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I nodded. I was up for anything that might make me feel like my old self again.
“I’ll just have a water,” Owen told her, tapping the bar counter and eyeing me. “I seriously don’t know why we’re out.”
“Because I need a fucking break, that’s why.” I eyed his concerned look but ignored it, shifting my gaze out to the dance floor. There were plenty of beautiful women there, all dressed to the ritz in their best club attire. They were bound to be upper-crust women too, since this was VIP only.
Olivia wouldn’t ever get in a place like this.
But somehow the thought made me feel…bad. She was more incredible than any of the women who were out there on the dance floor—and more beautiful too.
“You look like you might be sick.” Owen’s voice caught me, and I turned to see his concerned expression pointed right at me. “Why don’t you just let me take you home? We could grab something on the way?”
“No.” I shook my head. “I used to go out on the weekdays all the time—and you know that. It’s just what I do.”
“Yeah, but you appear to be in a funk.”
“It’s just all the work shit,” I answered him, scooping up my drink and downing the entire thing as Owen’s worry lines only deepened on his face. “I’ll have another,” I said to Sarah. “Just keep ’em coming.”
She giggled. “You got it.”
“You’re a real fun sucker, you know,” I said to Owen as she walked away. “You used to be a lot more fun before Katie.”
“Yeah, because I was single, so this shit had some kind of draw, I guess. But now, I have the love of my life, and it sucks going out without her. I like being at home with her. I like having a normal routine where we eat together, watch TV together, and then go to bed together.”
“That sounds atrocious,” I lied, my mind slipping back into picturing what that might be like with Olivia. I hated to admit, even to myself, that there was something comforting and appealing about the idea of having someone like that. I had always been a clubgoer and lived to be out, but at the moment I couldn’t remember why.
“You’ll see one of these days when you meet the right one.” Owen’s voice was charged with suspicion, and it had me downing my second drink like it was water.
“I don’t know what the hell you mean by that, but you know what my dad has always said—”
“Hey, boys,” a sultry woman’s voice interrupted me. “We were hoping to get a chance to take a picture with you, Eli.”
I turned my attention to the women that I hadn’t noticed walking up to us. They were both blonde, but a fake blonde, and their skin was a deep tan. They were Hollywood standard pretty, and while that used to be my type—if I ever even had one—tonight, they did nothing for me.
“I don’t think he’s in the mood for pics, ladies,” Owen spoke up while I was still lost in my thoughts, my mind stuck on comparing every single woman to her.
“Aww,” the taller one whined. “We just want a couple of pictures. We know Eli has always been up for that.”
“Yeah,” the shorter, bustier one hummed, leaning in and running her finger down my chest. “You always like to have things to post on your Insta. I haven’t seen anything on there in ages. We were starting to wonder if you had died or something.” She pouted her big, red lips, batting her eyelashes at me.
“I’ve been busy with work lately, and less concerned about my social media. I’ll get back to it one of these days.” Maybe.
“Well, I think you should start tonight.” The taller one made eyes at me, the hazel hue pretty beneath the bar lights but still…
Not Olivia pretty.
“I don’t think he’s in the mood tonight,” Owen urged, though his voice remained friendly and bright. “We’re just out for some drinks to take the edge off the day. We’re not out to have a fun time.”
More like, out to forget your sister, Owen.
My thoughts were starting to get a little hazy as I tried to remember just how many drinks I’d had. Sarah had just kept swapping them out, and I’d been consuming them like water.
“You might want to slow down,” her voice came as a warning behind me as I sat down another empty glass.
“I’m fine,” I corrected her, turning back to the two women who were not taking the hint to leave. “I think you ladies are great, but I’m not in the mood to be taking pictures. I’m sure you both have killer platforms and don’t need me to boost you anyway.”
“I have nearly fifty thousand followers,” the short one boasted. “I’m honestly surprised that you don’t recognize me.”
I shook my head at her. “I don’t. I don’t recognize anyone anymore. Not even myself.”
