Chapter Five

Chapter Five 

Jamie

It’s midnight, and the rain is click clacking on my metal cover over my back porch, I sit in my swing with Helios cuddled up next to me with a blanket drinking my favorite blueberry flavored decaffeinated, hot tea.

I absolutely love the rain, for some reason it gives me a sense of peace while the sunshine just makes me antsy and all over the place.

Sundays are the only day I have both of my jobs off so this is my night to stick my nose in an Emily Bronte novel, or just relax, and kick back doing nothing.

Honestly though, I think this is the first time I have actually done that. Ever since Josh has been prancing around god knows where, I have had plenty of alone time like this. I shrug off any thoughts of those kinds, I’m just going to make myself sick with worry.

All of a sudden my phone starts buzzing against my square glass table scaring the daylights out of me.

I pick up my phone and see Alley’s name glowing at me, yelling at me to answer. I roll my eyes wondering what she could possibly want with me this late at night. Knowing Alley, whatever it is, it couldn’t be anything good.

I click the green answer on my touch screen reluctantly, hoping it’s nothing.

“Hello,” I say trying to sound tired like I had just woken up.

“You jerk!” she yells through the phone. “I know exactly what you are doing! Stop it, I know you weren’t asleep!”  she says, way too hyped up for a Sunday at midnight...

“How could you possibly know what I’m doing right now?” I ask quizzically.

“Well for starters…,” suddenly the screen door to my back porch opens, and in prances Alley with the phone to her ear, and a smile, again, way too big of a smile for Sundays at midnight, I hang up my phone wide-eyed looking at her. “I'm here,” she says gleefully!

“I see that.. and why is that exactly?” I ask, taking a sip of my drink to hide the look of disdain on my face.

“Oh, don’t act like you aren’t happy to see your beautiful best friend,” she says, making me cringe. 

I narrow my eyes at her seriously wondering what she’s up to. The rain is slowing to just a quiet drizzle signaling me that my time of peace is over as if Alley showing up wasn’t signal enough. I sigh with hesitance and give Alley my full best friend effort.

“What do you want?” I say with suspicion enveloping my tone. I know, I’m a horrible friend. 

“Well… I think we should… you… well you know, Iwashopingyouwouldgotothisclubwithme.”

The last part is so jumbled, and fast I can’t make it out.

“What was that?” I say rolling my eyes, probably for the millionth time tonight, probably wouldn’t be the last either. Then all the sudden Alley shrieked at a thousand and one octaves hurting my ears, almost making them bleed it feels like.

“Why on earth are you screaming?” I react with frustration in my tone.

“Is that a fucking puppy? Let me see him!” She reaches her arms down and picks him up with his body hanging down in front of her while she talks all kinds of baby talk to him. Helios just stares at her blankly as if he has never been more bored, or disturbed in his life.

“Why is it that you are here again?” I ask nonchalantly, trying not to be too impatient with her.

“Where did you get him? Oh my gosh! He is just the cutest damn thing!” she says excitedly!

“If you must know, Greg gave him to me,” I say, getting up and getting ready to walk inside. “Now what is it you want?” I urge for an answer.

“You mean cute Greg? The on the side Greg? The I’m a young doctor and I’m sexy and I know it Greg! Or the Greg with the big…”

“Don’t you dare finish that sentence! I seriously don’t know why you are even here…” I say, finally walking into the house throwing my blanket on the kitchen table. Alley finally puts down Helios letting him trot through the door, with his cute little paws click clacking on the floor.

“Well… we are going to this new club called Aces downtown,” she murmurs.

“Um excuse me, on a Sunday? You know there’s no way my awkward ass is going to any club, I can’t even dance!” I say with a disgusted look on my face.

“Jamie, please, I don’t want to go by myself! I will take some shifts from you next week! I will seriously do anything you want, just please do this one thing for me,” she says pleadingly with way too much desperation to her voice. I hover there for a moment really giving it some thought, Josh wasn’t here anyway, and when do I ever go out?

Like never.

What was it I said when I decided to confide in Greg last week. Something about a lot of changes were happening, might as well. I didn’t want to leave her hanging so....

“OK, let’s do it!”  I say with a half smile. I am genuinely excited but I don’t want to reveal that to her.

