Yes.I was desperate. Stupidly, I mumbled, "I, um, know him."
"Oh yeah?" She gave me a not-so-friendly smile. "Well, I'mgonnaknow him, if you know what I mean." Her voice rose. "So back off, sister. I'm not freezing my ass off for nothing."
I could hardly think. "Huh?"
"Yeah," she said. "You think I'm dressed like this for my health?" She thrust out her chest. "I'm giving him a good eyeful ofthese."
I looked. Theywerequite nice, perfectly round and nearly overflowing from the tight bodice of her bustier. I had to wonder, would Joel really be getting an eyeful?Oh, God.What if it was worse? What if he'd be getting a handful? Or – my stomach gave a sudden lurch – a mouthful?
I didn't know what to say, but Ididknow that the thought of Joel ogling, touching, or kissing any other girl was a dagger straight into my own chest. I loved him. And he loved me.
I was sure of it, even now – because when it came to that kind of love, it didn't simply go away, just because everything had gone to hell in a hand-basket.
The girl's annoyed voice broke into my thoughts. "Hey! I wantedhimto look, not you."
Startled, I looked up. "What?'
"Isaid, these—" She gave her goodies a little jiggle. "–are forhim." Her eyes narrowed to slits. "Notyou."
My face burst into flames. It belatedly occurred to me that for who-knows-how-long, I'd been staring straight at her chest.
I was losing it, totally.
"Sorry," I mumbled. "I was, um, thinking of something else."
"Sure you were." She gave a toss of her long, dark hair. "Pervert."
Well, that was a first.
From a few feet away, the big guy blocking the door called out, "Hey! Chickies! If you're waiting for Bishop, you're in the wrong place."
I turned to look.Bishop?Oh. Of course, he meant Joel. That was, after all, Joel's last name. What was my problem lately? It was like my entire brain had turned to mush.
Then again, was it any wonder? Joel and I had parted on such awful terms, and I'd spent the last two weeks frantically searching for him. I couldn’t eat. I couldn’t sleep. I couldn’t stop wondering where he'd gone or what he was doing.
Ihadto find him.
And tonight, I thought Ihadfound him. But the guy at the door had just said otherwise. Was he serious?
I was just about to ask when Miss Bustier beat me to the punch by demanding, "What do you mean we're in the wrong place?"
He flicked his head toward the side of the building. "Groupies over there."
I looked to where he'd indicated. Around the side of the building, I spotted a big set of double doors. Outside those doors stood a gaggle of girls. All of them were decidedly under-dressed.
The way it looked, Miss Bustier had some serious competition. As for me, I wanted no part of that scene. I bit my lip. I only prayed that Joel didn't either.
I turned back to the guy and said, "I'm not a groupie."
Miss Bustier said, "Yeah. Me neither."
The guy gave us a bored look. "Uh-huh. Do what you want, but I'm telling ya, if you wanna catch him, that's where he'll be."
And just like that, Miss Bustier was off in a flash, hustling in her high heels toward the side entrance. And heaven help me, a moment later, I was scrambling after her.
