“Hmm. I guess we’ll have to see if whoever she might be with is good enough.”
Fair enough. I throw my empty bottle into his recycling bin. “Best shake a leg then,”I say, tilting my head towards his half-buttoned shirt and bare feet.
He salutes me and makes his way back to his bedroom. I consider grabbing another beer but think better of it.
When he returns, running his fingers through his hair, it’s only then that I stop pacing.
“Someone is unusually eager to get out tonight,”he says, grabbing his wallet, phone, and keys.
“I can neither confirm nor deny.”
We make our way through the building and are hit with a concrete wall of heat as we step out onto the pavement. Luck must be on our side, though, as a taxi drops off a fare.
It doesn’t take long before we’re pulling up outside the club. There’s a queue, but thankfully we don’t have to wait.There are some perks to knowing the owners.
Inside, the air conditioning is a welcome reprieve from this heatwave we’re having. We’re each given a lightweight black mask. Any other time, I’d grumble at having to wear something like this, but if it’s the price I have to pay to see Bow again, it’s worth it.
I’ve been here a few times, but never for one of their Masquerades.
Venetian elegance blends with a vibrant seasonal flair, tropical colours and floral motifs decorating the space. Servers weave through the crowd carrying trays of themed cocktails. Lifesize flamingos are placed around the main floor, which is brimming with people dressed in cocktail dresses, flowing gowns, and summer suits.
But all I’m really interested in is finding Rainbow amongst the sea of people.
“I’m going to get a drink. You want anything?”Ric asks.
“A beer, please.”I don’t think it’s a good idea to drink spirits, not if I want to keep a clear head when I speak to Bow, because we will be talking tonight.
And that’s when I get a glimpse of candy floss pink waves. Sure enough, the crowd parts around her, giving me the perfect view.
Fuck me, she’s ethereal.
As much as I want to head straight over, I force myself to follow Ric to the bar. Besides, it’s nice seeing her enjoy herself. If it’s not with me, at least it’s amongst her friends.
It’s not like I’ve really thought this through. As much as I want to talk to her, I also have my best friend to consider. Granted, it’s probably a little late for that now that I’ve crossedthe line with his sister, yet I don’t regret it. Not where Bow is concerned.
Ric passes me a premium bottle of beer. For some reason, unlike me, he never seems to have an issue being served straight away.
He’s charismatic, where I am not.
“Cheers.”He holds the neck of the bottle to mine.
“Cheers,”I reply, clinking it lightly against his.
I take a deep pull of the cool, refined flavour and face the dance floor.
My gaze zones in on Bow as she dances and laughs at something her friends are saying. I notice the moment Ric spots her, too.
“Shall we go say hello?”I ask, my good intentions flying out of the window.
“Yeah.”
We make our way across the dance floor, my heart thumping harder in my chest the closer we get. Harrison whispers something to Ari, who points over Bow’s shoulder, and she turns to face us. Her eyes meet mine before shifting to Ric.
“Good to see you came,”Hunter says, bumping his fist with mine and then Ric’s. Harrison steps up and greets us the same way. When we first met, telling them apart was hard, but over time, you start to notice their differences.
“Thanks for the tickets,” I say to the twins.
“Surprise,”Ric says to Bow, holding out his arms.
