Caroline hurried over and I trailed behind. It felt like we were getting VIP treatment to sit on top of the bar. After Caroline seated herself beside Reese, I hesitated. It didn’t feel as if I belonged with these people. They were so nice and full of outgoing vivacity. I felt like a great big blah of an outsider.
Pick glanced at me and held out a hand. “Need some help up?”
“Oh!” I gulped, touched by his invitation. No matter how I felt, though, it seemed they were accepting me with a warm welcome. Unable to turn him down, I took his hand and stepped onto the bottom rung before hoisting myself up next to Caroline. “Thank you.”
“Now there’s a sight for sore eyes,” Pick said, glancing appreciatively down the counter at the five of us women. “You ladies sure know how to decorate my nightclub.” He paused in front of Eva to give her another kiss before he wandered toward Asher, who was lingering around the base of the stage and fiddling with a few wires.
One of the waitresses had unlocked the doors. A doorman had appeared somewhere and was letting a line of people in through the entrance. And the place was beginning to fill.
“Any of you ladies thirsty?” Noel asked. “I know the only one here not underage is Aspen, so…can I get you some sodas?”
Caroline groaned and rolled her eyes, while Reese said, “Mason can get my drink.”
“Mine too,” Eva was quick to add.
When Caroline opened her mouth, her brother pointed at her warningly. “No way. You’re just getting soda.”
As she scowled and narrowed her eyes, I spoke up. “I’ll take a Sprite.”
Noel grinned approvingly at me before glancing pointedly at his sister. Her shoulder slumped as she mumbled, “One for me too, I guess.”
We’d just gotten our drinks and were slurping from the straws when Caroline tensed beside me. “Oh God. Oren’s here,” she said under her breath as she leaned in close.
I turned to watch the bouncer let him into the club. A pair of guys immediately jumped on him from behind and greeted him with tackles and laughs.
“I can’t believe he came tonight since he doesn’t have to work.” Poor Caroline. She seemed so tense and on edge as she fiddled with her straw and watched every move he made.