“Okay, but how do we feel about this? Do we think that it is just the right amount of over the top, or is it just overkill?” Maia asks, posing in the doorway of her living room. “I don’t want to fall prey to my mother’s instinct for over the top everything. She’s from Hong Kong, so she’s partially excused, but… you know.”

I’m sitting on a low blue suede couch with pretty blonde Alice, eyeing Maia’s outfit. It’s a red lace jumpsuit, low cut in the front and back, and it emphasizes Maia’s tiny waist.

“I think it’s perfect,” Alice says. “Very cutting edge.”

“It’s not too revealing, is it?” Maia asks, turning for us to inspect her. Her British accent makes me smile.

“No,” I assure her. “You’ll be the belle of the ball.”

“Wonderful!” she says. “I mean, even though we are only going to Cure, I want to be sure that we all look posh.”

I stand up, brushing off the skirt of my blue gingham minidress. “I think we might be making a mistake going to Cure. We’re definitely hot enough to go anywhere.”

Alice and Maia look at each other. Something secret passes between them, and they both supress smiles.

“Let’s plan to start at Cure. Then if the party sucks, we’ll go somewhere else,” Alice suggests.

I raise my eyebrows, but I don’t argue with them. Besides, it’s not like I have a better idea.

“Alright, let’s go then,” Maia says, getting her phone out. “I’ll call an Uber, so no one has to worry about what cars are where tomorrow morning.”

We head out of the house. I follow Alice, carefully picking a spot of dark colored lint off of her strappy white dress. She smiles at me as we climb into the Uber.

“I’m so glad you finally agreed to come out with us,” Alice says. “We were starting to worry about you.”

Maia looks back at me from the front passenger seat, her expression mouth quirking. She knows that Jameson and I were a thing, but she’s far too polite to ask what happened.

“Yeah, I don’t know why I took so long,” I say, glancing out the window at the darkened street. “It’s not like I’ve been doing anything for the last month.”

“Well you’re here now, that’s all that matters,” says Maia. “And we’re going to have a great freaking time tonight.”

“Yes we are!” Alice cheers.

Soon enough we pull up to Cure and hop out of the car, thanking the driver. Maia is off like a shot, practically running to get in the door of the bar.

I look at Alice, raising my eyebrows at her in a questioning glance. She shrugs and rolls her eyes, and we both hurry to catch up to Maia.

As soon as Maia pulls the door open, the throb of the bass line vibrates the soles of my shoes. I step in the doorway behind Maia and A, my eyes adjusting to the room. It’s dark in here, with plenty of fog and lasers.

It’s also packed to the limit. It’s only ten thirty, but the DJ that Gunnar has been talking up is apparently a huge draw. There are people everywhere, dancing and talking and listening to other people shouting.

“Wow,” Alice shouts. “I did not expect this!”

Maia pushes her way through the crowd, and Alice and I follow her. On the way, I spot Brad awkwardly dancing with Gisella, grinning like an absolute idiot.

I stop and greet them for a minute, noting the way that Brad’s hands never stray too far from Gisella’s hips. I’m jealous of them for that. They both look deliriously happy, and I am jealous of that too.

When I say goodbye to them, my eyes automatically start to search for Jameson. The bar is so crowded that it takes a minute to suss him out.

But then I see him, tall and dark in his rolled up shirt sleeves, working silently but furiously behind the bar. When I get up to the bar, squeezing into the space that Maia has saved for me, he’s got two cocktail shakers going at once.

He smoothly shakes them, and then pops them open, pouring their contents into glasses. It’s nice to be able to see him like this, in his element. It’s almost like it was before we ever kissed, when I would just watch him bartend like a lovestruck little girl.

I sigh, just as he looks up and makes eye contact with me. Jameson looks confused for a second, and then this ridiculous smirk takes over his whole face. I narrow my gaze at him.

“Here,” Alice says, pressing a drink into my hands. I take it, turning my attention to the girls.

“To us!” Maia shouts, holding her champagne flute up. “May we live forever.”

Alice and I clink our glasses to hers, and I sip mine. It’s pretty good, all the fizziness of champagne with a little bit of… maybe chai flavor? Cinnamon and cardamom and all that jazz.

“Woo!” Alice cheers. “Let’s get this party started!”

She turns to the bar, pointing at Forest. “Make us another round!!”

Forest flashes her a grin and does her bidding. I sip my champagne again, giggling when Maia puts her fingers on the stem of my glass, pushing it upward.

It forces me to drink a lot faster than I normally would, but I figure it’s okay. I’m in about the safest place ever to get drunk, considering that Asher and Jameson own this place.

Glancing at Jameson again, I quickly finish my first drink. He makes eye contact with me again, and for a second, I swear that there is no one else in the room. Time slows. I take a step forward, almost forgetting why we aren’t seeing each other anymore.

“Hey,” Maia says, elbowing me in the ribs. “Will you please get your head in the game?”

“Huh?” I say, giving myself a shake. “What game?”

“We’re going to all find a hot guy, and we are going to make out with them. That is the goal tonight.” She gives me a mischievous grin.

“Here, have another drink,” Alice says, taking my drink and replacing it with a fresh one. “After we finish this one, we can dance.”

“You are both terrible influences.” I drink a little champagne and giggle.

