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“Um, yes.” I sound unsure since I wasn’t expecting the question.
“Most of the women are here as a plus one.”
“Oh.” That seems like a weird thing to say. “Well, I’m here with Nero.”
The man narrows his eyes, scrutinizing me, and I don’t know what he sees, but he stands a little straighter and motions for me to walk ahead.
I’m about to hold my hand out to take the invite back, but he slides it into a slotted box at his side.Well crap, I wanted to keep that.
I’m only mildly surprised when, a few steps later, I have to hand my purse over for inspection and pass through a metal detector, before I can finally enter the building.
The warm air of the interior is a welcome friend and I force some deep inhales to help my muscles relax.
There are several people walking in at the same time as me, so I follow their lead as they follow the signs directing us to the event space. As we get closer, the signs are hardly necessary, since the din of voices easily carries across the marble floors.
My steps slow to a stop, and I gawk.
Nothing could have prepared me for the grandeur.
The room is packed with people. Some mingling, others standing around those round high-tables in deeper conversation. There’s a bar just to the side of where I’m standing, and another I can see across the room.
Music filters through the voices, and if I’m not mistaken, there’s a five-piece band set up in the corner.
Just when I think I couldn’t feel more awed, I look up.
The ceilings are soaring, so high up, there’s a life-sized model airplane suspended above the crowd.
Wow.
I’m so out of my element. And the only way I’m making it through tonight is with alcohol.
Aiming straight for the bar, I watch the people in line ahead of me and notice they don’t pay for their drinks. And there’s not even a tip jar out. Huh.
“What can I get for you?” the bartender asks me, and I realize I hadn’t spent any of that time thinking about what I’d want.
“Oh, um…” I trail off, my eyes trying to catalog all the bottles displayed behind her.
The side of her mouth lifts into a smirk. “I can help you decide if you want.”
My shoulders sag in relief. “Yes, please.”
She chuckles. “First question, do you want a little booze or a lot of booze?”
“A lot,” I admit with a smile.
“Sweet or not sweet?”
“Sweet.” I answer immediately.
She nods. “I have just the thing.”
Watching her pour from bottles I don’t recognize into a shaker, I give up trying to keep track of what she’s making and turn a little so I can scan the room for Nero.
He’s tall, so I feel like I should be able to find him. But I’m not tall, and there are so many freaking people here.
For Nero’s birthday.
Once again, my stomach twists into a knot.
