She paired the outfit off with a delicate necklace and sparkling earrings, and she felt new and refreshed already.
“Gonna show me up, huh?” Eris asked.
Kallie snickered and shook her head before she held out her arms.
“How do I look?” Kallie asked.
“Like you’d cost a hell of a lot more than I have to offer.”
“Fuck you.”
“I see the island has loosened up your tongue. I like that. You ready to go get our party on?”
“Do I have a choice?” Kallie asked.
“Trust me. The color is already flooding back to your face. By the end of tonight, you’ll be as good as new and you’ll know what to do. That’s my goal. To get you back on track to succeed and flourish in your own life.”
Kallie took one last look at herself before grabbing her purse.
“Come on,” she said. “Let’s go.”
“That’s the spirit,” Eris said. “To the bars!”
Chapter 3
Kallie
Eris insisted on dragging her to a cocktail bar to start their evening. It was one of the trendiest spots in New York, and she was walking in there in a tank top and sweatpants. Even though she looked two ticks shy of homeless, Eris was still batting away the offers. They both were. Men were offering them drinks left and right. Men in blazers and button-downs and tight pants all walked up to Kallie and smiled at her. Complimented her. Made any excuse to be close to her. Some complimented her eyes while others complimented her dress. One man even complimented her on her earrings. He said they “made her eyes twinkle in the lights of the strobes.”
“You see that guy over there?” Eris asked.
“Which one?”
“The one with the buzz cut and the holey jeans? I bet you he’s military.”
“You got a thing for military men?” Kallie asked.
“Nope. Figured you did after your little island excursion,” Eris said with a grin.
“Oh stop it. Now you’re being mean.”
“What about that guy? Hmm? With his longer hair and that tailored suit. What do you think he does for work?”
“Well, he’s got his nose crinkled at something. Looks a little uptight. Possibly an accountant?”
“I was thinking president of a no-name start-up, but that one’s good too.”
Kallie sputtered her drink as she tried to conceal her laughter.
“What about that guy over there?” Eris asked.
“That’s the bartender, Eris.”
“But I mean look at him. Tattoos all up his arms. Bald head. Stern expression. Loose shirt. The man looks like he recently escaped from prison.”
“Possibly James’s old bodyguard?” Kallie asked.
Eris threw her head back and laughed.
With each guy they pointed out, Kallie found her spirits being lifted. The doom and gloom was lifting and the alcohol was settling into Kallie’s bones. She was loose. Hip. With it. Moving her body to the beat of the music and turning down guys left and right. Her confidence soared through the rafters and she enjoyed raucous laughter with her best friend.
The night was going well.
Much better than Kallie had anticipated.
“Come on,” Eris said. “I don’t know about you, but I’m starving. We’ll need a good foundation if we’re going to drink in earnest tonight.”
“Trust me, Eris. I did enough drinking in St. Barts to last me a lifetime.”
“Quitter! You can do better than that. It’s our night! You’re going to do better than that.”
Kallie was tugged along the sidewalk of Manhattan until Eris ducked into a trendy fusion tapas restaurant. They squeezed in with the other New Yorkers so they could place their order for tiny plates of delicious and exotic foods. Kallie’s stomach growled as decadent dishes passed their heads, as the alcohol soaking into her veins made her teeter. She leaned against Eris and the two of them talked a little too loudly on the line, and soon people were staring at them as they cracked jokes and laughed until tears streaked their cheeks.
A couple of chairs in the back came open and Eris pulled Kallie over to them. They sat at the bar and a menu was placed in front of them. They promptly ordered, and the bartender set out waters for them, a silent cue that he would refuse them alcohol service if they asked.