“We’re just sick of boys telling us how to be,” Maia says, shrugging one shoulder. “I personally am so sick of hearing about what men think.”

“Cheers to that!” I say, toasting the girls.

We finish our drinks and then head out onto the dance floors. I feel great, as bubbly as champagne and as free as a bird. I dance with the girls, feeling myself, and have a great time. Someone eventually gets another round, and I drink that too.

I turn occasionally to glance at Jameson, not even pretending to be sly about it. Every time, he’s already looking at me, his eyes glued on my figure.

Knowing that he just has to stand there and watch, and think about what he gave up when he dumped me… I admit, it sort of gives me life. It makes me dance harder and longer, with a secret smile on my face.

Eventually I notice that there’s a tall guy dancing next to me. I make eye contact with him a few times, and he dances closer.

I shift, making my body language open, and before I know it we are dancing together. Not touching, yet, but dancing all the same.

“What’s your name?” he shouts into my ear.

“I’m Emma!” I cry.

“Emma, I’m Jake! You’re a good dancer!”

“Thanks!”

I bite my lip, placing my hands on Jake’s shoulders. Jake grins and puts his hands on my waist, pulling me closer.

I lean close, noticing that he smells good. Kinda like sandalwood. And yeah, he’s not as tall and brooding as Jameson, but Jake is hot in a goofy way. He is sort of lanky, but athletic. I peer up at him, trying to guess his age.

He’s probably only a few years older than me, the appropriate age I guess. I study his shoes and his clothes, and decide that he isn’t a member of my parents class.

That makes me like him way more, automatically. I get a glance at Jameson when Jake spins me in that direction. Jameson is scowling, beyond pissed. He looks like there should be a corresponding black thundercloud over his head.

I know it’s beyond petty, but I’m glad. Glad that Jameson sees me dancing with another guy. Glad that I’m having fun with Jake. Glad that Jameson looks so friggin miserable.

Good, let him be angry and upset. That is how I’ve felt this whole time, ever since he broke up with me. It feels great to rub it in Jameson’s face a little.

“Hey, do you—” Jake starts.

But he’s cut off when I lift up onto my tiptoes and press my lips to his. I can see the surprise written on his face, but he catches on quickly enough.

Jake slides an arm around me, dipping me back a little bit. He’s actually a surprisingly good kisser, and I open my mouth to him, inviting him to press further.

His tongue snakes against mine, sending a little shiver up my spine. I close my eyes, surrendering to the moment.

“Get out of the fucking way,” I hear Jameson growl behind me. “Move!”

My eyes snap open as Jameson reaches me, snatching me away from Jake as easily as a rag doll.

“What the fuck?” Jake says, looking askance at J. “Let her go, dude.”

“Get the fuck out of my bar,” Jameson spits. “Now, before I make you get out. Trust me, you don’t want to fuck with me.”

“Jameson—” I say.

“You shut up,” Jameson says to me. “I’ve heard enough from you tonight.”

I look at Jake apologetically. “I’m sorry. Maybe it’s better if you go…”

“Damn right,” Jameson seethes. “Emma and I have some things to clear up, here.”

“Jameson—”

Jameson hauls me up by the arm. “We need to talk in private.”

I look at Jake, who seems to be trying to decide whether or not he should fight Jameson. “I’m fine, I promise.”

Jameson forces me to start walking with him, out of the patio door and into the moonlight. There are a few bar patrons outside, so Jameson tows me off of the patio. We emerge into the alley where we almost had sex, and I shake off his grasp.

“Let go,” I say, frowning at him. “What is wrong with you?”

He glowers at me, taking a step closer. He is huge; his physicality all sort of hits me at once. Jameson is just a big person. He could hurt me if he wanted to, really really badly.

He doesn’t though. He just gets too close, intimidating me with his size.

“You can’t come to my bar to meet strange men and think that I’m going to be fine with that,” he rumbles.

I take a breath. I can feel his eyes on my body, feel his weighted gaze, too hot in this dank little alley. I cross my arms to try to block his view a little.

“I should be able to do whatever I want to. See whomever I want to, wherever I want to. I don’t know if you remember this or not, but you broke up with me.”

He clenches his fists and leans towards me. “That’s not fair. You know I didn’t mean it like that.”

I cock my head. “What does that even mean?”

He shoves his hand through his hair. “I mean, I broke up with you because of your brother. It doesn’t mean that I don’t…”

He trails off. I put my hands on my hips.

“What, that you don’t have feelings for me? I thought I was just a fling. You seemed all too eager to throw that in my face before.”

Jameson glances away. “Yeah, well. I was trying to do us both a favor.”

I laugh. I can’t help it, it just bubbles up.

“Save it. Whatever you are trying to do or say here, it doesn’t matter.”

“It does when it’s happening in front of my face, at my bar!” he thunders.

I can’t help the next bit, which comes out so loud that it leaves me shaken. “I didn’t choose this, Jameson! You did! So live with it!”

“Emma— Emma, wait!” he tries.

But I’m not listening. I’ve had enough of Jameson and Asher and their bullshit.

Furious, I turn and fling myself down the alley, toward the parking lot. Tears blur my vision as I pull out my phone, searching for an Uber to take me out of this place.