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  “Alright, hookers, time to make a toast,” Macie said, grabbing a couple of shot glasses and filling them up with grape flavored Vodka. I lifted my glass of water in the air. “To my bestie, Keegan. May she get completely wasted, lose her panties, and kiss a stranger tonight.” They all laughed and cheered, throwing back their drinks.

  “Annabelle, is that what you’re wearing?” Erin asked, genuinely intrigued.

  I glanced down at my floral print dress. “Yes. Why?”

  Jordan and her snickered. “Honey, nobody is going to be looking at you when you have a dress on that goes to your knees, and a neckline that covers every inch of cleavage.”

  “Good. I don’t plan on having anybody looking at my legs or cleavage.”

  “Why?” Jordan chimed.

  I sighed. “Girls, whatever little thoughts you have conjured up in your heads, stop it. I have no intention of finding a man tonight.”

  “Such a waste,” Macie said as she tossed back another shot. I had no idea how many she’d had, but she appeared to be happy as a clam.

  “Y’all, it’s not a waste. Tonight is about Keegan, not me. Besides, I’m comfortable. So can we get this ball rolling?” I argued.

  “I think you need to change into something more . . . comfortable,” Erin said.

  “I just said this is comfortable,” I grumbled.

  I didn’t like where they were going with this. I watched as all four of them glanced at each other and smiled. They were like a group of she-devils scheming. Whatever they were up to, I wasn’t going to be dragged to the fiery pits of hell with them. I had a plan. This dress was part of my failsafe.

  Keegan all of a sudden looked at me and poked out her lip. “Can I dress you into something a little more clubish? Pretty pretty please?”

  “Oh my God, you’ve got to be kidding me? Sure, sic the bachelorette on me to make me feel guilty. Well, it’s not going to work.” I picked up my purse and crossed my arms.

  “Come on. Just this once. I know you have something hiding in the back of your closet that deserves to be aired out,” Keegan said.

  “Every girl does. But I don’t want to wear it.”

  “Can I at least see it?”

  “No.”

  “Just let the bride see the dress, then we will go,” Macie demanded.

  I sighed. “Fine. I’ll show it to you and then we are leaving. Deal?” I glanced around the room. All four of them made a motion to cross their hearts. I knew better than to trust them.

  Thirty minutes later, they had me in the skin tight black number that I kept in the back of my closet. The top of the dress was low with a square neck that pushed my breasts up and made them spill over the material. It had capped sleeves and the length of the dress went to the middle of my thighs. I put on a pair of black pumps and then pulled my hair down, combing it out to give the illusion of soft waves. I held up my hand and drew the line with the make-up. Erin wanted to darken my eyes and add red lipstick, but I refused. Accepting that I wasn’t going to allow them to take their shenanigans any further, they all nodded, finally appeased with the way I looked. I think they assumed I wasn’t confident in myself or that I wasn’t comfortable in my own skin. That wasn’t it at all. I knew I had a great body. It’s why I bought the darn dress in the first place. It flattered my every curve. But like most women, I had an outfit that was just for me. Something I kept as a “just in case” but never had an occasion to wear it. I had no doubt I would attract the opposite sex if I wore the dress. I just didn’t want too. Especially not tonight when I had four other people to keep an eye on and out of trouble.

  “We are fuckin’ hot!” Macie all but yelled when we stepped out of the house. I would have shushed her if I had neighbors to worry about, but I didn’t. The closest person lived a quarter of a mile up the road.

  The girls all giggled and loaded into my car. The ride into downtown Athens didn’t take very long. I may live in the country, but I was on the outskirts of the city. As we arrived, I spotted that they had valet parking. With a quick look around, I knew I’d was never going to find a spot on my own, so I went ahead and pulled up. We all climbed out and I think every male eye turned in our direction as if honing in on a prime cut of steak and their mouths were watering. I gave my keys over to a young man and he handed me a ticket. There was a line that trailed around the building and I almost got giddy. If they saw how long it was going to take to get inside, maybe they’d feel deterred enough to want to go back home. At least I would feel safe and comfortable there and not so out of control. Instead, just as I was about to turn and suggest it, Macie was talking to one of the bouncers at the door. He was eyeing her up and down and she had her hand on his shoulder. Oh no, the look on his face said this wasn’t going to go in my favor. Sure enough, she whistled to get our attention.

