“Then we’ll go all out for lunch.” I smile at Jeff’s cute smirk and settle back in the plush leather seats, letting the warm air wash over me.
“I’m stuffed. I shouldn’t have had that dessert, but it was oh-so-good.” I feel like a bloated pig. My three-course meal was amazingly scrumptious, and I finished it off like I hadn’t eaten for months. Now I’m searching through my messenger bag looking for something to calm my tummy.
“If you’re looking for antacids, I could use a few as well. I don’t think the lobster is sitting very well with me at the moment.”
“I thought I had them in here, but they must be in my medicine cabinet. Damn.”
“We’ll be home in a few minutes,” Jeff says as he swerves to miss an idiot who pulls out in front of us.
“I’m glad I’m in the car with you and not my mom. She would’ve chewed that driver out just then, even though he wouldn’t have heard her. I hate when she drives. It’s a wonder she hasn’t been arrested yet.”
“It doesn’t do any good yelling at them. It just makes your own blood pressure go up. Most terrible drivers couldn’t care less.”
We pull into the parking garage entrance and Jeff swipes his card across the machine’s sensor. Within seconds the security gate slides to the side, allowing us to enter. There aren’t any other cars on the basement parking floor, and I’m relieved. All I want to do is to go upstairs, take my tummy meds and lie down.
The lobby is warm and Brad is MIA, which allows for Jeff and me to enter the elevator unseen. Okay, so there are security cameras all over the hallways, but no human has seen us, unless someone is looking at the monitors.
“Jeff, do you know where the monitors are that those cameras feed into?”
“Never thought about it. Maybe they’re in that locked room behind the front desk?”
“I just realized how creepy it is being videotaped and not knowing who’s watching.” I shiver as the elevator doors close and we start to ascend.
“It’s not like there are cameras everywhere, Dora. Just in the stairwells, hallways, and lobby. Or maybe I’m mistaken and there’s one in your bathroom.”
I hit him on the shoulder and he laughs. I storm out of the elevator as soon as the doors open.
“You’re a butt, you know that? Now I’m going to be paranoid about going to the bathroom and showering now, thanks.” I unlock my door and try to shut it before he comes in.
“Dora, I’m only kidding. Look, I’ll show you there’s no camera in the bathroom, and then you can rest easy.” Jeff takes me by the hand and we go into the humongous bathroom to begin our search.
I’m still not convinced ten minutes later. Jeff laughs after I tell him so and he leaves the bathroom. I hear knock at my door and then hear Jeff talking to someone. I open the medicine cabinet and pull out my bottle of antacids and pop a few in my mouth, hoping it helps, but also hoping that whoever Jeff is talking to will be gone when I come out. No such luck. I walk out and there’s Liam, Drew and Colin lounging in my sitting room, making themselves at home.
“Hey, Dora.” Drew’s grin holds me spellbound for a second, and then Colin draws my attention by patting the empty seat next to him on the couch. I plop down, gracefully, of course, and listen to them banter. Apparently, tomorrow is the last day Liam and Colin will be here before departing for home, and they want to go out tonight and celebrate Christmas early.
“What do you two think? Are you up for an evening with us poor unfortunate souls?” Drew glances at me then Jeff.
“We just ate and are stuffed. Frankly, we were going to take some antacids and have a nap. Our last exam was today, and it was brutal.”
“Well, that’s okay. You guys rest, and we’ll leave about seven. We’ll make it a ‘last exam and farewell until New Year’s’ celebration.” I start to shake my head, but Drew raises his hand and shakes his head first. “Not going to take no for an answer. We’ll go to my club so it won’t be crowded, and we’ll just hang out and have a few drinks.” He smiles at my grimace at the word “drinks.” “Or not, and dance, so be ready by around six-thirty, okay? We’ll take my car.”
He stands up and so does his silent partners as they leave without another word.
“Well, I guess we’re going out tonight,” Jeff says as he makes his way to the bathroom.
I lie down on the bed and close my eyes. I feel the bed dip as Jeff joins me. I snuggle up to him and sigh. “I guess we have to go.”
“Yep, we do.”
Drew’s club is exactly the same as it was the last time we were here. The same girl is checking coats and her bright, white smile greets him and then encompasses all of us in her cheerful hello. Its cozy feel is still there, and the music isn’t blaring.
Drew leads us to the farthest booth in the back, where we can actually talk without having to yell at each other. The booth is a semicircle, and somehow I end up between Drew and Jeff, with Liam and Colin opposite us. Can I say I’m disappointed? Well, I am. Colin keeps looking at his phone and Liam is brooding. Yeah, I can feel it. Remember, empath.
A waiter arrives at our table and takes our orders. I move a little in my seat and I feel a thigh pressing against mine. Drew is a little too close for comfort. In fact, I feel a little claustrophobic, or maybe it’s something else. I look over at Colin and catch his eye, and his smile should make me forget the thigh, but no dice. My leg is warm and so are other regions of my body, really warm, in fact. I must be coming down with the flu, that’s it. It is flu season, and I didn’t have the shot. Drew shifts his body so that his whole side presses against mine.
Damn flu.
“Jeff, I need to go to the ladies’ room,” I whisper to him.
He quickly gets up and I scoot over and out, nearly colliding with our waiter, who is bringing our drinks. I find the bathroom and make a beeline for the sink, grabbing a paper towel along the way. I wet it with ice-cold water and pat my neck and forehead. My eyes don’t look feverish, and I don’t look pale, or feel clammy, so maybe it’s not the flu. Maybe it’s early menopause hot flashes, or maybe I’m starting my period several days before it’s due.
Or maybe it’s being too close to a hot guy? I’m going out there to see if it happens when I sit next to Colin. I did have butterflies before.
Arriving back at the table, I lean over and whisper in Liam’s ear and I move back as he gets up and lets me slide in next to Colin. Jeff raises an eyebrow and Drew looks puzzled.
“I want to look at your handsome faces.”
Jeff looks skeptical and Drew flashes an Earth-shattering smile. What the heck … Earth-shattering? What am I thinking?
“I’m too ugly for you to look at?” Liam asks with a straight face.
“Well, you aren’t all that handsome when you frown all the time, so yes, it’s hard to look at you,” I quip and then giggle when he turns to gives me the most beautiful smile.
Me? Giggle? Go figure. Wonders never cease. These three have really done a number on me.
“So I’m ugly too?” Colin’s proper English accent makes the butterflies flutter in the old stomach, or maybe it’s gas, but I’ll go with butterflies.
“No, you’re too handsome for me to stare at for any length of time.”
Before I can finish, he reaches for my left hand that is resting on the table and kisses the back of it. I can feel my face turning beet red, and I hope none of them can see it in this light? I have to act normal and not like some awkward teenager.
“Why, thank you, kind sir. You’re definitely the only gentleman of this group.” Yep, the laughter stops and I feel so smug. “Jeff, would you be a love and pass me my drink?”