I look at her, not amused or entertained. “Jess said it.”
Jessica ignores my tone again, which is beginning to annoy me. “I can’t believe I forgot about that. God, how long ago was that? Never mind. That’s not the point. The point is this!”
She’s being her normal funny self, but I’m not feeling it. It almost seems like she’s trying to be funny, like she’s trying to pretend like everything is fine and I didn’t just get run over by a cupid’s bulldozer on his way somewhere else. I remember telling Mark he reminded me of her, when he was being silly like she’s being now… and a shooting pain stabs my stomach. I shift in my seat, uncomfortable.
Jessica stares at me, her voice very serious, suddenly. “When we get close to where we’re supposed to be, we get itchy. Like we want to run. It’s human nature. Getting that close to something this good? You’re aching to do something dangerous and screw the whole thing up.”
Amber looks to me.
I shift my weight again, looking toward the stripes on the walls. I shrug. “I’m not doing that. I’m fine. The show will come and go and the world will continue to turn.” I’m lying, of course. Jess knows this. Amber would, too, but she’s too busy thinking about how this pertains to her.
Amber’s face crimps up. “I never do that.”
My head whips to her. “Seriously?”
Jess cocks her head to the side. “No. You never sabotage good things. Ever.”
Amber looks back and forth between Jess and I, stuck in the middle, literally and figuratively. “I may do things sometimes that aren’t in my best interests… but I think they are at the time I’m doing them.”
“Well, who doesn’t?!” My head shakes off the confusion and I look back to Jess. “So you’re saying I’m on cloud nine. Everything is fine. Don’t worry.”
Jessica picks up her vodka rocks and raises her eyebrows, “I’m saying, be careful.”
I’m dumbfounded. “Of what? I’m not going to sabotage anything. I’m just…”
I smell him before I see him, the delicious musk of his skin so familiar to me.
“Nicole.”
Amber and Jessica look up, their mouths slightly open. I know exactly what has them so impressed. I know because my hair has stood up on the back of my neck and the deep, seductive Spanish accent has loosened the lock I have on my knees. I don’t have to look up to know that Michael is behind me, afraid to come too close.
I slowly turn my head, give his body an up and down rake. He looks gorgeous in his normal dark jeans streaked with paint, his torn white shirt and black leather jacket. Sharp glints of desire stare back at me when I land on his eyes.
“Michael.”
Amber shifts in her seat next to me, dying to say something.
He nudges his chin toward the bar. “I’m having a drink with a friend. And I saw you over here.” I follow his gesture to a man with dreadlocks sitting on a barstool, looking right at me. He’s obviously an artist of some kind, maybe music? Who cares.
I look back to Michael. “So.”
His eyes flicker at my icy tone. He struggles. “Can I talk to you… outside?” His eyes dart to my girlfriends. “Hello.”
I move my hand, not looking at them. “This is Jessica and Amber.”
They both wave, uncomfortably.
He looks back to me, waiting for an answer. The electricity between us could light up Chelsea.
I turn away from him. It takes every ounce of strength I have. I lock eyes with Amber. She alone knows what happened with Michael and me. Her eyes steel and I can feel the support in them. I use her strength to hold me up. “I’m celebrating with my girlfriends.”
Michael waits for an uncomfortable beat for me to change my mind. Not getting what he wants, he turns. Without another word, to any of us, he walks away.
I stare at Amber, afraid to look elsewhere.
Jessica reaches across the table and without thinking, without hesitation, I reach over and lock hands with her. “He’s leaving. His friend just looked back, but he didn’t.”
I nod and close my eyes. Jess gives my hand a squeeze and I look at her. “So, that was Michael.”
Amber glances to the front door, watching them leave through it. “Well, I can see what all the fuss is about. Your chemistry is through the roof.”
Jessica nods. “Yeah. Wow.”
I frown and blink a couple times. On the table, my phone sits, silent. I let go of Jessica’s hand. I feel what I always feel around Michael, empty. He’s a cup I want to fill an empty void with, but he is the void. It’s a dangerous chemistry. They don’t understand. I don’t know if they’ve ever had this kind of a toxic connection with someone before.
I turn my body and look back toward the door, my hand on the back of the booth. “Do you think Michael is waiting out there?”
Amber reaches over and rubs my arm. “He can wait.”
I nod, lost in my own thoughts.
