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I’ve never been to a party like this, or around this many people. It’s incredibly intimidating.
“Here you are.”
I feel my eyes widen when I see the pretty blue martini sitting on the bar top. There’s salt along the rim and the thinnest circle of lime floating across the surface.
“I’m gonna call it a margarita-martini baby.” The bartender grins. “And I was admiring your shoes when you got in line, so I decided to make a drink to match.”
“It’s brilliant.” I shake my head a little, amazed at her attention to detail.
When I start to open my purse, preparing to give her the last of my cash, she lays her hand on the bar. “We can’t accept tips tonight.”
“Oh, but––”
“Don’t worry, this gig pays more than my last two combined, so we’re good.”
“If you’re sure…?”
She smiles. “Positive. Enjoy.”
I thank her as I carefully lift the drink and take a sip. Then I take another, larger sip.
The bartender has already started on her next drink, but she winks at me when I mouth the wordwow.
I don’t know why she was being so friendly to me, maybe she can tell I’m completely out of place and off the rack; regardless of the reason, I’m glad for her kindness.
Sipping on my drink, I work my way in and out of the crowd, but see no sign of Nero.
This is his party. You’d think he’d be easy to find. Or at the very least there’d be one congregation larger than the others, with him at the center. But there’s nothing like that. So I scope out a random path, moving slowly, aiming for casual as I turn my head left and right looking for the birthday boy.
My body sways on my next step, as I teeter on my heels; I look down, alarmed, to find that my drink is mostly gone.
Remembering that the only thing I’ve eaten today was a cup of ramen, I vow to intercept one of the waiters I’ve seen walking around with trays of finger food soon and stuff my face. If the food is even half as good as this drink, it’ll be the best thing I’ve ever had.
And it’s then, as my mind is fully focused on food, that I spot the profile I could recognize by touch.
Dark hair styled back from his face, perfectly-thick beard framing his strong jaw, and a stance that comes from leadership. There’s no question who’s in charge here. And now that I’ve found him, I wonder how it took me so long. His energy is palpable. It’s like I can feel him. Even with a dozen people still separating us.
As the crowd shifts, my view of him comes and goes, but I keep moving forward, side-stepping a man who shifts into my path.
Nero hasn’t seen me yet, but my mouth is already pulled into a smile.
I can’t wait to wish him a happy birthday.
All of these people are here for him, to celebrate with him. And he can say whatever he wants about what type of man he is but if I threw a birthday party for myself, inviting every person I’ve ever known, it wouldn’t fill half of this space. Hell, it wouldn’t even fill my living room. And that counts for something. Or it should.
His mouth is moving as he talks to the man in front of him, so I slow my progress.
I don’t want to interrupt him. That would be rude, and awkward.
Thinking it would be best not to sneak up behind him, I circle out a bit until I’m approaching him from straight on, giving him a chance to spot me before I reach him.
My heart is beating so fast, my nerves rocketing into the stratosphere.
I take another sip of my drink to try and calm myself.
It’s gonna be good.
Blowing out a breath, I move closer.
