I scanned the room and shook my head at my sister. There were definitely some attractive ones, but so many of them were wearing wedding rings or wrapping their arms around another woman. “Cute? Yes. Single? Yes. Available? No.”
She gave me a pouty face and handed me my drink. We found a small, empty table in the back. It was much quieter than standing at the noisy bar. We sat nursing our drinks and talking about our lives as if neither of us remembered how to be out on a Friday night. Annie told me about how her job was going, that she was looking to purchase a new car, and about a few guys she had been chatting with online. I mentioned Caley’s comment about not getting into trouble tonight.
“She has such a big personality,” Annie said, finishing her cosmopolitan.
As I sucked up the last of my pina colada with a straw, the bartender approached us with refills. “These were sent by the two gentlemen over there.” He placed the drinks on the table and pointed.
As I followed his finger, my eyes locked onto Jake's.
“Oh my God,” Annie said through a smile.
Jake was sitting next to his brother, Richard. As I waved them over, she shot me a concerned look.
“Relax,” I said, taking a big gulp of my drink. “And don’t say anything about what we read online.”
Jake looked even better in person. He was so tall and tan, with the kind of body women dreamed of.
Richard was good looking too, just not really my type… If I even had a type.
“Oh my God, Jake!” I stood up, and we hugged each other. “You look great! I didn’t know you’d be here.”
Richard pulled up two chairs, and they sat down with us.
“Richard convinced me to go out tonight.” Jake’s eyes were scanning me from top to bottom.
I was pretty sure my face turned the crimson color of my dress.
We all introduced ourselves to one another, and I had to force a silly grin from my face. Sitting next to Jake with his charm and smile, I completely forgot about his playboy lifestyle. I forgot about the recent article I’d read, the one before that, and before that. Ever since he’d left River Valley and made a name for himself in San Diego, he had been known as a womanizer.
To loosen my nerves, I downed the rest of my pina colada, my eyes growing wide as my brain froze.
“I’ll get you another one,” Jake said, motioning to the bartender.
I doubted they would have come over for anyone other than him. The owner probably told his staff to wait on him hand and foot. Everyone knew he was loaded.
“It’s been so long,” I said as I stared into his eyes, trying not to fall all over myself.
“I noticed you’re not wearing a wedding ring tonight,” he whispered, leaning into me a little closer.
I stuttered and looked down at my ring finger, then up at Annie for some help.
Annie cleared her throat and pointed at my hand. “Oh, um, aren’t you having your jewelry professionally cleaned?”
I nodded and began to guzzle my third pina colada, looking nervously up at Jake with a grin.
“Richard drug me out to do some karaoke tonight,” Jake chuckled, looking over at Richard.
Richard was staring at Annie, who didn’t seem to notice him at all. Then Richard turned his attention back to us. “He knows that I’m the better singer."
“Are you now?” Annie smiled at him and ran her fingers through her hair.
When he looked away, she glanced at me with a sneer. It was obvious she wasn't impressed by Richard. But then again, they had known each other for a long time.
“I’ve always been pretty good at singing. In fact, if it weren’t for my father, you’d probably see me winning American Idol.” Richard winked and leaned back in his chair, doing his best to flirt with Annie.
“Maybe you and Jake should do a duet,” Annie yelled out, pointing to the DJ booth.
“I actually thought that you and I could do a number.” Richard was definitely drunk if he thought for a moment that my sister would get up and sing with him.