  “Let’s go girls.” She motioned us inside. The bouncer moved the velvet rope out of the way to let us by. Several people in the line grumbled. I didn’t blame them. I’d like to know what Macie said to convince him to let us in.

  As we walked up a few steps, there was a girl with a stamp pad standing in front of a cash register. We paid our cover fees and worked our way into the warehouse. The music behind the closed door was a dull thumping. The base rumbled through the floor to my feet. But that was nothing compared to how it felt when you walked inside. Standing on top of the steps and looking down, I could see everything. Strobe lights flashed in every direction and flickered off and on according to the beat. There was a large DJ booth that sat above the dance floor while several people worked up there. To my right and left were two bars. The establishment was so huge, it didn’t surprise me. The sea of people in here likely required a couple of places to get drinks. Looking into the corners, there was one section that was roped off with very few people occupying the space. It looked like a VIP section. The other corners had cushioned seats that lined the walls.

  The girls were bouncing in their heels with excitement. They were ready to head to one of the bars and get something to drink, while I, on the other hand, wanted to hightail it out of there and get into some comfy pajamas and cuddle with Chaz. There were too many people here. What if we somehow got split up? What if someone slipped one of the girls a Roofie and I didn’t see it? What if one of them decided to go home with some random strange guy and they drove drunk? The Xanax I’d popped earlier was doing nothing to my overly shot nerves. This crowded cesspool was a nightmare. I hadn’t really planned on being surrounded by this many people. When I googled the Warehouse, it showed photos, but none of them displayed this many people. This was madness. As we started to step down, I grabbed Keegan’s hand. She linked hands with Macie and Macie did the same to the other girls. We formed a chain as I led them through open patches when the crowds would break apart. As soon as I reached the bar, the rest of them circled around me.

  “Alright, what do you all want?” I asked.

  “I say we do a shot together. Lemon Drops, y’all down?” Erin yelled over the music.

  “Yes!” Keegan stated. “Why don’t you do one with us, Annabelle. It will help loosen you up.”

  I shot her a look. She knew most of my issues, and I had a feeling I wasn’t hiding my mood very well with her. Not wanting to dampen her evening, I agreed to take one shot. It was her night, and frankly one little drink wasn’t going to cause me to lose my inhibitions. Jordan squeezed her slight frame in between several people squished together at the bar, and placed our order. Once the drinks were made and we all held one in our hands, Keegan grinned at me, letting me know I had made her happy. She knew I wasn’t going to get trashed tonight, but she liked seeing me let loose.

  This time, Keegan stepped up and said, “My turn to toast.” We raised our glasses. “To good friends, lasting relationships, hot future husbands, and a lifetime of love.” Clinking glasses, I was just about to tip my head back when something . . . or should I say, someone caught my eye. The other girls had yet to notice me staring, but it didn’t take long for
Macie to catch my line of vision.

  “Well, what are the odds? Looks like a Brooks brother can be found in every little corner of this God forsaken town,” she said with clear disdain.

  Jordan, Erin, and Keegan all turned their heads to see what she was glowering at. About twenty feet away stood a very tall, and exceptionally well dressed, Turner. He was wearing black slacks and a slate gray button down shirt. His eyes were looking down at the woman in front of him that was all but dry humping his leg as she danced. Personally, I wouldn’t call it dancing, it looked more like she was convulsing while standing upright. His features were smooth as I took in the square line of his jaw, and the way he absently nodded at her. He wasn’t listening to a word she was saying. Couldn’t she see his blank expression? Despite my disinterest, I felt a pull, preventing me from taking my eyes off of him. Like an invisible tether that drew me closer even though my feet never left the spot they were standing in.

