“Because when someone throws a girl at me and commands our friendship, I want to know why,” I snapped.
“Oh.” The suspicion melted away. “That makes sense. I’d want to know too.”
“You’re not curious why she said that?”
Checking her pockets, she started towards the stairs. I fell in step beside her and heard her say, “When
it comes to Kara and her friends, I don’t really give a damn. They’re too loony and pretentious for my liking.”
“Wait.” My arm caught hers. I hauled her to a stop on top of the stairs. “You said Kara and her friends?”
She rolled her dark eyes. “Yeah, I know Kara because she’s best friends with my other cousin.”
My heart began pounding. I already knew where this was going. “Who is that?”
“You don’t want to know her. Trust me.”
I think I already do. “No, really. Tell me.”
“Tiffany, she’s Hannah’s older sister.”
Bingo.
I knew there’d been a reason, but wait. That made no sense. “So you’re best friends with Hannah, who is sisters with Tiffany? I’m confused.”
“Join the club.” She shrugged again and started down the floors. When we would’ve veered to the left and kept going to the basement lobby, she went to the right.
I paused. For some reason, this seemed important for me to know. And I hated to admit it, but Beth wasn’t hard company.
She jerked a thumb over her shoulder. “If you want to, we’re going to Club T.”
“What’s Club T?”
She flashed a grin and it transformed her face. Beth had seemed moody and withdrawn, but with the slight curve of her lips, she was animated. Most guys would consider her plain looking, but in that moment, I thought she was radiant. She laughed at me. “Come and find out. Hannah’s driving.”
I didn’t need any more incentive. I was out the door in two heartbeats.
A red Camaro was waiting for us, with another blonde bombshell behind the wheel. She never grinned, nothing. Her aviators hid most of her face and her lips never moved an inch. She only spoke to Beth as I crawled into the backseat and her cousin took the front, “Who is this?”
“Um.” Beth glanced at me before she settled into her seat. “A friend. Let’s go.”
She gunned the Camaro and off we went. I was thrown back by the force of it, but I didn’t mind. The girl was thin like her sister, but she was tanner. Her hair held red streaks among the golden blonde of it and a tattoo was on the underside of her forearm. It was in another language, but in simple and tiny letters. While her sister had been dressed like she was attending tennis classes at the White House, this girl wore tattered jean shorts and a black top that stuck to her.
Both were gorgeous.
What was in the water around here?
Beth frowned at me once more before her cousin turned the radio up and the two talked the rest of the way. It was a thirty-minute drive. She pulled into a parking lot outside a warehouse. The tall building, built from tin, was decorated with nothing. A lone black sign hung over the side entrance door, behind a guy in black clothes. He wore a hooded sweatshirt as a line of people waited.
“Oh, hellll no. This ain’t happening.”
Hannah parked the car and was out in record time. Beth caught my arm, holding me back, and we watched as she sauntered towards the bouncer. She pressed her chest against his and arched her back. One of her legs lifted in the air, all the while she was smiling and cooing into his ear.
“What is she doing?”
Beth shook her head. “She’s getting us in. That guy is new. Hannah’s been coming here for three years. She doesn’t like change.”
Three years?
“How old is she?”
“She’s a sophomore this year, but we came to visit Tiffany when we were in high school and she was a freshman and sophomore at Grant West.”
“So Tiffany’s a junior?”
“Yeah.” Beth couldn’t stop grinning as she watched her cousin in action.
I had to admit. I was impressed. She was stroking his arm, putting her boobs on display, and even puckering her lips. Oh yes. This girl knew how to work guys and every movement promised them so much more.
Finally, the guy grinned with lust as he ran a hand over her bottom lip. Then he nodded and stepped aside.
Her eyes lit up in triumph, and she glanced at us.
“Come on.” Beth grabbed my arm and pulled me after her.
We hurried through before the guy changed his mind.
When we got inside, it was one large room with a frenzied mass. People gyrated, grinded, did all sorts of dancing to the band on the stage. Some of them wore clothes that lit up like Christmas trees. As we fought our way to the bar, I was entertained by a girl that extended the lights to her hair and neck. She wore eyelashes that glowed in the dark. When she caught my eye and saw that I was studying her, she pressed a hand against her cheek, and then touched it to mine.
Beth grinned. She saw the exchange and leaned into my ear, “You have a glowing rose on your cheek now.”
I nodded, happy for some reason.
The girl pressed a kiss to my cheek and lifted her hand to the bartender. After she got her drinks, she turned and disappeared again.
Two glasses were pushed our way. The bartender leaned close over the bar with his elbow braced on it. “That girl paid for your drinks.”
I was floored by the generosity, but Beth grunted and flashed a wad of cash. The bartender nodded and she was given a tray of drinks instead. She added the free ones to it and lifted it high above the heads as we moved out of the crowd. When we got to the edge, she lowered the tray and hollered in my ear, “The girl seemed fine, but don’t accept any more drinks from anyone. I like this place, don’t get me wrong, but don’t be stupid at the same time.”
I hollered back in her ear, “Where’s your cousin?”
She gestured to the dance floor.
And yep, there she was. She had an arm around some guy who was grinding against her hips. The two looked hot and heavy; then Hannah pressed her chest against the guy’s and he dropped his head to her neck. When she gasped, I turned back to Beth. “You think she’s coming back for these drinks?”
Beth laughed. “Maybe. They’re for all of us, help yourself.”
“What?”
She found a table in the back section and placed the tray on it. Her bag was put on the chair beside mine and she patted the seat. “Have yourself some fun. I’ll be back.” And with that announcement, she vanished into the crowd.
I was left alone with a tray of drinks.
Wonderful.
I didn’t even like to drink.
I didn’t see either of the girls for a while, but I couldn’t really fault them. I didn’t know them so I settled back against the wall, kept the tray in front of me, and watched the people. When it was nearing midnight, Beth returned. Her hair was sweaty and slicked back from her face. Her face was red. When I saw the hickey on the side of her neck, I didn’t ask what she’d been doing. I hadn’t seen her on the dance floor.
“Did you have fun?” She hopped onto the stool across from me and yelled over the table.
I indicated the tray, still full with the drinks. “Loads.”
“Sorry.”