I slammed down three and made a silent pledge to myself to have fun no matter what. Just don’t black out in the process, you have never been great at holding your liquor.
CHAPTER TWO
June 6, 2009…
Olivia, Audrey and I stood in line at Gossips a local gay bar in Huntsville. It was a Friday night and like most bars in town they all had their prime nights. Fridays were definitely Gossips. Regardless of the type of bar it was everyone packed in to dance to the latest dance music and pop remixes. Tonight was no different, it being the first night of summer break the line was down the block and then some.
“We better pray Barry is working the door tonight or that Jenna’s skirt is short enough to showcase that booty.” Livy kidded me.
“Looks like your prayers have been answered,” Audrey said striding her way to the front of the line in her sky high stilettos.
As we got closer I could see what my uber tall friends could already see, our friend Barry was in fact working the door. We had become friends with the bouncer over the years since we had turned twenty-one. Barry worked at Gossips as well as our favorite bar Havens. He was a huge burly guy with a bald head and lots of tattoos. If I had met him on the street in the middle of the night I would probably have run in the other direction screaming, but we had gotten to know him pretty well. He was a sweet guy and for whatever reason, he loved us.
“Ladies!” Barry greeted us with a big smile ushering us past the huge line and into the club.
“Thanks Barry.” We each said as we passed him, giving him a hug and kiss on the cheek.
“Three paid!” he yelled to the cashier inside the club letting him know there would be no cover charge for us.
As we entered the club a remix of Jamie Foxx & T-Pain’s Blame It pours out of the speakers.
“Drinks?” Audrey asked from beside me.
“Sure.” I agreed.
“First rounds on me!” Liv shouted over the music.
We cut a path to the bar to order our drinks. I stood behind Liv as she flirted with the bartender. But something pulled my attention back toward the entrance.
The air got thick with electricity and the music turned to a low rumble in the back ground. There was only one other time in my life I had felt this way and that was the night I met Jamieson Wellington. As that realization dawned on me, I began to search the crowd and to my total amazement I spotted him just entering the bar with his friends.
I sucked in a sharp breath seeing him. I had only met him once but the intense attraction I felt for him was undeniable. Many nights I had laid awake thinking of him and the weird thing between us. I had convinced myself it was all in my head but seeing him again made it seem real.
I continued to watch him from across the bar make his way toward me. He clearly hadn’t noticed us or maybe he didn’t remember us at all. Perhaps I was just another face in the crowd to him. I watched as he passed in front of me with his friends heading to the far end of the bar where a beautiful female bartender worked. As he got closer to me I scrutinized everything about him. I had hoped that maybe over the months I had just built him up in my head, that maybe I remembered him differently. Unfortunately for me, that was not the case. Jamieson Wellington was still classically handsome with his dirty blonde hair and dark navy blue eyes. He still had the body of a Greek God and the obvious ability to draw in all of the female attention around him.
I continued to appreciate his stunning good looks when his eyes caught mine. Immediately I casted my eyes downward and I felt a deep blush covering my cheeks. I waited a few painful seconds and then stole a glance back at him hoping he was far enough away from me now that he couldn’t see me watching him. When I looked back at him he had stopped dead in his tracks and was staring at me wide-eyed. I again freaked out and looked down turning to face my friends.
“Excuse me. It’s Jenna, right?” Shit, shit, shit. I’m busted!
I turned around to be met with the sharp and steely gaze of Jamieson Wellington, my stomach turned completely inside out.
“Yes,” I said trying to seem unaffected.
“Hi, do you remember me? We met a few months ago at Havens.” I felt his eyes roaming over my body and I couldn’t deny I liked it.
“Of course we remember you asshats. You guys stood us up.” Livy declared while handing me my drink.
I heard the guy behind Jamieson chuckle, I was pretty sure his name was Julian.
“Yes about that, listen we are sorry. I went home so I could change my shirt and by the time we got to Hals, you had left.” Jamieson was explaining everything to the group but he only looked at me. We had yet to break our eye contact since he approached me, it felt almost hypnotic.
“See, I told you they didn’t stand us up.” Audrey said smugly.
“Can we buy you drinks to make up for our unexplained absence?” Jamieson offered.
“Sure,” I answered barely above a whisper.
“Whiskey sour, right?” he asked.
“You remembered?” Crap that wasn’t supposed to come out.
“You’re hard to forget, Jenna Middleton,” his voice was a deep tone, very sexy with an equally heart-stopping grin.
I knew it was crazy, but I couldn’t help but wonder if he too felt this connection between us and if so, what did it mean.
The bright lights of the bar came on signaling it was now time to go, leaving me with a feeling of instant disappointment. We had been talking for hours. It was odd having such an intimate conversation in the middle of a packed bar, but Jamieson had a way of making me feel like I was the only person in the room. Our friends were also getting to know each other and seemed to be thoroughly enjoying themselves.
“Your house, JW?” I heard Derrick ask from behind me.
“Ladies would you like to continue this back at my place?” Jamieson asked.
I looked at Audrey and Olivia for any hesitation.
“Let’s do it,” Livy said boldly.
Jamieson let out a light laugh. “Well after you.”
He ushered me out of the bar with the rest of our friends never leaving my side. When we got to the parking lot he hesitated just for a moment before crossing the street to catch up with his friends who were waiting next to a black Cadillac Escalade.
Livy had driven her charcoal Audi so we piled in to follow the guys to their house.
It only took us a few minutes to get to Huntsville Mountain. We pulled off the main road and onto a long gated driveway. It was no secret Jamieson was wealthy and I should have guessed he would live in this neighborhood, but still I was taken aback as we passed mansion after mansion. We finally pulled up to a sprawling southern estate. As I watched the large house grow in size as we approached, I felt my stomach dip low in my belly. I was clearly playing outside of my league.
We pulled up next to the Escalade and proceeded to bail out of the car. Audrey and Livy excitedly chatted about the beautiful home we were entering. Jamieson stood on the front porch in front of a massive set of dark black wood doors.
“Ladies,” he greeted my friends as he guided them inside. I was close behind but taking my time. When I reached Jamieson he flashed me his sexy grin. “Welcome to my home, Jenna.” I didn’t know what to say so I just smiled shyly in return.
Jamieson followed close behind me as I made my way down the front hallway. I could hear Derrick and Julian entertaining the girls nearby.
“Would you like a tour?”
“Yes, very much so,” I said eagerly.
Jamieson smiled and led me through the house to a beautiful sprawling living room. It was gorgeous with its slate gray couches and dark wood flooring. There was a huge TV mounted inside a beautiful white wood built-in that showcased a cozy fireplace. In front of the couches there was a very inviting plush cream rug. I immediately pictured lying on the gorgeous rug snuggled in front of the roaring fireplace with Jamieson. I felt my cheeks flush from my fantasy.