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“Is everything okay?” Rachel whispers, earning a deep frown from Charlie.
Mike doesn’t seem to notice. I can’t tell if he doesn’t care, or if he’s too enamored with my book. He’s currently reading the back of it. I glance at Charlie, watching her shake her head, looking miserable. Guess there’s trouble in paradise.
“I’m gonna grab a beer,” Mike murmurs, still gazing at my book while shuffling toward the bar.
“We’ll be here!” I call after him, not sure if he’s heard me or not.
“What’s going on?” Rachel asks, her hands on Charlie’s shoulders.
Charlie sniffs and wipes her eyes delicately with a tissue, careful not to smear her immaculate eye makeup. I don’t think I’ve ever seen the girl without something caking her face. Not like that’s a bad thing, but she always looks so perfect, and uptight. Unlike Mike who pretty much goes with the flow. They’re probably not very compatible.
“Nothing,” Charlie croaks. She sniffs again and looks up at the ceiling, blinking away her tears. “Everything.” Charlie inhales deeply, her shoulders shaking as she releases her breath slowly. “I don’t know anymore.”
“Well, you’re not at the movie theater tonight,” Rachel says with a smile. “That’s good, right?”
“Yeah.” Charlie chuckles, yet there’s no joy in the sound. She looks even more miserable and her bottom lip trembles. “It’s just, I had tickets for an art show. For the both of us. Everything was planned weeks ago. Just an hour before we’re supposed to leave, Mike tells me about Lucas’s book launch and how we have to go.” Her bottom lip pokes out. Her face scrunches and I swear she’s about to explode into a fit of tears. I brace for impact, but instead she takes another deep breath and rushes out, “Those tickets were expensive and I will never get that money back. I can’t even complain, because he wants to support Lucas and his stupid career. I just wish Mike supported me the same way.” She sighs shakily. “Sorry, Lucas. No offense.”
“None taken,” I grumble. I can kind of see where she’s coming from. She had a date planned and Mike pretty much trashed it in favor of hanging out with me. Still, I can’t help feeling a little offended.
“I’m going to get a drink. A very stiff drink.” Charlie straightens and starts heading to the bar. “Don’t let me dance on the table!” She calls while twiddling her fingers at Rachel.
“I promise to grab you the moment I see your feet touching a chair,” Rachel laughs.
I sidle close to Rachel, watching Charlie make her way past Mike, who is currently busy stuffing his face with cookies. “Well, that was interesting,” I say while wrapping an arm around Rachel’s waist.
I frown when she pushes my arm away, wiggling away from me awkwardly. “I’m gonna get some more cookies before Mike eats them all,” she says without looking at me.
Yep. Something is definitely up. She’s practically running away from me. Why doesn’t she want me touching her? I watch her approach Mike and rip the platter of cookies away from him with a strength I never knew she possessed. Mike gapes at her, reminding me of a little boy who’s had his ice cream taken from him.
“Hey, Lucas!” Someone says while clapping me on the shoulder.
I turn, finding Jason and his new girlfriend standing behind him. I think her name is Jessica? Or Jane? It’s some sort of ‘J’ name. I should probably get better at remember people’s names.
“Happy book launch day,” Jason says cheerfully. “Pretty good turnout.”
I shrug and feel heat crawling up my neck to my cheeks. “Most are here for the Open Mic Night.”
Jason scoffs and rolls his eyes. “Sure they are,” he says while wrapping an arm around his girlfriend’s lithe waist. “I can’t wait to read your book, man. Unless it’s shit. Then, I’m not so excited.”
My eyes narrow on him, and I’m about to give him the most polite response I can come up with for such a shitty comment, when I realize he’s here, and not at the cafe, manning the counter and serving coffee to the late-night studiers.
“Wait,” I say, my heart slamming in my chest. “If you’re here, who’s—”
Jason grabs my shoulders, his eyes wide and manic as he smiles widely at me. “We finally hired someone. Sophia’s her name.”
“What?” I can’t believe it. He actually found someone? That poor girl. I don’t think she’s realized she’s signed her soul away to Jason.
“It’s amazing, right?”
I blink back at him, my frown deepening. “You’re having her close on her first day?”
Jason shrugs while releasing me. “She’s gotta learn at some point.”
“Does she even know what to do with the cash register?”
Jason rolls his eyes. Of course, he doesn’t care. I swear, with each passing year, he gets lazier and lazier. “Oh, lighten up, man. She’s fine. Now, where are these cookies I keep seeing?” His gaze slides toward the bar, where Rachel is now speaking with Mike. Their heads are tilted toward each other, looking like two friends conspiring to steal the entire platter of sweets.
“Wow, is that Rachel?”
