Page 72 of Side By Side
“Fuck,” she said and turned toward the dance floor, where she found a female figure skater attempting to dance among a few gay guys who were there cheering her on from around the semi-populated dance floor. “Excuse me,” Belle said, pushing her way between two of them.
“Does she belong to you?” one of the guys asked with a little laugh. “She loves this song, huh?”
“Who doesn’t love dancing to EDM?” she joked and got to Chandler. “Hey, I told you to stay there.”
“I know. I didn’t. I was feeling the music.”
“This isn’t music. It’s a bunch of meaningless sounds,” Belle replied.
Chandler was moving her hips back and forth. Her arms were in the air. She was completely wasted, and it was adorable.
“You’re going to fall over, aren’t you?” Belle put her hands on Chandler’s hips, happy to see that Chandler had her purse in her hand. “Let me take that.” She slung it over her shoulder to be safe, and when she went to put her hand back on Chandler’s hip to help her stand upright, Chandler had turned around and had her back to Belle now.
Her hand found Belle’s, and she moved both of Belle’s hands around her middle.
“I like this,” Chandler said loudly to compete with the music.
“Yeah,” Belle whispered and pulled Chandler back against her front a little more.
Then, the damn song stopped.
“Oh, that sucks,” Chandler said. “I have to pee.”
“What?”
Chandler pulled away and said, “Bathroom. Let’s go.” She pulled Belle in the direction of the bathrooms, and when she came out, she looked like the buzz had worn off. “I don’t feel great,” she said.
“I can tell. Here.” Belle held up a fresh bottle of water she’d just bought. “Drink this. I settled the tab. We’re good to go.”
“Sorry. I didn’t think it would hit me this hard and this fast.”
“It’s fine. You’re still walking, so I’m going to consider that a win. Let’s get you home and into bed.”
“You’re driving, right?”
“Oh, definitely. I’ve never driven a Mercedes. I’m pretty excited.”
“Do not wreck my car, Belle.”
“I wouldn’t dare. You’ll be in it,” she said and wrapped an arm around Chandler’s waist. “Come on. Let’s get you to bed.”
CHAPTER 20
Chandler’s alarm had gone off, or, at least, she remembered hearing its annoying buzz and turning the thing off. Then, she’d rolled over and had gone back to sleep. She remembered hearing some other sounds. Notifications on her phone that she could check later, most likely. She pulled her pillow in closer to her face, fell back asleep, but not long after that, her eyes popped open.
“Texts!” She reached for her phone, knocked it to the floor, jumped out of bed, hit her big toe against the bottom of her bedside table, yelped, found her phone, and noticed the four text messages and a missed call from Belle. “Shit.”
Belle Elrod: I’m here. Are you coming?
Belle Elrod: I’m guessing you might be having an issue waking up this morning. I don’t want to storm into your part of the house to check on you, but if you’re not here by five-thirty, I will, so don’t be naked.
“Why would I be naked?” she asked herself. “Oh, she thinks I sleep naked?” She looked down at her body.
Chandler remembered Belle driving them home from the bar. She remembered waking up in the car, at least. Then, Belle had helped her to bed. Chandler didn’t remember much after that, but she was in her pajamas. Had Belle changed her clothes for her? Had Belle Elrod seen her naked?
“Well, that wouldn’t be fair at all,” she said to herself and read the last message.
Belle Elrod: Just checking in again. Trying to annoy you awake with text notifications until you get up. Maybe your phone is on do-not-disturb, though. I’ll call.