Zack held onto his seatbelt as he looked over at Rachel, whose arms were held high in the air and who flung her head back in still-drunk revelry. Her hair was free, and Zack had never seen a woman’s locks fly in the breeze so beautifully.
It made him wish that they had some quality alone time even more. We should’ve skipped the club and stayed at my place. The only thing he could think about was crawling into bed with her, sex or no sex.
Maybe that was the sobriety talking.
Music blared through the stereo. Blondie’s “Call Me” was the anthem of this escape out of the city and into one of the most recent developments on the north waterfront, where Miguel had a condo overlooking the river and the countryside beyond. He claimed it gave him a shadowed view of the house his beloved Judith called home, but Zack knew that it was really because it was near the site of the casino the Bolivar family was building.
The track changed to the Spanish version. I didn’t even know there was a Spanish version of this song. The chorus exploded the moment Miguel turned onto an exit and slowed down. He was still a few miles above the speed limit going through a residential area.
Rachel looked like she was fine with dying in a terrible and tragic car accident that night. She let out an audible Awww when they officially slowed down and turned into a gated community that eventually opened to a fifteen-story condominium. Fifteen was the most floors allowed in a building this far away from the center of downtown, and most of the building was hidden by the freeways and forestry between suburbs and downtown core.
Which meant the views from Miguel’s townhouse were to die for.
Even Zack had to admit it was probably a more breathtaking view than the one from his apartment. (And definitely better than Rachel’s.) The river was purer up here, glistening with crystal shards that twinkled beneath the full moonlight. On the other riverbank was a private dock strung with Christmas lights. Evergreen trees reached toward the sky and threatened to block the view of the mountains behind them.
And that was what he saw before the lights came on.
Europeans have no chill. A water display turned on with the lights. Trickles of filtered water came down the far wall silhouetting the fireplace, inviting Miguel’s guests to sit on a fleet of white leather couches. A touch of a button opened the glass coffee table and revealed heated snacks ready for midnight consumption.
Judith flopped down on one of the couches. She would only move for Miguel, who propped her shoulders up and sat beneath her. Her hand touched her forehead as she dramatically expressed how tired she was. “But at least that quick drive here helped slow down my aging process a bit. You too, right, Rachel?”
Rachel stood in front of the wide windows overlooking the natural view. Only now was it more noticeable that she wore a borrowed dress, since some of the pins holding the back closed popped out. The curve of her spine poked through the black fabric.
Judith caught Zack’s gaze lingering on it before he looked away.
“This is so amazing.” Rachel clasped her hands together. She didn’t even have to speak up for the others to hear her several yards away in the spacious condo, since the acoustics were so grand that her meek voice bounced between the walls and into the lofted ceiling. “This place is even bigger than Zack’s!”
“I’ve got a hot tub too,” Miguel said. “We could easily fire it up if we’re feeling frisky.”
Judith laughed. “Get some of that red wine we had last time. What was it? French?”
“Italian.”
“You, drinking Italian wine?”
“I have my moments.”
Zack was about to say that sounded great – even though he had a feeling this would be a skinny-dipping excursion – until he saw the look on Rachel’s paling face. “Think the only water we’re getting near tonight is the shower,” Zack said.
“Too bad Seth is out of town this weekend. He’d liven this party up.”
Both men burst with laughter. Rachel was the only one who didn’t get the joke.
“You guys laugh,” Judith said, “but you both know what I’m talking about! Who knows him better than you two?”
“English may be my third language, love,” Miguel cut in, “but even I know that sentence was messed up.”
“I’m serrioooouuss.” She almost rolled off the couch. “But I guess two on two will have to do.”
“I know you guys and Seth get freaky with the group party times,” Zack said, “but Rachel and I aren’t quite there yet.” He glanced over at her, still marveling over the view. Another note to self: next apartment must have an even better view.
“That’s the difference between me and you, amigo.” Miguel usually slipped into French when he was sleepy, but apparently Zack brought the Spanish out of him. “You find other interesting things about him.”
