Alyssa made a dirty comment about one of the waiters who’d sung to her, something about being positive she could see the outline of his “very healthy cock” in his pants. Diana snorted out a laugh and tried not to choke on her drink as she guffawed loudly enough to turn heads. A minute or so later, when the young man walked by, Alyssa caught her looking at his crotch and called her out.

“I saw it! I swear I did!” Diana hissed, glancing over her shoulder at the man’s tight ass. “And he’s got an ass too!”

“I saw that the moment we walked in,” Alyssa chimed, her face slightly reddened from the alcohol. “But he’s young. I don’t want to spend the night teaching a boy what I can get from a man.”

“You are so bad!” Diana exclaimed in a higher pitch than was normal. “I have no idea why we’re friends.”

“Don’t even play! You were sexually objectifying him as much as I was!” Alyssa countered.

“I may be bad, but I am never as bad as you are,” Diana argued, gazing at her friend, who narrowed her eyes, shrugged, and nodded her head in agreement.

“I’m a slut and damn proud of it!”

They were giggling uncontrollably when Diana saw a familiar figure walking towards their table with a martini glass in his hand. Her eyes widened as she recognized Travis, and her laughter ended so abruptly it was as if hands had choked it off. As she stared at him, her stomach lurched, and the delicious drinks and food she’d imbibed threatened to reappear. Anxiety spilled into her, causing sweaty palms and a dry mouth. She was frozen, couldn’t move, and watched as he continued to approach as if in slow motion.

He wore a pair of slacks the color of a storm cloud, and they were tight, as was the style in men’s professional wear. His cerulean polo created a contrast to his dark tan, which she knew was as much from genetics as from the sun, and his black hair was so black it was almost blue in the light. His chiseled features, a gift from his Native American heritage on his mother’s side, were honed even more sharply than they had been when the two of them had been together. Diana couldn’t stop staring.

He stepped up to the table with the drink in his hand, smiling at Diana, sparing not even a glance in Alyssa’s direction. “Hi, Diana. Happy birthday.” He offered the drink, and when she didn’t take it, he faltered, his smile slipping just a little. “I, um, asked the waiter to find out what you were drinking so I could buy you one for your birthday.”

“Are you sure it isn’t roofied?” Alyssa accused, and Diana jerked her head around to look at her friend.

“Alyssa!” She returned her gaze to Travis. “Sorry.”

Travis, who barely even glanced at Alyssa when she spoke, wore a bland expression. “No problem.”

Diana’s eyes fell to the glass then returned to his, and she slowly reached out a hand to accept it. “Thank you.” She had absolutely no idea what to say to him, so she sipped the drink and smiled shyly up at him. “It’s perfect.”

Travis’ smile brightened his face, and Diana’s flipflopping stomach settled. His smile had always calmed her and charmed her. He was more handsome than he’d been the last time she had seen him five years ago, and the desire that had been so strong in the beginning of their relationship raced through her. She wanted to run her fingers through his hair since he’d grown it long, and she wanted to smell him. She remembered his scent clearly and had slept with his pillow for weeks after he’d left until the smell of him had faded from it.

“I’m glad you like it,” he replied, glancing at Alyssa briefly as she huffed out a breath. His eyes narrowed briefly at her before he looked at Diana again. “How have you been?”

Diana also looked at Alyssa, who was scowling hideously at Travis. She frowned at her but returned her gaze to Travis. “I’ve been doing really well. What about you?”

“Great,” Travis answered, shuffling his feet.

Diana, against her better judgement, asked, “Would you like to join us?” Travis appeared surprise, and his smile told her he might accept. A sudden movement under the table caused her to jump. Alyssa kicked her shin, and she jerked. “Ow!”

“Sorry,” Alyssa said, her eyes pleading as she clearly tried to tell Diana something without speaking.

Diana stared at her best friend in confusion, her brows drawn. The idea that Alyssa didn’t like Travis and didn’t want him at their table dawned on her. The two had never liked each other, Diana knew, but they’d played nice for her. Diana pretended she had no idea why Alyssa was acting strangely. “Are you okay?”

Alyssa rolled her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest. “I’m fine.”

Travis cleared his throat. “Well, I just wanted to say hi and happy birthday.”

Diana rose from her seat and hugged him before she really thought about what she was doing. As her arms went around him, she sniffed, and her loins jumped in joy. His body felt the same, he smelled the same, and his arms around her felt as strong as they’d always been. She stepped back quickly, noting the odd look on his face and wondering what it meant.

She wiggled her fingers playfully at his ponytail. “You finally grew your hair long. It’s beautiful.”

He chuckled as he fidgeted, pulling on the ponytail that was straight as an arrow and black as night. “Yep. When you work for yourself, you get to enjoy all sorts of perks.”

“I bet you do,” she replied with a smile, staring helplessly at him. When their eyes held for much longer than was polite, Alyssa cleared her throat to interrupt the moment. Diana’s face bloomed red when she caught his knowing smirk, but he winked at her as he always had when he was teasing her.

“You look really good, you know,” he announced, and Diana’s face warmed further at the compliment. “Beautiful, actually.”