Jessica smiles and lifts her glass. “To men who make your mind spin!”
Amber adds, “To being strong enough to let them go!”
I stare at the door, knowing my glass is empty. “To best girlfriends.”
Jessica puts her drink down and announces quickly, “I got a raise!”
Amber and I both react. I turn around. “You did?”
Amber knows Jess is trying to change the subject, but the air is not lighter and the mood is not gone. “Oh wow – that’s so great, Jess!”
Jess nods. “I did. Chris is taking me out to celebrate tomorrow.”
The second she says that, Amber looks at me. And Jess shuts her mouth, stops smiling. The severity of their change makes me realize why they’re reacting.
They know I’m alone. That I don’t have someone to celebrate with. I have them. I don’t need anyone. This is what I tell myself. But I’m angry at their faces.
“Why are you both looking at me like that? I’m not some pity case,” I spit out, sounding angrier than I thought I would.
Jess stammers, embarrassed. “No. We don’t think you are.”
Amber’s eyes are filled with compassion. “We just know you’re hurting.” She goes silent, looking behind me. Moving her lips as little as possible, she whispers, “He’s back.”
My stomach lurches and turns over. Amber pastes a smile on her face and greets him. “Michael! Back so soon?”
I don’t want to look at him. I’m too susceptible. It’s like Jessica said. Be careful. I don’t even know what I’m worried about. He’s married. There’s no chance I would ever do anything with him. I’m safe.
“Nicole.” His tone is so surprising, so soft – that I look up. He kneels next to me, staring into my eyes as though my friends aren’t here anymore.
I turn toward him. “What is it?” His eyes are haunted, so filled with yearning.
“I left her,” he chokes. He reaches for my face, his olive skin brightening in the lamplight. His fingers touch my cheek like they did that night in the studio.
I bring my hand to cover his, pressing it into my flesh. “You left her?”
He nods. My gaze flows up and follows him as he pulls his hand away and stands up. “I wanted you to know.” He turns and leaves. I shift in my seat, facing the front door again. I watch him make his way through the crowd, and leave. I stare at the door as it shuts behind him.
I turn around, dazed. All three of us are speechless. We all have the same expression on our faces. My eyes fall on Amber and her mouth opens.
But I don’t want to know her opinion.
Jess says my name. I shoot her a look. “Jess. Don’t.” Her eyes register so many things as I look at her. We both know where I am. We both know she helped me get here. We both know what it feels like to have your heart slashed into a zillion bloody pieces.
I snatch up my things, leap out of my seat and run for the door. “Michael!”
I don’t know what will happen.
I don’t know if he’s the one.
I don’t know if he’ll
break me.
I don’t know.
The End of Part 3
________________
By Sabrina Lacey
The “I Love My…” romance series has scenes and stories
that intertwine in all the books.
JESSICA’s
I LOVE MY HEALED HEART
AMBER AND JOSH’s
I LOVE MY SIDE OF THE STORY
NICOLE’s
I LOVE MY SECRET ~ Part 1
I LOVE MY HOPE ~ Part 2
I LOVE MY CHANCE ~ Part 3
I LOVE MY MAN ~ Part 4 coming end of January!
_________________________
CAN’T WAIT FOR SABRINA LACEY’S
NEXT TITILLATING TALE?
Let her know by leaving stars and a review saying what you loved about
I LOVE MY CHANCE.
Join the mailing list HERE to be the first to know when the next book comes out.
for UPDATES, GIVEAWAYS, FUN PICS and TO STAY IN TOUCH with the author, like the Facebook Page ~.
Official website: http://www.sabrinalacey.com
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sabrina's just like most women in modern times - she's been a lot of things to a lot of people; married, single, daughter, teacher, girlfriend, stand-up comedienne, wackadoo, friend, nutcase, bartender, fashion photographer, lazy bones, bitch, sweetheart (though less often than bitch), and always a little wild.
Happy to entertain you - and happy to hear from you...always.
Cheers!
Table of Contents
Prologue
Forty-Five Minutes After We Left My Place
An Hour Later
A Half Hour Later
An Hour Later
Two Hours Later
The Next Morning
Late That Afternoon
Twelve Minutes Later
8: 45 P.M.
JESSICA
AMBER
NICOLE
Two Long Weeks Later
By Sabrina Lacey
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
I Love My Chance (Nicole's Erotic Romance 3) Page 8
