Page 22 of Just A Kiss
“I’ll take two champagnes,” I tell the bartender.
“You know that Nate won’t be drinking. Even if he isn’t driving.”
“They’re both for me,” I state and then look down at the ring on my finger.
She sighs heavily. “Do you know what you’re doing?”
I turn to face her and lean my hip against the bar. “No,” I answer honestly. “Did you know what you were doing when you were sleeping with Aiden?”
She throws her head back and laughs. “No. Absolutely not. But you already know that.” I nod. “But you don’t have to have it all figured out, honestly.” The bartender hands me my first glass, and I take a small sip, loving the feel of the cold liquid running down my throat. It’s so hot in here. “You even tried to steer me clear of him.”
“Yeah. Sorry about that.” I never liked Aiden. He treated her like shit when she started working for him. How was I supposed to know he was in love with her?
“Don’t be. You were just looking out for me. And I appreciate that.” She pats my arm.
“Here.” I hand her the second champagne glass when the bartender puts it on the bar. “Let’s toast to me being wrong.”
She looks at it and bites her bottom lip. We don’t get that many opportunities to get together and have drinks anymore. It used to be a Wednesday tradition to meet up and drink, but now that never happens.
“I can’t,” she states.
“Come on. You’re not driving.”
Her eyes meet mine. “No, I mean I can’t. I’m pregnant.”
“What?” I gasp.
“The doctor called and confirmed it earlier today when you were at my house to get ready.”
I set the drinks on the bar, turn to face her, and pull her into my arms, giving her a big hug. “Oh, my God.” I pull away from her. “That’s so awesome! Congratulations! Is Aiden excited?”
“I haven’t told him yet.” She smiles. “I have this elaborate plan that is extra cheesy and over the top to tell him he is going to be a daddy.”
I hug her again, so excited for my best friend and her husband. “Well, he is going to love it!”
“Who is going to love what?”
I pull away from Hadley to see Candy standing beside us. Her black mermaid-style dress has the back cut out of it, and her brown hair drapes over her right shoulder in a braid. Just like last night, she looks like a million dollars. Like she belongs in this world where money and power run in the family. I’m not sure how she does it, but she fits in just as well at The Horseshoe as she does with the wealthy.
“Nothing,” I tell her.
She reaches over and takes one of my glasses of champagne. Then she looks at me. “Do you really think being here with Nate is going to make him jealous?”
I raise an eyebrow but don’t answer. What would I say? He knows the engagement is fake, so it’s not like I have much to go on.
“You sound like you have something else in mind,” Hadley says to her.
“I do.” She nods. “Do you still have that twenty-dollar bill I gave you?”
“Yes.”
“Twenty-dollar bill?” Hadley wonders. “When did she give you money?”
“Use it,” Candy announces, ignoring Hadley’s question.
“I don’t think …”
“You want to make a boy jealous, you parade around with another boy on your arm. You want to make a man jealous, you make him believe that he does not exist to you.” She winks at me. “Call me.” Then she walks off into the crowd.