Champagne Toast (20 page)

As if he knows he
’
s being talked about, Evan calls my cell phone.  I smile, looking down at the screen.

“
Hey, Ev,
”
I breathe into the phone.

“
Sweets, how are you?
”

“
Eh, a little tired.  I
’
m ready for this shift to be over.
”

“
Didn
’
t you just get there?
”
he asks with a laugh.

“
Yeah, yeah, I know
,”
I say, glancing at my watch.  He
’
s right.  It
’
s only 6:00 and I
’
ve been here for all of an hour.  It
’
s going to be a long night. 
“
Are you almost off work?
”

“
I
’
m wrapping things up and should be out the door soon.  I
’
ll stop by Molly
’
s and grab a bite.
”

“
You
’
re not going to happy hour with Hal?
”
I ask sarcastically.  I know I
’
m pushing my lucky by antagonizing Evan so much about his new friend.  But, sometimes things just fly out of my mouth before I can stop them.  I grimace knowing this is one of those times.

Evan
breathes loudly into the phone.
“
He did ask me, but I wanted to see you instead.  I
’
ve been so busy with work this week, and I wanted to see my girl.
But, I guess I still could go with Hal
. . . ”
he says, calling me on my shit.

“
I
’
m sorry,
”
I concede,
“
yes, please come here.
”

“
All right, I
’
ll be there in an hour.
I love you.
”

“
Love you, too,
”
I say, relief flowing through my body.  After closing my phone, I see Bree standing in front of me with an expectant look. She wants details.

“
I
’
m assuming that was him,
”
she says.
I nod, looking away from her.  I
’
m not in the mood to spill the details of my insecurities or to admit that I was just a royal pain in the ass on the phone.

“
He
’
ll be here in a little while,
”
I offer, knowing this isn
’
t quite the information she
’
s after.

“
Have you shown him the photos you took for your new class?
”

I shake my head no.

“
Kate, why the hell not?  You have a gift.
”

“
I don
’
t want to bother him.  He
’
s been so busy lately with work.  I barely see him and when I do, I don
’
t feel like talking about my
hobby
.
”

“
Don
’
t do that, don
’
t call it a hobby like your mother does.  You
’
re better than that.
”

“
I
’
m just being realistic.  The chances of me actually having a
photography
c
areer are
slim to none.  I need to accept that.
So do you and so does Evan.
”

“
No, you
need
to listen to your boyfriend.  Start developing a portfolio and put yourself out there.  You can
’
t work here forever,
”
she says, wiping down the bar.

“
So, it
’
s okay for you, but not for me?
”
My eyes narrow at my friend.  She
’
s such a hypocrite; I could smack her.

“
I didn
’
t say that.  Look, I like working here.  It suits me.  You have a passion and a man who actually supports you.  Take advantage of that;
do
something with it.
When I find my passion, you better believe I
’
ll be following it.  But, for now, I
’
m fine where I am. 
You
’
re not
.  Every time you
’
re here, you
’
re practically climbing
the walls.  It used to suit you . . . but
not anymore.  You
’
re just biding your time, Kate.  We both know it.
”

“
Whatever,
”
I snap, storming into the back room. 
“
I
’
ll be doing dishes if anyone needs me
.” 
I have to get out.  Bree is making me think way too much about all of this.  And worst of all, she sees right through me.  It
’
s starting to feel like she and Evan are in this together; pushing me way too hard.  I
’
m not ready

“
Fine,
”
she yells after me.
“
Pain in the ass,
”
she mutters, but I hear her just fine.

***

“
How on earth am I supposed to dress for this place?
”
I ask Evan, holding up two completely different outfits.  He
’
s lounging on my bed, eating peanuts out of the jar.  He pops them in his mouth as he studies the two ensembles.

“
Sweets, it
’
s really not that hard.
You
’
re over-thinking this.
Both of those shirts are hot, so just pick one,
”
he says, popping a few more peanuts into his mouth with a wide grin.