“Thank you.” Diana stood awkwardly in front of him until a waitress laden with a tray full of food needed to pass. He stepped back, his eyes never leaving hers as he apologized to the woman.

“Well, I’ll get back to my friend,” Travis told her when he stepped close again. “Hey, um, think we could be friends on Facebook or whatever?”

“You have a Facebook profile?” she asked with emphasis on the word you. “I don’t believe it! You always said it was so dumb.”

“I know, I know, I always said I wouldn’t, but it’s good for clients,” Travis admitted with a shrug. “I have a Twitter account, too, but I draw the line at the picture ones.”

“Do you mean Snapchat and Instagram?” she asked, her own smirk lifting one corner of her mouth.

“Yeah. I always say them wrong, so I try not to,” he said with a laugh.

Diana nodded, snickering a little. “Welcome to the 21^st century!”

“Shut up.” He laughed, his handsome face pinkening just a little. He looked over his shoulder when a man’s voice called his name.

Diana looked as well and saw a handsome man waving. He caught her eye and saluted, then sat down at their table. “You’ve been sitting that close and I never saw you,” she mused aloud. The sappy tone in her voice embarrassed her, and when she looked at him, she could tell he heard what sounded suspiciously like longing in her voice.

Quietly, he said, “I’ve missed you.”

Her head tilted to the side as a smile slid over her face. Hearing him echo what she’d been thinking reminded her so much of when they’d been together. They had finished each other’s sentences and texted simultaneously about the same topic regularly. She’d always thought they were meant to be because of little things like that, but life had proved her wrong.

“I’ve missed you, too,” she answered truthfully. She wanted to say more, ask him to hang out, but she was sure that was a bad idea. She’d missed him, he’d missed her, but that didn’t erase the hideousness that had ended their marriage.

“It was really good to see you, Diana.” Travis laid his hand briefly on her arm, smiled, turned, and walked away.

She followed him with her eyes to his table, where he sat behind the pillar that had been blocking him from view all evening. She whispered a faint, “Bye,” turned, and sat in the booth. When she looked up, she found Alyssa’s angry face glaring at her.

“What the hell was that?” she demanded loudly, gesturing with one hand in the direction Travis had walked.

Diana was bewildered by her harsh tone, and her head and shoulders jerked back as she opened her mouth. “Excuse me?”

Alyssa gestured empirically towards Travis again. “What was that? You and the ex having a moment?”

“So we had a moment. What’s the big deal?” Diana asked, her temper rising. She lifted the drink he’d given her and sipped again, toasting Alyssa sarcastically with it. “He bought me a birthday drink and said hello.”

“It’s probably roofied,” Alyssa accused, her voice nasty, staring at the offending drink as if it were a cobra.

“Oh, please! And you already said that,” Diana scoffed, laughing at Alyssa’s drunk suppositions. “I really hope you’re kidding because you sound completely insane right now.”

Alyssa cursed under her breath and leaned forward. “Do you remember what he put you through?”

“Yes, and I remember what I put him through, so you don’t have to worry,” Diana assured her. “I’m sure he has absolutely no desire for reconciliation.”

“Then why would he buy you a drink?”

“Because it’s a nice thing to do,” Diana insisted, crossing her arms over her chest. “Why are you being so weird about him coming over here?” Alyssa frowned down at the table, but Diana had seen the strange look on her face. “Alyssa? Come on, what the hell?”

“I just don’t want you going through what you did five years ago,” Alyssa said seriously, reaching across the table to take her hand. She squeezed it tightly, but her voice was weird. “I could see it in your eyes. You wanted to hang out with him.”

Diana sighed and squeezed her friend’s hand, putting aside the weird look on Alyssa’s face that had vanished so quickly. “I did think about it for a second, but it was a passing thought.”

“Your heart was broken, and I don’t want you hurting like that again,” Alyssa explained, her sincerity nearly real.

“I know, and thanks,” Diana said, shaking herself. Alyssa was her best friend and loved her. She just wasn’t good at the comforting stuff. “He’s always going to be a part of my life, a memory I have. Good memories, bad memories. But I don’t think we could be together again. Too much ugliness at the end, you know.”

“I do know.” Alyssa’s sympathy was unusual, and Diana’s discomfort returned. Her face must have revealed her thoughts because Alyssa changed the subject. “Hey, let’s have one more round, then find a place with loud music. We can dance!”

Diana clapped her hands excitedly, actually putting away the suspicious thoughts. “I haven’t been dancing in forever! Let’s go now! We can drink at the club!”

* * *

“Are you sure you can make it upstairs, drunky?” Alyssa chuckled from the back seat of the Uber as Diana climbed out unsteadily.

“Of course! I had fewer drinks than you did, and I’m walking just fine,” she jabbered.

“Yeah, you’re good,” Alyssa announced, turning to the driver. “She’s good. You can take me to my house now.”

“Sure thing,” the Uber driver responded unenthusiastically, and Diana felt a little sorry for him. He probably drove drunk chicks home every weekend.

“Thanks!” Diana called to him, leaning down so she could wave and smile. He lifted a finger and stared forward. “Text me when you get home.”