  “Oh look . . . another one.” Macie’s disgust was palpable. For whatever reason, she wasn’t a fan of the four brothers that everyone in this town seemed to know, or want to have some part of. We all stood and watched as two more barely dressed women approached. “It’s like flies on shit. They just can’t get enough of it.”

  Erin busted out laughing. “Girl, I know you didn’t just refer to that man as shit. He is anything but. I’ve seen him around the hospital and I’ll tell ya right now, if I ever had a chance with that man, I sure as hell wouldn’t say no.”

  I glanced at her, as a pang of jealously shot through me. Oh, I just bet you would. I silently thought. I bet every woman in this bar would take a ride on the “Dr. Turner Brooks train.” Everybody but me, that is. Just as the thought came and went, he lifted his head. Ice blue eyes that almost seemed to glow in the flashing strobe lights zeroed in on mine and everything around me stopped. I heard no music, I saw no woman grinding on him. In fact, I didn’t even see people. In those short seconds before Keegan stole my attention, it seemed as if I were standing alone in a room with Turner and I was seeing him for the first time after seven and a half months. But who’s counting? He held me there, unmoving and unable to turn away. What happened to my indifference? There certainly was something about him, wasn’t there. Tilting my head to the side, I watched him as his eyes stayed glued to mine. I wish I understood men more. I wonder what he’s thinking, I thought curiously.

  “Earth to Annabelle.” Keegan spoke loudly into my ear. I cut the invisible line that entranced me and looked over to her. “I’m going to go say hi. Do you want to come with?”

  Of course she would want to say hi. It was her future brother in law. I thought about it but decided to remain where I was. “No, I’m good. I think I’ll keep an eye on Macie.” It may have been an excuse, but at least it was a believable one.

  “Okay, I’ll be right back.” She pushed her way through the crowd and approached Turner.

  I watched their interaction from where I stood. She hugged him lovingly, and he responded back with a smile that was actually real. Not like the ones I saw him give the people around him that vied for his attention. He kept his hand on her lower back as he spoke closely to her ear. Their conversation seemed easy and not forced. I wondered how well Keegan actually knew Turner. Did they hang out on the weekends? Did they chat outside of family gatherings? I’d grown curious about him as the months passed. Not enough to go talk to him, obviously. But I did find myself occasionally thinking about him. What was it that drew so many to him? Money could certainly be one reason, but I knew in his case it was more than that. The Brooks brothers were a force to be reckoned with. I suppose I never really paid enough attention, but now when I heard their names, I perked up and listened. Women were dying to get their hands on them, and others mourned the loss of Camden to the single world as if he had died. It really did make me want to roll my eyes. But it also plagued me with intrigue.

  Just as I was about to pry my inquisitive eyes away from Turner, Keegan pointed in the direction I was standing. Oh for the love of God, I wanted to hide. What was she doing? I started to twist around to look at the other three girls. Maybe she was pointing at them. But then I saw a small tilt of Turner’s mouth rise. There was no denying that he was looking directly at me. He gave me one sharp nod and then looked down at Keegan without waiting for me to nod back. That small acknowledgement was enough to cause a case of butterflies to rise up in my tummy.

  Feeling frustrated by my reaction, I decided to make my way over to the others to see if they could distract me. Macie was hanging all over some guy that looked like he just came from the beach and . . . oh my God is he really wearing a Hawaiian shirt? Ugh, she must be really trashed if she thought this one was a winner. As I approached Erin and Jordan they grinned at me and asked if I was having a good time. I gave them an overly enthusiastic thumbs up. They must have either believed me or didn’t know me well enough to realize I was feeling out of place. I awkwardly stood with the three of them and the beach bum for about ten minutes when I felt a light tapping on my shoulder. I twisted around and saw a cute waitress with a tray in her hand a vibrant blue drink sitting in the middle of it.