“
First of all, they aren
’
t
shirts
.  This is a dress,
”
I say, lifting up the wrap dress in my left hand. 
“
And this is a tank top.  It
’
s made of satin and I
’
d wear it with some black pants.  Come on, Ev.  I
’
ve never gone dancing.  I need help!
”

Evan hops off the bed, puts the peanut jar on my desk and stands before me, studying the outfit choices with a determined look on his face.  He
’
s either concentrating
really hard
or being a royal pain in the ass.  I
’
m just not sure which one.  Nodding, he grabs the satin tank from my hand, running his fingers down the smooth turquoise fabric.

“
This one, for sure.  You
’
ll be more comfortable and the color will look hot on you,
”
he smiles, kissing me on the cheek. 
“
Now, get dressed.  Hal said to meet him there in an hour.
”

“
Well, if Hal says jump, we
’
d better ask how high,
”
I grumble.  Evan pulls me close, resting his hand on the small of my back, his lips just close enough for me to smell the peanuts on his breath.  Somehow
,
Evan can even make that smell sexy.

“
You know, my sweet, you really know how to push my buttons.  But, not tonight.  Tonight, we
’
re going out
,
and you
’
re going to have fun.  I
’
ve asked Patrick and Chloe to come, as well.
”

“
Oh, wonderful
.” 
The sarcasm drips from my words as I pull out of Evan
’
s embrace. 
“
You know how much I, like,
adore
Chloe,
”
I say
,
using my best sorority girl voice, flipping my hair dramatically and bouncing up and down on my toes.

“
She
’
s not that bad,
”
Evan laughs, shaking his head.  He knows she
’
s awful.  And, it
’
s
my
fault they
’
re even together.
 
I should
’ve told Patrick
that dating your lab partner was a stupid idea.  Instead, I pushed him to ask her out.  Now, I
’
m stuck with her.

An hour later, our large group of ten is making our way into the exclusive club.
I hate this kind of pretentious shit.  As we
’
re entering the club, Hal is desperately trying to impress Evan with stories of the strings he had to pull in order to make this evening happen.  But, I can read Evan like a book.  He
’
s doing his best to act as if he
’
s impressed, but he
’
s not.
My
Evan isn
’
t easily impressed by fancy nightclubs with drink minimums and tiny tables and cramped booths. 
My
Evan loves watching a football game while drinking a beer and rubbing my back and running his fingers through my hair.
I know Bree is right; Evan is just trying to make new friends from work.  He
’
s trying to make strong connections in his new world.  I
’
ll do my best to grin and bare it.  But, that doesn
’
t mean I have to like it.

“
Holy shit,
”
I say quietly into Evan
’
s ear.
“
Seventeen dollars for a martini?
”
Panic settles in.  There
’
s no way I can afford the two-drink minimum.  Evan pulls me in close.

“
Don
’
t worry.  I got it covered
.” 
I glower a
t him.  I hate pity in any form —
even in a fancy glass with chocolate drizzled on top of it.
“
Seriously, I dragged you here.  I
’
ll take care of the drinks.  Just relax and enjoy yourself.
Have a drink or two and then I
’
m dragging you out on that dance floor,
”
he winks at me as he looks back to his drink menu.  God, he
’
s sexy. 

A few minutes later, after our drinks arrive, I feel someone slide in next to me, pushing me closer to Evan.  It
’
s Chloe.  Lovely.

“
Kate, you
have
to try this.  It
’
s ah-may-zing,
”
Chloe says, giggling into my ears.  She thinks we
’
re BFFs, which could not be further from the truth.
I tolerate her
. . .
barely.  I put up with her for Evan
’
s sake.  Period.

“
What is it?
”
I ask hesitantly as she tips the glass towards my mouth.

“
Birthday cake martini, it
’
s incredible.  So delish.  Try it,
”
she insists
,
as she practically pours a big gulp of her cocktail down my throat.  It is delicious.  These glitzy places do know how to mix a drink.  Too bad Chloe just wasted about $4.00 of hers on me.

“
It
’
s good, huh?
”
Chloe asks before diving back into it.  She
’
ll be loaded before her next drink even arrives.

“
Yep,
” I smile.
“
So, Evan tells me you
’
re heading to Spain next semester.  I
’
ve always wanted to go there,
”
I say, attempting to make conversation with the always happy Chloe.