The Lover's Game(23)

”What is this stuff?” I held my glass up to Gina while continuing to sway to the rhythm of the music. Adrenaline rushed through my veins, as if the music inspired my body to be harmonious. Surreal happiness at the thought that I was young and ready to take on the world surged through me, a kind of blissfulness I had never felt before.

“My own personalized pink puddle drink,” Gina said proudly. “It’s my favorite. You want another one?”

Definitely not, but she was gone before I had a chance to stop her. It didn’t take her long to return with another round of glasses, insisting that she show us the rest of the club. While I was reluctant to take another sip, the heat was slowly getting to me. I was thirsty and covered in a layer of sweat. Without Gina’s noticing, I put down my first, half-full glass and took another one from her outstretched hand.

As we crossed the open-plan space at a snail’s pace and pushed through the crowd, I began to see why the place was so popular. Everywhere I looked, people were dancing, talking, and having the time of their lives, just like I was. They seemed so carefree, which made me realize that in just a few months, I would no longer be like them. Soon I’d be a mother—bound to responsibilities and facing yet more bills. It might very well be my first and last time at HUSH HUSH or any other club, for that matter, and the thought scared me.

“See that?” Gina pointed to a circular area with dozens of black wicker chairs. I nodded and she yelled in my ear, “It’s the speed-dating area for singles...or those pretending to be.”

The area was secluded, in the far corner, away from the dancing rooms and the foam party. Each booth had two wicker chairs facing one another, closed off by a string curtain that I assumed could be drawn, allowing for more privacy. The entire dating space was bathed in a violet glow, and was even darker than the rest of the club. I craned my neck to get a better view. A table was set up between each set of chairs. It was the perfect place to get to know someone without leaving the club.

“It works like this: you chat with somebody, and if you like what you see, you close the curtains.” Gina took a sip of her cocktail, her eyes shining unnaturally bright as her eyes scanned the dating area.

I expected her to want to move closer, if only so she could show me around, but strangely, she remained glued to the spot, staring ahead as though she was waiting for something to happen. I had no idea how she could see in the darkness. While I could see the shape and movement of figures all around us, my vision wasn’t sharp enough to make out faces. Eventually, Gina whispered in Thalia’s ear, and they both turned to me.

I frowned. “What?”

What now?

Almost sensing their intentions, my skin prickled at the thought of what was to come. Gina pulled me closer to her, her eyes shimmering with pride as she spoke. She pointed her glass toward the northwest side of the dating area. “That one will do.”

I followed her line of vision through the crowd and shook my head.

“Eleven o’clock,” she said impatiently, “the booth closest to the wall.”

Scanning the people around us, I narrowed my eyes.

Apart from two booths, all those close to the wall were empty. In the first one, a couple was engaged in deep conversation, the woman playing with her hair and laughing at everything the man said. In the second booth, a man was sitting alone—the only person close to the wall. From that distance, I could only see his profile, but even that was a blurry mess. With the dim and colored lights dancing above our heads, my vision was so impaired that I wasn’t even sure the person was male at all.

“You mean the guy next to the couple?” I asked, just to be sure.

When no reply came, I turned to Gina, then to Thalia, who gave me an approving look.

“This is your chance, Jenna. That’s him, your guy of the night,” Gina said with enough determination to make me flinch. “I just know it.”

I regarded him again. He looked unnervingly still. Unlike everyone else around us, he was just sitting there, motionless, not once turning his head to skim his surroundings.

My heart started to pound.

I couldn’t just go over and talk to him when he didn’t look like he was there for company. As I stared at him, pondering what to do, a woman approached the booth and sat down, leaving the curtain undrawn.

For some reason, I felt happy and relieved that it didn’t have to be me. I almost squealed in delight that he wasn’t alone and I was off the hook after all. I bit my lip hard to stop myself from smiling.

So, maybe I wasn’t ready to date again. While my heart was still hurting in places, my mind craving distraction, and my brain screaming for revenge, I lacked the courage to approach a total stranger and start a relationship all over again.