Judith slapped her hand over his mouth. “Hush! I’m thinking?”
“About what?”
Rachel bounded over, her blue eyes so big that Zack resisted the urge to grab her and pull her down into his lap. I’ve spent half this night watching other men feel up and caress their women. When is it my turn? “I realized that there’s water coming down that wall!”
“Ah, yes, that’s the Terrence Kobold feature he personally installed at my request. I have a similar feature he did for me back in my Monegasque apartment. Comforts of home, I suppose. You know Kobold?”
“No, I just know that having water falling down your wall can’t be good for moll.”
Zack chuckled. “It’s encased in glass and regularly cleaned, I assume.” To Miguel, he said, “Rachel’s not hip with the biggest names in art around the world.”
“She knows you, doesn’t she?”
“I wouldn’t say I’m one of the biggest.”
“Rumor is the Prague Gallery of Paris has shortlisted a number of American artists to showcase this Christmas season,” Miguel said. “I went to university with the Head of Western Acquisitions. Your name may have been on that list, Zachary.”
“Doubt it.”
“Don’t be so humble!” Judith chastised him. “Besides, what else are you going to do to impress Rachel?”
“Is she your most recent model?” Miguel grinned. “You should show us some pictures of the works you’ve done of her, if you have any on you.”
Zack ignored the sudden look of panic on Rachel’s sobering face. “I can’t say she’s modeled for me yet. I’m working on it.”
“You’d make a gorgeous model. Just saying.”
“Thanks,” Rachel squeaked. “Um, where’s the bathroom?”
While she was gone, Miguel got up and asked his remaining guest if there were any refreshments he or Rachel needed. A round of flavored waters later, the three of them continued to realize how tired they were to keep partying.
Rachel stumbled out, half awake. God, how much has she had to drink tonight? Every time her buzz wore off, she had another drink, pendulum swinging between buzzing like a bee and coming down from her high. So while she was never drunk, she was definitely feeling some aftereffects now.
“Excuse me.” She bypassed her drink and curled up on the couch next to the bed. She was out within five seconds.
“Er… don’t suppose you guys get a lot of Lyft action around here?”
“Nonsense. I have a guest room already turned down. Please, stay the night. My personal chef is coming by in the morning and will be much obliged to make us all breakfast and toenails of the dogs.”
“Hairs, honey.”
“Right. Les cheveux.”
If Zack’s mother wanted to meet someone with a perfect French accent, that guy was over here. “We don’t mean to intrude.”
Judith’s yawn almost broke her jaw. Miguel gestured to the ridiculous act and said, “I don’t think anything exciting is happening tonight, if you know what I mean.”
“I’ll be sure to text Seth and let him know.” More like goad him into infinity. The man was in New York for an oils on canvas workshop at NYU. It would burn him to know that his best friend and the man he shared his girlfriend with were hanging out together. Zack wondered if he could take a silly selfie with Miguel to up the experience.
He gently wrapped his arm around Rachel as she dozed, cheek propped up on his thigh. A lock of her hair wound around his finger.
“Tell you what,” Judith said, suddenly awake. “Get that dress off her so I can take it back and I’ll make sure a new outfit is delivered for her to wear home. In the meantime, I’ve got a baggy shirt she can wear.” She cocked her head. “Unless you’re not allowed to dress her.”
“Why wouldn’t I be allowed?”
Judith continued to study him before smiling. “No particular reason.”
Miguel offered to help Zack move Rachel into the guest room not too far away, but she was delightfully light in his arms. Zack tucked his arms beneath the small of her back and her bent knees, careful to not awaken her as he slowly stepped toward the open doorway. He closed it to give them privacy while he gingerly undressed her.
“What’s going on?” she mumbled, eyes fluttering between awake and asleep.
“We’re staying the night. I’m taking off the dress you’re wearing. You’ll have something else to wear later. Is that okay?”