Page 72 of The Scientist
Maybe I’d been reading Lex wrong this whole time. The feelings I was having were probably all one-sided. I just needed to take a giant step back and not let this Nicky thing bother me. The reality was he wasn’t mine to be jealous over. But that didn’t mean I had to sit there and watch them canoodle right in front of my face. Going out with the girls—and now the guys—was going to be the perfect distraction. I was single and going out with a group of really great friends. Conditions were ripe for a good time, which meant I should dress the part.
Up in my room, I teased my hair into a tousled, wavy look. I wanted to spice things up a bit so I gave myself a smoky eye and red lip. My closet was a mess, so I had to dig for a while to find a bachelorette party-worthy dress. I pulled out a tiny black number that I never wore, because the last time I did, I spent the entire night trying to tug it down. I slipped it on, and it was as short as I remembered, coming to about mid-thigh. It hugged me in all the right places though, so I decided to go with it. It was a bachelorette party, after all. I found a pair of black pumps thathad straps across the toes and around the ankles that I knew I’d deeply regret wearing tomorrow, but I was living life for today.
I checked myself in the mirror, thinking I’d probably aged out of wearing something like this about five years ago.Oh well. I’d come this far. I wasn’t turning back now. I grabbed my ID, cell phone, and some cash, stashing them in a small handbag, and headed back out the door to meet the bachelors.
I walked back inside and found my crew still sitting in the spot I left them, except for Jace, who was nowhere to be seen. As I approached, Dan and Peter’s eyes grew so wide, they resembled cartoon characters, and Stuart’s mouth was hanging slack-jawed.
I grew a little self-conscious looking down, worried I’d accidentally walked out in my underwear, and then realized the outfit was so short, it could have passed for underwear.
“You guys ready?” I asked when I reached them. They continued to stare blankly.
“Stuart?” I snapped my fingers in front of his face.
“Sorry.” He shook his head like he was trying to clear his thoughts. “I got distracted by the Jessica Rabbit impersonation you’re doing.”
“You guys ready to leave?” I asked again, wanting to get out of there as quickly as possible.
“Yep. Just not going to look straight at you. Maybe that will help,” he said, standing. We started making our way to the door when Lex stepped in front of me, blocking our path. His jaw was clenched so tight, I thought his teeth must have been grinding down to nothing.
“You’re really taking these morons out to the bars downtown?” His face was flushed with anger. Stuart must have filled him in on our plans while I was gone.
“Yeah, what’s the problem?” I asked, matching his tone.
“The problem is you’re all faculty members, and your plan is to go out drinking at the college bars that will be crawling with students. You really want your students to see you drunk and dressed like that?” he said, waving his hand in front of me.
You could have heard a pin drop in the room. The music was still playing, but no one said a word.
I narrowed my eyes at him.“You have a problem with the way I’m dressed?”
“I don’t,” Stuart said, stepping in front of us. “I mean, if you were about to use your lifeline to poll the audience… that’s my vote.”
I ignored Stuart. “Answer the question,” I said, glaring at him. A muscle in his jaw ticked as he glared back at me.Wisely, he chose to remain silent.
“That’s what I thought,” I snapped. “Go back to your poker game, Lex.” I picked a piece of pink hair off his shoulder and held it briefly in front of his face before letting it drop to the ground. “Looks like you’re going to get lucky tonight.”
I glanced pointedly at Nicky, who was still seated at the card table, so he knew exactly what I was implying, before I turned and marched out of the house.
Chapter 17
“Everything okay?” Jace asked as I stomped down the steps of their porch.
“Yes, everything’s fine. Your boss is just being a dick,” I grumbled.
“Yeah, he’s been like that all day,” he said, chuckling. “Although I think I’m starting to see why.”
He was looking past me toward the house, and I turned to see Lex glowering at us from inside the doorway.
“Maybe you could explain it to me then, because he basically just told me I looked like a slut.”
Jace looked stunned. “He did?”
“He didn’t use those words, but yes.”
He shook his head. “That doesn’t sound like him. He usually doesn’t bother to notice anyone, much less how they’re dressed.”
“Great,” I said sarcastically. “I love being the exception tothatrule.”
Jace chuckled. “We’ve worked together for a long time. He’s a good guy. I’m sure he didn’t mean it. He’s just not used to feeling this way.”