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“Okay.” I nod and try to hide my grimace. “I wonder where Elise is,” I say, thinking of my sister and her Norse god from the show. “They were all over each other when we’d left the theater.” I have no idea how people could exchange body fluids so quickly after meeting each other, though if I were honest with myself, I know I would have gone to a bathroom in a second with Zeus if he’d gone all alpha and dragged me to him and said he wanted his wicked way with me. And I don’t even know his name. At least Elise had gotten a name and had a conversation before she got intimate, albeit they barely exchanged any words.
“I bet she’s at the Hilton or Sheraton,” Lila says as she texts away. “I’ll tell Hank to get us some drinks as well.” She giggles. “Now that he’s minutes away from becoming a Hollywood star.”
“Seriously, Lila?” I raise an eyebrow at her. “Hollywood star?”
“I didn’t say A-list.”
“He’d be lucky to be Z-list.” I can’t stop myself. “Unless aliens come from another planet and kidnap him and take him through the vortex he loves to go on about, and maybe, in some alternate reality, he’ll become a star.” I can’t stop from laughing. “And he can go on about sucking night and day.”
“Oh, Zara, you’re horrible.” Lila laughs, and I’m glad that she’s not defending him. “I know he’s a little annoying, but he is talented. And he’s told me that he thinks?—.”
“There you are,” Hank’s familiar irritating voice interrupts us. I turn to him in surprise. How had he managed to get our martinis and find us so quickly?
”Hey, there.” Lila grins her flirty smile and I try not to groan. Hmm. So there’s a part of her that is still attracted to him. Annoying. “Did you get the drinks?”
“Not yet.” He shakes his head. “I have some vodka back at my place that we can?—”
“But we’re not back at your place right now. We’re here at a bar that you suggested we come to.” I try to keep the snarkiness out of my voice, though I’m not sure I’m successful.
“I sense a tone of exasperation in your voice.” He looks at me with a condescending glance, his lips turned up slightly. “Alcohol problem?”
“What?” I ask him, feeling annoyed, and then I take a deep breath. “Lila, I’ll go and get the drinks. I’ll be back.”
“I’ll have a Stella on tap,” Hank says, and I have to contain myself from slapping this man. He then leans forward and whispers something in Lila’s ear and she blushes. He grabs her hand and spins her around, and I watch as he wraps his arms around her waist, and they start dancing. Lila winks at me and gives me a small shrug. She finds him annoying, but she’s still on the high from the play. I’m annoyed with myself for coming out and head toward the bar. Life is just not going as planned.
I rub my forehead and think about the stack of bills, the dirty clothes, the empty fridge, the LSAT prep books on the dining table, and the pages of cupcake recipes I’ve come up with and want to make. My life is unraveling and I have no one to turn to for help. I’m the strong one, the provider, the one who looks after everyone else, and I can’t let them down. Not now. I owe Lila. I still remember how she loaned me the money her grandmother left her when she died to help me pay for tuition and textbooks our last year in college. I wouldn’t have been able to graduate if it wasn’t for her. And Elise is my younger sister; I’d been the one to convince her to leave her ex with the kids, even though she hadn’t known how she’d provide for them. I told her I would always be there for her and the kids. I hadn’t thought I’d be taking care of all of them, but that was beside the point at this time. She’s focused on her goal of becoming an influencer and reality star. Everyone is pursuing their dreams except for me.
“Penny for them,” a deep voice whispers in my ear. I look up, expecting to see Zeus, but instead, I look into the dark eyes of a Shawn Mendes lookalike. He’s got a warm smile and the cutest dimples, so I smile back at him.
“I’m afraid they are not worth a penny,” I say, shaking my head. “But thanks for asking.”
“You here alone?” He looks around and takes another step closer to me. He smells like cocoa butter, and I smile because it reminds me of my grandma, who practically had shares in the cocoa butter company.
“No.” I shake my head, pointing out Lila, who is slow dancing with Hank to a Katy Perry song. Puke. “I’m here with friends. Just getting some drinks.”
“Can I treat you?” he whispers in my ear. “You’re gorgeous, by the way.”
“Thanks,” I say, pulling back slowly as he gazes into my eyes with such intensity that it unnerves me. “You’re not so bad yourself.” I stiffen as I feel his hand on the small of my back and sliding down to my ass. “Um, what are you doing?”
“I’m seeing if you do squats.” He winks, and I raise a single eyebrow at him. If he’s looking for a girl who works out, he’s with the wrong woman.
“I don’t.”
“You looking to start?” he asks with a grin. “I can give you my card.”
“Your card?”
“My business card. I’m a trainer. I can whip you into good shape,” he says with a nod and then flexes his biceps. “Get that body tight and fit, baby.”
I burst out laughing at the absurdity of the situation. This man is not trying to hit on me; he’s trying to get my business. Well, he sure picked the wrong woman. I don’t have a spare fifty cents, let alone whatever he charges for training.
“Sessions are a hundred and fifty dollars an hour, but if you buy ten, I’ll give you a discount. Only fourteen ninety-nine.” He flashes his pearly whites. “What do you say, princess?”
“A one-dollar discount? Is that a joke?”
“Is getting your body in shape a joke?” He cocks his head to the side. “Don’t get me wrong, I’d still hit it, but?—”
“Nope, no, non, nein.” I push him away from me. “Not tonight, dude. I have literally had the day from hell, and this is not the way it’s going to end. I am not interested. I do not want you, nor your lessons, nor your fake compliments. To be clear, telling me you’d hit it is not a compliment.” I press my finger against his chest. “Get out of?—”
