Chase chuckles while scrunching up his nose. “Those are still gross. I don’t see how you can drink that cesspool of liquor.”
I take a big ole gulp, and say, “Good thing you’re not drinking it then.”
“Touché, Miss Nichols.” He pushes my hair over my right shoulder. “Your hair is getting long.”
After taking another sip of my drink, I start to feel the effects. “Something different for the new job.”
“It’s pretty,” he says, running his finger slowly down the exposed skin of my neck.
Trying to read his thought by deciphering his expression, I decide to let the compliment go, chalking it up to alcohol and him feeling sentimental about me leaving. I drink my cocktail while trying to memorize my friends smiling faces. The eight of us are all together one last time. As of tomorrow, this group becomes a group of seven. The thought makes me sad, and I take another big gulp from the straw then set the empty glass on the bar.
“Oh, no, you don’t. Round two. Here ya go, babe,” Michelle says, shoving another Long Island in my hand, and hitting her glass against mine. A few drops splash out, indicating our growing level of intoxication.
Trying to live in the moment, I stare at my drink, realizing this may be the last drink I have with them for who knows how long.
“I can tell something is on your mind,” Chase says, his hand landing on my forearm, reading my thoughts well. “What is it?”
“Tomorrow and the future.”
“Worrying about the future can be dangerous territory.”
I laugh. “Yes, it can be.” I look up at him, and am blunt when I say, “We never hooked up.” It’s just hitting me that we never dated or even hooked up. He’s attractive, and I can tell he thinks I am, too, but we always kept things on the up and up, making our friendship the priority.
His eyebrows shoot straight up, and that sexy smirk appears with a little laugh escaping. “No, we never did.” He leans forward, his breath brushing across my cheek, and says, “Remind me why that is again.”
Goosebumps cover my skin, and I close my eyes, inhaling his closeness.
“Lydia?” Michelle says, standing next to me.
“No!” Chase says abruptly, cutting her off and effectively blocking her by stepping between us. “Give us a few minutes. Alone.”
I can hear her huff from behind him. “Okay. All you had to do was say so. Geez, ya grumpy git.”
“Lydia, look at me. Let me see those beautiful browns,” he says, tilting my chin up.
“I’m afraid to,” I answer, keeping my eyes lowered.
“Why?”
“I’m afraid of what I’ll see in your eyes.”
I hear him take a deep breath and exhale, his breath hitting my hands.
“Lydia—”
“Chase, there’s no point. I’m leaving in the morning,” I say, turning around to my name being called from the dance floor. The whole gang has left us, and I hadn’t even noticed. They are all out dancing together. I take a big gulp of my drink, finishing it, and set the glass down before I finally have enough liquid courage to meet his gaze, and ask, “You wanna dance?” I hold my hand out to him, hoping he accepts and that we can move on.
“Go dance, Lydia.” His face isn’t sad, it’s neutral… almost resigned. I hate seeing the lack of emotion from him. He’s protecting himself. I’ve hurt his feelings, and it pains me to hurt him like that.
I stand there a moment longer, still hoping he’ll dance with me.
“Go on. Have fun. It’s your last night here,” he says, poking me playfully while putting on a good show for my sake.
I turn around, and start walking away. Looking back once, I can feel his eyes caress my body even though I don’t see him immediately, but feel the pull between us—strong and tethered. Against my better instincts, I join my friends on the dance floor instead.
* * *
“Lydia, you asked me not to talk about him,” Caris says, waiting for me to lock the car.
“I just want to know if we’re going to run into him or not. Help a girl out here,” I reply, the shake in my voice evident as we walk through the parking garage toward the street.
“I really don’t know. If I did, I would tell you.” She shrugs. “Chase kind of dropped off the face of the earth a few months after you left.” She hooks her arm with mine as we round a corner. “Jack’s seen him a handful of times over the last few years, but it was just to grab a beer. I know he made Junior Partner at the firm he was working at. But, other than that, he didn’t give him much information, so we have no idea if he’ll be here or not.”