“What? Really? Oh my gosh, I love this new Jamie! I’m going to help you get ready.” Before I can say anything she rushes out of the kitchen to what I’m guessing is my bedroom! I mean we didn’t have much time so it’s not like she could do too much damage.

Forty-five minutes later I am in front of my long mirror in my bedroom looking at myself questioning whether my thick figure could really pull this dress off. Alley had me wear a pretty short, tight, black dress that really outlines my curves, with fishnet tights, and black stiletto high heels.

My black hair I decided to leave down with my natural waves flowing at my shoulders. My eye-liner is done, and a little bit of concealer with a dark brown lipstick to give my face some color. I don’t look too shabby… but I am going to have to be extra careful with how short this is.

“Are you ready? We better hurry, we are running out of bar time!” I look over at Alley in a red, tight short dress similar to the one I am wearing, but her thin figure fits perfectly into it, unlike mine. She also wore fishnets, I’m guessing trying to match me somewhat, with her beautiful vibrant red hair down at her shoulders in curls. She is stunning, why can’t I look like that?

“Let’s just get this over with!” I say walking out of the room with her following closely behind. We call in an Uber which is luckily already waiting for us outside, it is so wet and cold, and icy, I don’t know what I was thinking coming out like this!

After about fifteen minutes we finally show up at about one-thirty in the morning. When the car finally comes to a stop I smile at the nice driver, and give him my thanks as Alley quickly exits the car.

I finally slide myself out as best as I can in this god forsaken dress joining Alley taking in all the flashing lights surrounding the club, and the big banner that lay over top exclaiming that it’s a grand opening night. What club has a grand opening on a Sunday? That is very strange, beyond belief actually. 

The club just from the outside is absolutely breathtaking. I have never seen anything so fancy in Dayton, and it sat right on Main making everything else look bland, and ugly. I mean, this is Dayton, everything is bland, and ugly.

I suddenly realize the club is where an old diner used to be, which kind of made me regret coming here. Memories start resurfacing, that I repress as quickly as they come. I don’t want to think about that right now.

“Come on, let’s go!” she says grabbing my hand and dragging me to the front of the line.

“What are you doing? We have to wait in line like everyone else,” I tell her sternly.

“Actually, no we don’t,” she says with a smug look on her face as we approach two very large body guards standing at the front entrance in black button up shirts with their hands folded like they are in the secret service. I still don’t understand why they are having an opening night on Sunday, I can’t get over that.

“We can’t let anyone in right now, the club is too full, get in line,” the tall one with a shiny head says rudely. I really want to call him Mr. Clean, really bad, but I hold back.

“Actually we were invited by Damon Bernard. My name is Alley West, and this is my friend Jamie Stone,” she says with that ridiculous over the top niceness to her voice with added excitement to her tone. I stare at her with concern in my eyes. She has never been the best judgment of character.

“Oh, Damon said he is expecting you guys, go on in,” he says with a wave. While the other guy still sat there motionless. He really took his job seriously, I guess that’s a good thing.

We walk into a roaring crowd all dancing in sync to some dubstep. The place is pretty dark except for all the colored spotlights flashing in every which way. There are steps leading down to the dance floor, while two long bars lit up with a pink light that sat on the upper level catty corner from each other. Every stool of the bar is taken, the place is packed!

I have never seen a club quite like this one here in Dayton. All along the walls there are tables, and booths, some are labeled VIP section, and are a little more private, and secluded. I have to admit, this is exciting. I need to get drunk before I go anywhere near the dance floor though.

“This place is amazing Alley,” I say smiling, not even realizing I say it out loud. Alley looks at me and beams.

“I’m glad you are actually having fun for once. Seriously, you deserve it!” she says happily shoving me on the shoulder knowing I don’t like hugs.

“Now let’s go get some drinks!” It is so nice to order drinks for once instead of serving them. We walk up to the bar, more like Alley pushing people out of the way to get to the bar, but that is Alley for you. We finally got in talking distance of the cute bartender with platinum blonde hair, and tattoos running all along his arms. He has a silver septum piercing, which I find extremely hot.

