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Walking in, a few other musicians we know hurry over to us and celebrate that we’ve arrived. From everything I can tell, there’s no big event going on. We are the event. An actress approaches me, giving me a hug, and leaves her arms around my shoulders a little longer than needed.
“Hey, Maddox,” her breathy voice floats into my ear. “Long time.”
“Hey …” I try to remember her name. I remember the face. Upturned nose, high cheekbones, with black curly hair. And pouty lips, very pouty lips. But I’m blanking on the name.
“Krista,” she reminds me, unfazed.
“Right, Krista. How you been?”
“Better now that you’re here.”
“Order up!” EJ comes in out of nowhere, handing me a drink that smells like vodka.
“You’re drinking?” I ask him. He’s holding a drink that looks like it’s Jack and Coke.
“Hey, you wanted to party, right?”
My eyes jump between my drink, him, and Krista. I don’t know why EJ’s being so forthcoming all of a sudden, but I might as well take advantage. Nothing is holding me back anymore.
Lifting her glass, Krista gives me a salute, and I return the gesture. Taking a drink, I try to forget the reason I’m even here. I try to forget everything, listening to everyone talking around me, and the music playing through the speakers. Krista pulls me onto the dance floor, and I quickly down the rest of the drink, sliding the empty glass across the bar.
Krista throws her arms over my shoulders, and we start swaying to the music. My hands venture around her waist, but someone bumps my shoulder. When I glance over, EJ smiles and offers me a shot while holding his drink. A confused expression covers my face, but I shrug it off and take the shot from him.
Krista’s lips skim up my neck. For the first time since … I don’t know, middle school? I don’t know what to do. Her mouth floats up to my ear. “It’s been too long, Maddox.”
Usually, I’d reply with a line. I’d either tease her ear or forgo the teasing all together and start kissing her right now. My hands would probably be traveling up her back, resting at the nape of her neck. As it is, they’re frozen at the side of her hips.
She brings one of her arms around, running a finger over my lips, and keeps her body against me as we dance. Just as she leans closer, about to graze her lips against mine, EJ bumps me again. Checking my side, I see he has another glass. This time it looks like it’s some kind of lime drink.
What the hell is he doing?“I’m good,” I tell him.
“Come on,” he urges.
It’s enough to get me to stop moving while Krista keeps swaying her hips, enjoying the music. I stare at EJ, lifting a brow. “What are you doing?”
“What? You wanted to party, right?”
I open my mouth to respond but can’t think of the right words. Krista’s still oblivious. “How much have you had?”
“Me?” He starts laughing, waving his drink around. “Oh, this is Pepsi. I’m the DD, remember?”
“So … what? You’re just trying to get me plastered?”
“Excuse us,” EJ calls over to Krista, who nods.
He pulls me off the dance floor, and when we stop near the end of the bar, he offers me the drink again. “EJ, what’s going on?”
“What?” He gives me an exaggerated shrug. “I’m remembering being in Vegas. Remember that? You never partied with me, and since you’re single again, I figured we could make a night of it.” I guess that could be true, but this is completely unlike him. “What? Krista doesn’t do it for you anymore?”
That comment is enough to bring me to attention. “EJ.”
“No, it’s all good. Let’s go find some groupies. You lay on the King of Bad charm, and we’ll be having our own personal party. We can take it back to your place.”
“Shut the hell up. You’re with Skye.”
“I gave her a heads-up. Told her I might have to sacrifice a couple of nights for the good of my drummer,” he says with a wide grin.
“This isn’t funny.”
