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A bunch of us are heading to Mirage tonight.
I stared at my phone, watching the three bubbles appear as she typed her response.
Juliette
And you're telling me because…
Mac
In case you and your friend decided to go out tonight. It would be pretty convenient if we ended up at the same place.
She knew what was at stake. She knew what the risks were. Juliette would be safe if anything between us went sideways. If anyone were to find out, she would be the one who walked away unscathed. That was enough assurance for me to gamble with my future.
Juliette
Are you interested in her?
I read her message a second time as I stifled a laugh. "What the hell?" Confusion was evident in my voice, even though she couldn't hear it. I wasn't sure what would have made her think something like that, but if she needed my reassurance, I had no problem giving her that.
Mac
No, babe. I'm only interested in you.
Juliette
I think we are going out tonight.
Mac
Maybe I'll see you there.
Juliette
Maybe you will…
A smile was on my lips as I locked my phone screen and slid it into the cupholder. Excitement raced through my veins as I put the car in reverse and finally pulled out of the parking lot. A message came through from Lincoln as I headed down the street, asking where I was. I didn't bother texting him back since it was a short ride into the heart of Orchid City where Mirage was.
I ended up being the last one there, showing up late, which wasn't abnormal. The guys were all sitting in the VIP area, passing around shots when I slid into the booth next to Lincoln. Our win wasn't anything spectacular tonight, but it had basically secured our spot in the playoffs. There were still a few more games until playoffs started, but we were first in our division and we were on a winning streak. There wasn't anything that was going to get in our way.
The thoughts made me nervous and it was something I would never dare to speak out loud. There were certain things that we didn't speak of and definitely never brought up. We all tended to be a little superstitious and the moment something was spoken of was the minute things went sideways.
My eyes surveyed the club as I swallowed back a mouthful of liquor. My throat burned as I chased it down with a sip of water. Juliette gave me no indication of when they would be here, she only left me with a maybe. Maybe I would get to see her, but maybe I wouldn't. The ball was in her court now, and it was completely up to her whether or not she made a move.
After a while, I decided I didn't feel like sitting there any longer. There were so many people out on the floor and it was too dim inside. If Juliette were out there, it would have been hard for me to see her from where I was sitting. The guys were deep in conversation about our upcoming trip for some away games, so no one noticed me as I rose to my feet.
I looked out on the dance floor, my heart skipping a beat in my chest the moment I saw her. It was unexpected, but there she was, moving her body to the music, completely unbothered by the people around her. My feet reached the top of the small staircase that led up to the VIP area and I watched her for a moment. Her friend wasn't far from her, but she was dancing with another guy. Juliette's arms were in the air, her hands hanging high above her head. Her long wavy hair hung down her back as she shifted her hips, swaying back and forth with her eyes closed.
This was a side of her I had never seen before. Juliette Anderson came off as if she were uptight and cold. She didn't get close with people unless they were actually important to her. And if there was anyone she didn't like in life, it was most definitely hockey players. I had experienced her frigidness and it was a stark comparison to the Juliette that was dancing by herself right now.
But at the same time, it was also consistent with how she was.
Juliette didn't need anyone—she never did. The only person she needed and the only person she truly trusted was herself.
And I found myself desperate to change that.
My eyes never left her as I headed down the stairs and stepped onto the main floor. I pushed through the crowd, momentarily losing sight of her as a group drifted in front of me. Juliette moved to the side and I saw her again just as there was a break in the sea of people surrounding us. Jesus, she was the most beautiful person I had ever seen. Something about her did something inside me I could never explain. She wasn't supposed to be it for me, but I could feel it in my bones. I just knew…
The air left my lungs in a rush and my feet were cemented to the ground as I continued to watch her. She didn't care about anyone around her. She didn't care about anyone who paused to watch her. She was lost in the moment, just letting herself feel as she let the background noise disappear. There was still so much I didn't know about Juliette Anderson, but as I watched her in that moment it was clear that this was an escape for her.