Alley starts waving her hands, yelling, doing everything she can to get this guy’s attention, I start to get annoyed too because it didn’t even look like he was serving any drinks. He just stands there carrying on a conversation with someone. I wait for a couple more minutes trying to be nice because I know what it’s like to be a bartender. I am obviously a much better bartender because I would never stand around talking while we are this busy.

I finally open my mouth to intervene but someone puts their hands on my waist and moves me to the side.

“Liam, stop talking and get these girls a drink.” A deep, blank voice comes up from behind me.

“Greg!” What on earth is he doing here? I never took him for the type to come to places like this. He is so… him.

“I never took you for the type to be in a place like this Jamie,” Greg says literally mirroring my thoughts with a small smile.

“Funny, I was thinking the same thing. Order Alley and I four shots of crown,” I want to get wasted, it’s been a long time. He looks at me wide-eyed, obviously surprised in my choice of drink.

“Alright then, you’re grown, I won’t tell you what to do,” he says then shoots an order of drinks to the bartender.

“Oh my god I can’t believe the sexy doctor is here, at least you know you have one option to get laid tonight,” she teases behind me.

“By the way we get to sit in the VIP area. Damon owns this place,” she says wiggling her eyebrows.

“How well do you even know this guy Alley?” She has never attracted the best company, she is way too nice for her own good. Not to say Alley isn’t feisty but sometimes, god love her, she could be extremely desperate for attention. I don’t understand why because Alley is extremely beautiful, and could have any guy she wants.

“Don’t worry! He’s a little older, but an attractive older! Seriously though, he’s a nice guy, he is so nice that he wanted to make sure my best friend and I got into his club on opening night.” Did she ever think as to why that is, or did she just not care? Probably the second one, I roll my eyes at her as Greg comes back with our drinks.

“Are you girls sure you are going to be able to handle yourselves tonight?” I knew that earlier was not going to be the last time I rolled my eyes.

“I’m a bartender, I can handle my alcohol asshole.” Oops, I didn’t mean to get that comfortable with him. I don’t ever remember talking to him so easily, and I’ve been casually sleeping with him for over a year now. I’ve always been flirty with him, and of course sexual, but that was always easier then just having a friendly conversation with him. That sounds so ass backwards...

I took the shots out of his hands and handed Alley her two. We both looked at one another, clinked our glasses together, and downed each shot in sync with each other. It took us millions of times to get that right, but I will act like it’s our first time. I do everything in my power not to make any faces, and I did a pretty good damn job. I sit my glasses down on the bar, and shout for the bartender.

“Liam, I need two liquid marijuana’s,” I say, remembering his name. He gives me a smile and a wink, and saunters off to make our drinks, Alley looks at me incredulously.

“You don’t need to prove yourself to me, I get it,” Greg says with a wink. Since when did his personality actually become… well, a personality? I smirk at him.

“I’m just having a good time,” I say confidently. Which I should probably be careful since I’m already feeling the buzz from those two shots. The bartender finally comes back over and hands me the two mixed drinks, and I hand Alley hers.

“Let’s dance!” She starts giggling at my proposal.

“Well can we at least go say hi to the reason we are here tonight first?” she asks.

“You go say hi! I want to dance,” I exclaim! The look on her face is ridiculous. I guess I’m a little stunned that I just said that too. Can you say liquid courage?

“You go ahead Alley, I will look after her,” Greg says.

“I don’t need to be looked after, but I do need someone to dance with,” I say grabbing his hand, and dragging him down the stairs, leaving Alley standing there.

As we reach the dance floor I let go of Greg’s hand, and handed him my drink, walking out to the middle of the dance floor swaying my hips, and arms, running my hands through my hair enjoying how free I felt, I take a peak at Greg standing there staring at me with another one of those blank unreadable expressions.

I notice how much different he looks in his plain, tight white t-shirt, and jeans. He looks incredibly… normal, and it’s kind of hot. His blonde slicked back hair is a little out of place, which made me drool a little bit more. The alcohol is definitely really getting to me.

Suddenly Greg puts down my drink on the ledge surrounding the dance floor, and walks over to me, positions himself behind me, putting his hands on my waist, following my movements. I feel a burning sensation where his hands are, basking in the excitement he is bringing to me. I love feeling this free!

“What the fuck do you think you are doing Greg?” A thunderous, familiar, smooth voice stops us in our tracks.