“I was going to unfriend you if you canceled again,” Kate said, as I slid into the booth across from her.

“Well, now you don’t have to! I’m here, and sorry for being late.”

“I know, I know, work ran late,” Kate said and took a drink of the cocktail that was already in front of her. “It always does.”

“What are you drinking?” I asked, eyeing her turquoise drink.

“I don’t know … I asked for the bartender special, told the guy I liked vodka, and voila!” She held up her glass and took another sip.

“I’ll have one of those,” I said to the waiter, who had just appeared at our table.

“Make it two,” Kate said. “And keep them coming,” she winked.

“Are you trying to get me drunk?”

“Absolutely,” she smiled mischievously. It turns out she didn’t have to try very hard. I didn’t know what else was in our blue mystery cocktail, but two-and-a-half drinks later and I was more than a little tipsy.

“Okay, so I need ALL the details about this hunk you’ve been sleeping with,” Kate slurred as she popped a sweet potato fry in her mouth.

“Oh, Jesus.” I thought about Jameson for the first time since I’d sat down, and in my half-drunk state was almost embarrassed about everything that was happening. “You’re never going to believe me.”

There was nothing like a little liquid courage, so I drained the rest of my drink and launched into my story.

“No!” Kate gasped dramatically when I told her about the day I’d found out who Jameson was. Her reaction was classic, and I giggled.

“Oh, you should’ve seen me, Kate. I don’t think I’ve ever been so pissed in my life.”

“Well, that sucks,” she said. “You finally find someone to get you over Gabriel, and then it’s ruined because you find out you work with him.” It took me a minute to understand what she was saying, and then I blushed.

“Oh ... I’m still sleeping with him,” I said sheepishly.

“You what?” she screeched, earning us glares from the tables around us. She leaned over the table and whispered, “You mean to tell me, Ms. Olivia Roberts, that you are fucking the guy you are working on that murder case with?”

“That is correct.”

“You little slut!” she whispered-yelled.

“That’s not even the whole story.”

“There is more? What else could there possibly be?”

“We kinda-maybe had sex on my desk,” I said.

“Maybe?”

“Okay yeah, we definitely did, and it was aaa-mazing!” We both burst out laughing.

“Okay, let’s get serious for a minute,” Kate said, the look of concentration on her face bringing on a new round of giggles. “No, I’m serious! I have a serious question!”

“I’m ready,” I said when I finally stopped laughing.

“Is he the one?”

“The one what?” I asked, sipping my fourth drink.

“Olivia…” She rolled her eyes. “The one!”

“Oh God,” I snorted. “You still think I’m going to get married one day? That’s cute. No, he’s not the one. I don’t need the one.”

But honestly, I’d already found my one. I had been madly in love with my soulmate when I was just seventeen years old. Tears welled up in my eyes, and I shut the unwelcome thoughts of Jake out of my mind with another gulp of alcohol. Kate noticed the shift in my mood and covered my hand with hers.

“Olivia,” she said softly. “It’s okay to move on. It’s okay to be happy again. That’s what—”

“Let’s not talk about that,” I interrupted. I knew what she was going to say. She had said the same thing a million times. Jake would want me to be happy, blah, blah, blah. “I don’t want to ruin our good time.”

“Besides,” I continued, “what about you? If you’re so worried about the one, when are you going to settle down with one of the gazillion guys you date?”

“When I find the one! Obviously!” Kate said.

“I wish you luck in your search, but no, Jameson is not my knight in shining armor.” Kate shook her head and mumbled something about dying alone under her breath as she got up and went to the bathroom. I pulled my phone out of my purse and checked my text messages.

“Speak of the devil,” I said to myself when I saw I had a message from Jameson.

Jameson: What are you doing?

Me: Talking about you.

I wouldn’t normally admit I was thinking about him, much less talking about him, but the alcohol was making the decisions now.

Jameson: Oh really? What about me?

Me: Only good things. Like your amazing cock.

Jameson: Are you drunk?

Me: Not at all ;)

Jameson: Drunk Olivia, now that is a sight I’d like to see.

Me: Why?

Jameson: You can’t be perfect and in control, and drunk at the same time.

Me: You think I’m perfect?

Jameson: See, you just made my point. You didn’t even try to argue with me. You always argue with me.

“Who are you texting?” Kate asked. I jumped at the sound of her voice.

“Jameson,” I admitted. She snatched my phone out of my hand.

“I don’t think so … this is girl’s night.” She tucked my phone in her purse and grabbed my hand. “Come on, we’re going to dance!”

I let her drag me out on the dance floor, where we spent the next three hours dancing with guys we didn’t know and drinking more delicious blue cocktails.

It was after three AM when I finally stumbled into my apartment. I didn’t even bother taking off my dress before I collapsed on the bed and passed out.