Brinton tipped it back. It was smokey and smooth, not unlike a certain man she couldn’t extricate from her mind.
Sammi slid out from her side of the booth. “This is where I leave you, young grasshopper,” she said.
She nodded toward the bar, where Man-Bun smiled back at her.
“I thought you wouldn’t leave me to fend for myself?” Brinton asked, feigned outrage painted on thick.
Sammi craned her neck, scanning the room. “Oh, I’m not leaving you to fend for yourself. Let’s not pretend Jamie hasn’t been making eyes since you sat down. I’m sure he’s bound to come find you and apologize for whatever charming thing he said earlier.”
That would be ideal, but would it happen? Brinton peered longingly at his empty booth. What if he had gone home? Or worse, what if he went home withsomeone?
Kendall’s frighteningly symmetrical face flashed behindBrinton’s eyes. Her heart plummeted into her boots. She was catastrophizing, her anxious mind’s favorite pastime.
While, at home, Brinton couldn’t stop herself from spiraling, she desperately wanted to stay in the moment now. To enjoy herself, as Shay had preached.
Sammi blew Brinton a kiss before spinning on her heels. “Have fun, text me if you need anything, and for all that is holy, don’t puke on him again.”
Brinton smirked, kicking her boots onto the bouncy leather seat. She would take advantage of this VIP section, even if she sat there mindlessly scrolling on her phone like the other women in her company.
She snapped a photo of the cornucopia of untouched booze and pulled up her text thread with Shay.
Brinton: Too much?
Shay replied a few seconds later.
Shay: NEVER ENOUGH, BOOKIE
Brinton snorted at her good fortune. This night had almost shaped uptoowell. For a woman expecting to be crushed when the other shoe dropped, she felt content to simplybe, at least until she could figure out what to say to Jamie.
Wherever the hell he was.
“Can I join you?” asked a voice she didn’t recognize a few moments later.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
When Brinton looked up, she was disappointed to find one of the A&R clones leering down at her.
“Oh, um—” she stammered.
He slipped into her side of the booth, forcing her to slide her feet beneath the table. With Jamie and Sammi gone, she truly was alone. And a little uneasy about deflecting this man without him causing a scene that could ultimately end poorly for her.
That old, familiar feeling of dread hissed from the pit of her stomach.
“I’m Dane,” he said, as if she’d asked. He was tall with rumpled brown hair combed forward to hide his receding hairline. He was probably in his late 30s and married, judging by the gold band on his ring finger.
He smelled like unearned confidence and Budweiser. A noxious mix.
“I couldn’t help but notice you’re the most beautiful woman here.”
Back home, Brinton would have collapsed into herself.But here, Sammi’s no-BS policy propelled her.
Brinton stared straight into Dane’s beady brown eyes. “This place is packed with beautiful women, who I’m sure are more interested in talking with you.”
Dane balked and slid closer. “But you’re the only one I’m curious about.”
He dragged his sweaty palm mid-way up her thigh and leaned in so close hot spittle stung her cheek.
“In fact, I’m curious to know if your nipples look like Hershey’s Kisses…”
