Chapter 28
The Button was once again hopping when Stephanie walked into it Saturday night.
She was both annoyed and happy for the crowd.
There was a better chance that Court was there if there were a lot of people.
Too few would mean she might not be there.
Not that one had anything to do with the other, but Stephanie was grasping at straws.
Since Jordan had been working all day, Stephanie hadn’t invited her to come along.
Or maybe it was because she didn’t need her friend to see her being rejected again by the same woman again.
Not that she had been there for the other two, but Stephanie had told her the entire tale of the weekend and how messed up her family had turned out to be.
Something Stephanie had never noticed before, and it had been devastating to learn.
Jordan had known her family for years and had been shocked by the behavior.
She had even tried to come up with an excuse for it, but hadn’t found one.
They had only been rude because it was Court, and for some reason they thought it was okay.
One day, she just hoped that they would realize how wrong they were.
As she walked around the groups of happy, drunk people, Stephanie felt even worse.
If Court was here, she probably didn’t want to see Stephanie again, or anyone from her family.
Not that she blamed her, but she needed to try to make her see she wasn’t like them.
So instead of letting her be, Stephanie was practically stalking the woman. Or trying to, at least.
Grabbing a drink at the bar, she leaned against it and scanned the ever moving crowd.
They were moving from the dance floor to the seating area, and even those at the bar were on constant move.
But Stephanie didn’t see Court among those who were moving.
She’d recognize her in any crowd, big or small.
This was the only place she knew she might find her.
Stephanie didn’t know where she lived or worked and had no way of finding out that information.
Her not being here was a dead end. Now she wished she had spent more time talking to the woman, questioning her, instead of trying to hide the fact that they had already met.
Standing there, she didn’t think she had it in her to come here every night until she found her.
She knew despite everything between them, she still wanted Court in her life.
Not as Calvin’s friend’s daughter, but as more.
But if that more was just friends, she’d accept it.
She would take her anyway she could have her.
Even though Court had made it clear that she wasn’t interested in anything to do with anyone in her family, and that included Stephanie.
She knew she should let it go, let their lives separate again like they had been before.
Cut any ties they had. Court wanted that, and she should respect it.
But she didn’t move from her spot in case she missed her.
“Rum and Coke again?” A voice asked from beside her.
Turning, she recognized Rebel, this time in skin-tight white leather pants and a white tank top that showed off more of her breasts than her shirt did the week before.
Of course, her eyes were drawn to them, because she had a thin necklace that hung down and nestled between them.
Stephanie didn’t even know if there was a pendant at the end, because it vanished in her cleavage.
Averting her eyes, she admitted, “It’s my favorite drink. So, yes.”
Rebel settled herself on the empty bar stool beside her. “I thought you didn’t come here often. Now I see you here all the time.”
“Just twice.” She admitted, though she was sure she’d be here way more than she searched for Court. Because she felt she was out of luck tonight.
The woman’s lip curled into a grin. “Twice is what second chances are made of.” She set her own drink on the bar and pushed away. “Want to dance?”
Shaking her head, Stephanie said, “No, I’m looking for Court. Is she here?”
“Court, always Court with you.” Grabbing her glass again, she took a long drink. “She isn’t here. She’s supposed to be with you and your family. Which leaves me questioning why you are looking for her here and not there?”
“She left this afternoon. I’m looking for her. I need to talk to her, just for a moment.” She felt like Court just wanted to talk to Calvin, did she feel as if it wouldn’t make a difference in the end, like Stephanie did right now?
Looking at her over her glass, Rebel’s eyes were sparkling with mirth. “The family reunion didn’t go well?”
“No, not really. Not her fault. It was my parents.” Settling herself onto the bar stool she hadn’t dared sit on as she searched for Court, she knew that if Rebel didn’t know she was here, she wasn’t here. Her search was over for the night.
“I didn’t even know about this dad figure in her life before last week. She never said a word about him. The mom I’ve heard of, because she does some shitty things every once in a while, and Court talks about them.”
“What does she say about her mom?” Stephanie asked with interest. Court had said they had no relationship, but maybe Rebel knew why.
She took a slow and deliberate drink as the silence stretched, before she said, “You’ll have to ask Court.”
“Could you possibly tell me how to find her?” She asked, hoping this would save her many nights at this place.
“If she wanted you to find her, she’d have given you her number.” Shrugging, Rebel turned back towards the women on the dance floor.
“She left sort of suddenly. If I had gotten the chance, I would have gotten her number.” She lied, she hadn’t even thought about getting the number when they were together until she was gone.
Rebel turned to her with a smirk. “Kiss me and I’ll give you her number.”
Leaning away from the woman, she shook her head. “No, I’ll find her myself.”
“It’s just a kiss, nothing big. Just an innocent kiss.” Putting her glass on the bar, Rebel ran a single finger up Stephanie’s bare arm.
Looking at the movement, Stephanie felt nothing, not even the heat that she knew should be there. Rebel’s touch left her cold. Shaking her off, she glared at her. “It is for me, sorry Rebel. She isn’t here, so I should head out. See you around.”
Pushing her way through the crowd, Stephanie fought back the tears because she had been so close, and yet so far with Rebel.
Talking to Rebel had been worse than not finding the woman at all.
Sure, she could have just kissed the woman to get what she wanted, but then she’d have had to live the rest of her life knowing she had kissed Rebel, Court’s best friend.
What happened if Court found out? She didn’t need there to be anything else between them. There was already so much.
Outside the double doors of the club, the chilly air hit her as she walked away towards home, not knowing how she’d go again. But next time, she was going to take Jordan with her. Her pride be damned, she needed backup if she ran into Rebel again.
“Stephanie, stop.” A familiar voice called from behind her and grabbed her arm, stopping her.
Turning to Rebel, the woman who had all the answers, but wasn’t giving any up without paying a price. A price that Stephanie would never pay.
“What?” She wiped the tear away.
“Court’s at 4034 Brown Street. Don’t show up until noon tomorrow.
Where she is right now, I honestly do not know.
But tomorrow I know.” She sounded sincere as she let her go, but could she be trusted?
“Sorry about testing you, but I had to make sure you weren’t some stalker who would do anything to get to Court.
It’s happened before. I won’t let it happen again. ”
“You’re not lying to me?” She asked skeptically as she analyzed the hand still holding her upper arm.
Crossing her chest with her fingers, Rebel smirked when the action drew her eyes to it again. “Of course you can, but I can’t give you her number. I’ll never give that out. That’s up to her to give you.”
“Thank you, Rebel.” She said, and hoped this wasn’t some trick, because the fact that she deserved to be tricked wasn’t far from her mind.
“Don’t hurt her, Stephanie.” Rebel took her hand and held it.
“I don’t plan to.” She admitted, though she was torn as to what she wanted from her. Right now, she just wanted a moment, but knew once that moment was over, she’d want another.
Rebel folded her arms and grinned. “You're exactly what Court needs in her life.”
“I’m just going to apologize.” She said, in case the two friends talked, she wanted Court to know what she wanted.
“You’re going through a lot of work for simply an apology.”
“I’m just doing what she deserves.”
“See you tomorrow, Stephanie.” She said in a tone that made Stephanie waver, maybe it was a trick. But she’d fall for it willingly if she might get to see Court one more time.