This was my first night out with Chloe. This was her birthday celebration. So far, things had gone just like I'd planned. We'd had a great dinner at a place she'd obviously loved, and then, we'd spent a couple hours in Greektown, playing craps and blackjack at the casino.
Finally, we'd come here. We'd been here for maybe a couple of hours now. I'd held her. I'd danced with her. I'd kissed her while the crowd moved around us.
At midnight, I'd given her the earrings. They'd made her eyes sparkle and her face light up with one of those amazing smiles. She loved them. They'd made her happy. I could tell.
I glanced toward the restrooms. She wouldn’t be happy to find two girls – one she definitely hated – fighting over my privates while I just stood there like a dumb-ass.
They were still arguing.
"Hey," I called over the noise, "you like blackjack?"
Together, they turned to look.
The brunette said, "Who? Me?"
Brittney elbowed her aside. "No. He was talking to me."
"I've got a limo outside," I said. "You wanna hit Greektown?"
"Shit yeah!" the brunette said. She held up both her arms, victory style. "Whoooo!"
Brittney gave her an annoyed look. "He was talking tome, not you."
I spoke up. "I was talking to both of you."
They shared a look. The brunette gave a sloppy shrug. "Works for me."
A minute later, I was ushering both of them into the limo. Standing outside, I peeled off a wad of hundreds and handed a few to each girl.
Brittney eyed the money. "Wait a minute." She looked up. "Aren'tyoucoming?"
I shrugged. "Hard to say."
Her gaze narrowed. "You're trying to trick us."
"No," I said. "I'm bribing you to leave."
The brunette was already slouched in the seat. "But I don'twannaleave." She glanced at Brittney. "Do I?"
"Oh shut up," Brittney said. She turned back to me. "You want us to go?" She paused. "Alright. I'll go. And I'll even takeherwith me." She gave me a calculating gaze. "But it'll cost you."
Fine. Whatever. I pulled out my wallet. "How much?"
"Not money," Brittney said. "Amber."
I shook my head. "What?"
"Make up with her," Brittney said. "At least as friends, okay?"
I gave her a look. It wasn't what I expected, especially from Brittney. "Why?"
"Because she talks about it all the time," Brittney said. "The other day? I caught her crying in the bathroom. It's totally annoying."
Amber had been crying? As angry as I was, it wasn't what I wanted to hear. But I couldn't think about that now. I glanced toward the club. I needed to get back inside, like yesterday. Ihadto find Chloe.
"It's a deal," I said.
When the limo pulled away less than a minute later, I turned and strode back into the club, bypassing the long line of people waiting to get in. Once inside, I scanned the crowd.