  She picked the glass up and handed it to me. “Compliments of the gentleman.” She pointed in the direction of Turner.

  Keegan was nowhere around him. I didn’t give any thought to where she could have run off too. Instead I found myself watching him as he eyed me from across the room. I tentatively took the glass from her hand and didn’t bother saying thank you before she walked away. I watched with a raised brow as Turner lifted his own drink in the air as if to toast to me, then sipped it with a smile. I felt irritated that he was presumptuous enough to have a drink sent over to me. Only overly cocky men did this kind of crap. When he brought his glass away from his mouth, he regarded me, waiting for me to take a drink of my own. I had two choices. I could down the drink and try to act smooth and unfazed. Or I could hand it over to one of the girls, giving him the brush off, and try to ignore him for the rest of the night. Option two seemed appealing, however the shot I’d taken from earlier mixed with the Xanax was making me feel a little braver than normal. Option one it was. The ice clinked in the glass as I brought it up to my lips. Taking a small sip, a cold citrus flavor washed down my throat, bathing my tongue in a delicious tropical mix. Mmm, it was good. Damn it! Maybe if I drank it slowly enough, the ice would melt and dilute it. I already had that warm sensation your legs get when you know the alcohol is doing its job. I took another sip of the little blue cocktail and decided I liked it.

  I didn’t want to down the drink too quickly. Not just because I needed to keep my wits about me, but also because I wanted to savor it. There were a dozen women in this room that would fall over backwards if Turner gave them the slightest bit of attention, and for whatever reason, he was giving it to me. I knew the reality of the situation. I was a challenge. I’d turned him down. I was like Mount Everest and he saw me as something to conquer. Men loved a good game. It didn’t matter though. I wasn’t the hungry, little fish ready to devour the worm. If he thought I was, he was in the wrong damn pond. So I’d take his drink, allow the delectable flavor to wash through me, and I’d go about my business. Meeting his stare, I tipped my head in thanks, then turned away. I refused to give him any other acknowledgement.

  Funny how that was my resolve, but over the course of the next half hour, I’d swallowed the last drop and I found myself dancing in a sea of people I didn’t know. GDFR was playing entirely too loud and sweaty bodies were bumping into mine. I didn’t mind though. I was in my own little world. The heat and the alcohol burning in my veins made for a concoction that had me swaying my hips. I felt amazing. And damn it if Macie didn’t do good when she made me change into this dress. I was feeling sexy and confident.

  “Keep it up, Annabelle, and I’ll be taking you out of here and somewhere more private where not every male eye is on you,” a deep voice near my ear hissed.

  Twisting around to see who it was, I was slig
htly unbalanced. A strong hand gripped my upper arm and prevented me from falling over. Turner was gazing down at me with heat in his eyes. Those baby blues looked straight down at my exposed chest. Honestly, I’d lost track of where Turner was in the crowd and was only concerned with feeling good in the moment. Seeing him this close, and feeling him touching me startled me.

  “Excuse me?” I tried to sound stern but it just came out breathy.

  He clenched his jaw and his eyes roamed my barely covered body. “You heard me. You’ve only had two drinks since you’ve been here. Did you drink before you came?”

  I jerked my head back and tried to regain my footing so I wasn’t leaning into his hand. “No. And how do you know I’ve had two drinks? You only sent me one.”

  “I saw when you came in.”

  “Really?” I said with mild irritation.

  “Yes.”

  Hmmm, what does one say to that? I was slightly overjoyed that he noticed when I came in. With all the attention he’d been getting it’s a wonder he even saw past the swarm of . . . what did Macie call them? Oh yes, flies.

  I pulled my arm out of his hand and stood as tall as I could. “Well, thank you for your concern, but I’m fine. Just enjoying the music.”

  He narrowed his eyes at me. “I can see that.”

  “Is that a problem?”

  “It is when you’re dre . . .” Turner wasn’t able to finish his sentence before a blonde with long wild curls stepped in front of me as if I wasn’t standing there.