have the skills to pull off a believable relationship.
“It’s so nice to meet you.” I offer my hand, but she doesn’t take it. The cold shoulder is off-putting. I know that she’s Julia’s best friend, but I thought we were over women hating women by now. “Why don’t you sit down for a bit?”
“What?” Dani replies, a distaste to her tone as if I said, Tell me about your first period!
I stand and take a step toward Marsh, putting my hand on his shoulder. “Clearly, y’all haven’t seen each other in a while. Please join us.” I gesture to my seat.
Dani hesitates for a moment, but she clearly wants all the gossip. She’s going to want to interrogate Marsh and learn more about me.
“Sure,” she says. “I’ll grab a chair.”
“Oh, no need,” I hold up a hand. My eyes lock with Marsh’s for a quick second and I try my best to telecommunicate with him what I’m about to do. “You can have mine. I’ve got the best seat right here.” I try not to think too hard about it and plop my ass on Marsh’s lap.
I’m not sure what to process first, the look of utter shock on Dani’s face, the way Marsh’s body completely tenses up, or the strong, masculine scent that wafts around his neck.
“So, Dani.” Marsh clears his throat. “How’ve you been?”
My hand reaches for Marsh’s forearm under the table, and I give it a gentle squeeze.
I then feel his body start to relax underneath me.
I’m so aware of where his hands are that I can barely pay attention to Dani talking about her recent trip to Florence.
Marsh’s hand is resting on my side, but his palm is so large it feels like a weighted blanket, molded to fit my hips.
“That’s great,” Marsh says. “Florence is beautiful.”
Sitting in this position, I feel my already short dress ride up my thighs, and I’m well aware that I have too much skin exposed. I would move, but the mere act of it would be too awkward the way we’re positioned. So instead, I cross my legs. That doesn’t help at all.