It was Friday night, and for once, I insisted on leaving the office early. To say Gabe wasn’t happy with me would be an understatement, but I’d left him with a kiss, and he seemed to be in a slightly better mood.

I’d had him over a week ago, and while he’d wanted to come again, I wanted to see my friends. I didn’t have that many, so I tried to keep in touch with the few I spoke to because I didn’t know how to be a loner.

There was a knock on my door not long after I’d made it home, and I rushed to open it. I was still fully dressed from work, I’d only had time to put down my purse and take off my shoes, so either I was a bit late, or they were overeager.

I opened the door, and there they stood, my two besties, Emma and Olivia.

“Jasmine,” they both crowded and hugged me.

“It been so long since we go to hang out,” Olivia said, walking into my living room. “You’ve been way too busy recently haven’t you?”

“Yeah,” Emma picked up, pouting as she wrapped an arm around my shoulder and rubbed our cheeks together. “It’s almost like you don’t have time for us anymore. That’s not fair, you know?”

I rolled my eyes. “Oh, guys, please come in. It’s so lovely to see you after so long apart. Won’t you please come into my apartment?”

Emma just giggled, unashamed. Olivia didn’t even seem to care, waving a dismissive hand at me. I rolled my eyes and closed the door, then moved to the couch where Olivia had dropped herself.

“So,” Emma said with a large grin. “What the fuck have you been doing that you had to completely ignore us for the past few weeks?”

I rolled my eyes some more as I sat down in between them. “Don’t be so melodramatic. We talk and text all the time over the phone.”

“But still a lot less than usual,” Olivia pointed out. “So, what happened?”

I sighed, leaning my head back against the couch, resigned. “So, you guys know how work has been for me, right?” I glanced at one, then the other, and they both nodded. “Okay. So, after the shit that happened when the FBI, I got a new boss. Well, the old man’s son. And I’ve had to work.”

“Ooh, is he hot?” Emma started in immediately. “If he’s the son, he has to be. He’s fucking attractive isn’t he?”

“And rich, too,” Olivia added. “I kinda envy you right now.”

I pursed my lips and refused to pick up the line of conversation. I couldn’t exactly tell them I’d been staying late sometimes to fuck my boss, and he’d also taken me out a couple of times.

“Why don’t we go out?” Olivia suggested, thankfully dropping the subject about my boss. “It’s been a while since it was just us girls. There’s this club in town I’ve heard good things about. I wanted to try it out, but somebody was always busy,” she gave me a pointed look.

“You two could have just gone and come back to brag to me about it,” I said with an unapologetic shrug. “When was the last time I even when clubbing?”

“But that’s why you have to go!” Emma wailed, holding onto my arm and shaking me a little, ignoring me when I groaned. “Come on, Jasmine. Your new boss might be a hard ass, but it doesn’t mean you can't have any fun out with your friends, right?”

I choked a bit on a laugh. Yeah, Gabe was a hard ass—he had a nice ass, and the man was hard everywhere. Even exhausted, my body could still react to the thought of him and I groaned again. Whatever this thing was between us; it was starting to get out of hand. But Gabe didn’t seem to mind, so I put it out of my mind, as well.

“Could you guys just count me out tonight?” I begged, giving Emma specifically a look begging for sympathy. “I only just got back from work, and I’m exhausted…”

But she shook her head, and I was a little surprised because she was usually the first one to cave.

“Nope,” she said stubbornly. “We’ve both been planning this for a week already, Jasmine. Just come out with us, have some fun. It’s the weekend, so maybe find some hot guy to take you home.”

Olivia murmured, draping herself on me from my other side. “You’ve been out of a relationship too long. You shouldn’t let the opportunity pass you by.”

I sighed and pulled away from the both of them. “Okay, first of all, you’re both heavy, so please don’t lean on me.” Emma pouted, but Olivia just shrugged. “And second, I don’t need to look for a hookup or a one night stand.”

“It doesn’t have to be one night,” Emma pointed out.

“It could be a lot of nights,” Olivia added.

I rolled my eyes at them, then chewed on my lip and thought of telling them the truth, or at least some of it. They were my best friends, after all, and if there were someone I could trust, it would be them. It should be safe enough. So I took a deep breath to tell them.

“I'm already with someone,” I said slowly.

They both blinked at me, then broke out in grins. Emma leered at me.

“Why the fuck didn’t you just tell us you found a man,” Olivia said, face lined in approval.

I shrugged. “It’s not someone you guys know, and it's fairly new.” I wasn’t sure if that was precisely true, it had been a few weeks. “He’s been keeping me busy, too, and between that and work, I’m way too tired to be going out.”

“But you’re still coming,” Emma said, giving me a stern look. “It’s Saturday tomorrow, anyway. Just go out with us, unwind, and you can sleep off your hangover tomorrow.” She giggled, and she and Olivia smacked a high five. “It’s what we’ll be doing.”

“You assume I’m going to drink,” I said, amused.

“Of course you will! Otherwise, it won’t be as fun.”

I opened my mouth in protest, but then Emma was getting off the couch and tugging on my arm. Olivia stood, but she didn’t try to drag me off, though they were both impatient.

“You know she won’t let you say no,” Olivia told me, rolling her eyes. “I’m surprised you even expect it, knowing her.”

I groaned, then sighed as I let Emma pull me up. “All right. Because I don’t want you here annoying me the rest of the night, I’ll go out with you guys.”

“Yes!” Emma threw her arms up in triumph, and I rolled my eyes.

“Should I go change, or…?”

“Nah, you look fine,” Olivia reassure me. “It’s a really hot look on you.”

I was just wearing a blouse and a skirt, what I usually went to work in. But I trusted them, so I didn’t argue. I picked up my purse, found a different pair of shoes, and we were on our way.

We walked, and I groaned and grouched about it the whole way. My feet were killing me by the time we made it to the club and got in.

“We’re going to sit down,” I immediately declared as I went inside ahead of the both of them.

Emma whined a little, while Olivia just shrugged. “Whatever. I’ll go get us some drinks; you two find a table.”

It was still pretty early in the evening. Most clubs I went to didn’t rake in the crowds until around nine, and they stuck around until the early morning hours. I’d left work early, so it was still barely eight, and the club was packed. Finding a table was difficult, but when we finally made it, I eased down into a seat with a sigh, Emma sliding into the seat next to me.

“So,” she yelled a bit to be heard over the music. “About this guy you're seeing?”

I grimaced a little. I didn’t want to tell them too many details about Gabe, in case they found out. Lucky for me, Olivia arrived with the drinks before she could start to grill me.

I was glancing around as I took a sip of my beer, and promptly choked when I saw the last person I expected to see.

“Jasmine!” I wasn’t sure who, but one of my friends called my name out in alarm, and a hand patted my back a little too hard to help me out.

I barely paid them any attention. My eyes had to be fucking deceiving me because Gabe was there. And he wasn’t alone.