“You think this guy might kidnap me?” Alyssa asked, giggling uncontrollably. Diana shushed her, but she waved her hand dismissively. “He knows I’m playing, don’t you?” The guy grunted his reply and continued to stare forward. Alyssa squinting her eyes and wiggling her fingers. “Bye!”

“Bye,” Diana answered, snickering as she turned and walked up the steps to her apartment building. She unlocked the door leading inside, the only security her building offered, and wandered to the elevator. Usually, she opted for the stairs to add to her workout, but she wasn’t positive she’d be able to navigate them in the heels she wore and the condition she was in. Tipsy was the best description, and she liked the slightly spinning sensation in her head. She’d have no trouble sleeping.

She waited patiently for the slow elevator—the other reason she often took the stairs—walked in, pushed the button for four, and settled against the back wall to remove her shoes. The doors opened as quickly as a snail moved, and as she trudged down the short hall to her door, she smiled contentedly. What a great night, she mused as she walked through her door and turned to lock the three locks she’d installed herself after moving in.

Sighing, she glanced around the apartment she rented, a small place she’d found when she’d decided to sell the house she had shared with Travis. The judge had awarded it to her in the divorce, and she’d managed to hold on to it for the first year. Her debt, though, had been nearly crippling because she was still gambling, so she sold the house before she could no longer afford it and put a nice dent in the money she owed. The guilt over selling the house had been great, but it had dwindled with time, just like she thought her love for Travis had.

After seeing him earlier this evening, though, she’d felt a little more than merely lust. A lot more, actually. The man had been the love of her life and still was, but they’d destroyed each other. If she ever found another man to love, she knew that love would pale in comparison, and her heart broke with that knowledge.

“Stop it,” she ordered herself as she tossed her shoes near the wall in her bedroom and began shedding her clothes as she walked to the bathroom. She looked at her reflection and saw the hint of sadness she’d been hiding all night. With a self-deprecating laugh, she pointed at herself in the mirror and said, “Get over him. You were fine until you saw him.”

But she had never gotten over him. She thought about him at least once a week, usually briefly, but the thought still appeared. A random song, a restaurant on a commercial, even certain foods. The worst was when she opened her jewelry box for something and would see both her wedding ring, which he’d told her to keep, and the sapphire ring he’d bought her for her birthday on their last night together.

She washed her face and brushed her teeth without looking in the mirror again. A fresh desire to look at the pair of rings stung her brain, but she refused to give in to it. The sadness would linger if she gave in to the impulse, and she needed to stop thinking about him, not stare at reminders of him. When she did look at her reflection again, it was with determination.

She stomped to her bed and threw back the pale blue comforter to snuggle in her bed under the covers. Growling, she pushed them off again and hurried into the living room to get her phone, which she’d left on the table with her purse, and a glass of water for the nightstand. She plugged her phone into the charger since it was almost dead, lay down again, and thanked the gods for lengthy power cords.

A little Facebook before sleeping, she decided as she opened the app and began to scroll. She and Alyssa had uploaded a handful of pics in one post, selfies that showed the two of them at the restaurant/bar where they’d eaten—and where she’d run into Travis—as well as two or three of them dancing at the club. Nothing inappropriate, no drunken shots. They were professionals and had to be careful on social media.

With a smile at their silliness, she clicked on the notifications to see who had liked their pictures. They already had nearly seventy likes, and laughs, and loves, and several comments as well from friends and acquaintances. Her boss had liked the post, as well as his partner, Ronnie, who had also commented something about her snazzy outfit and wishing he’d had time to do her hair before she’d gone out for the night. Ronnie owned a hair salon and loved doing her hair because, as he claimed, she had the softest hair he’d ever had the pleasure of styling.

She flipped back to the notifications and saw a friend request from none other than her ex-husband. Her stomach jolted, and her mouth fell open in a gasp. She remembered speaking to him about Facebook but hadn’t actually expected him to friend her that evening, if at all. She rolled over on her back to stare at his profile picture.

She was incredibly disappointed that his profile picture was a landscape picture of some fabulous place he’d visited, she’d bet. She scrolled down but couldn’t see much until she’d accepted his friend request. She flipped back and accepted, then touched his profile pic again so she could do a little trolling. She looked through his pictures for nearly fifteen minutes without finding a single one of women she didn’t know. She wondered if, like her, he hadn’t dated much, had found no one he wanted to share his time with.

“Yeah, right,” she said aloud as she continued to peruse his profile, chuckling at some of the memes he’d posted. The reason he hadn’t dated was the same reason they had divorced: his work. He didn’t have time for a woman, and she couldn’t imagine a woman putting up with never seeing him, especially at the beginning of the relationship. His success indicated he’d spent the last five years at his job.

The profile picture was the only one that looked like a vacation spot, so she wondered if he even enjoyed the money he was making. Probably not, she thought, shaking her head as she leaned over to place the phone on her bedside table. After a quick drink of water to rehydrate, she clicked off her lamp and rolled over to sleep.

And she fell asleep with Travis in her head, and when she dreamt, he was the man beside her, smiling brightly at her as he clasped her hand in his.