SEVEN
Rae
Se7en is packedthe next night I work and I paste on a smile as I elbow my way through the crowd. I should be used to it by now since I’ve been working at this club for the last few months.
Maybe I’m just antsy because Brooks is here tonight. We haven’t gotten to spend much time together since our date the other night because I’ve been at work.
He still sleeps in my bed every night, but I get home so late that we haven’t done anything but sleep since our date.
I miss seeing him during the day though and I’m getting tired of the only time we spend together being when we’re sleeping.
“It’s crazy in here,” Palmer says as she joins me at the side of the bar.
We’re both loading up our trays and I take a deep breath, looking out over the crowd. I haven’t seen Brooks yet but he texted me when I got here saying that he was going to come see me. I told him when I usually take my breaks, but now, I’m wondering if it’s going to get pushed back until the crowd dies down a bit.
“Looking for Brooks?” Palmer asks me, giving me a grin as she adds glasses to her tray.
I told her about us sleeping together and going out together and she’s been our biggest cheerleader so far. I think that she’s just happy that I’ve found someone too. It doesn’t hurt that she already knows and likes Brooks.
“Yeah, I haven’t seen him yet,” I admit.
“That’s not surprising. I haven’t seen him yet either, but I’ll keep an eye out for him.”
I smile at her as she hefts her tray and heads back out into the crowd. I finish loading my own tray and take one last look around the bar for Brooks before I head over to the VIP section.
I pass out bottles and drinks, still keeping an eye out for him but as I head back to the bar for another round of drinks, I catch sight of his dark hair.
I smile, already turning and heading in that direction when the crowd parts and I see some girl hanging off of him.
My heart sinks and I freeze in my tracks.
It could be that she just bumped into him, or maybe they know each other, but then why isn’t he pushing her away? Why are they standing so close? Why is he letting her touch him like that?
I spin away from the scene and head back to the bar. I’m breathing hard and I can feel unshed tears stinging my eyes.
“I’ll be right back,” I tell one of the bartenders and they nod, giving me a concerned look but I’m already pushing into the back and trying to get myself under control.
I head into the empty break room and lean against the wall.
I know in my heart that Brooks isn’t into her and he’s not cheating on me. I know that this is all of my mom’s bullshit and hang-ups and that I shouldn’t doubt him. He hasn’t given me any real reason to doubt him and yet I can’t stop turning what I saw out in the club into something more sinister.
“There you are! Brooks is here and…” Palmer trails off as she catches sight of my face and I try to smile but it feels more like a wince.
“I saw him,” I say quietly and she rushes to my side.
“What happened? What’s wrong?”
“He was with some other girl.”
“He kissed her?! I’m going to kill him!” Palmer says and I stop her.
“No, he… I’m going to sound crazy. She was just hanging off of him, but he wasn’t pushing her away.”
“And you immediately thought of your mom and dad,” she finishes and I nod. “He wasn’t doing anything bad,” she says kindly and I nod again.
“I know. I just need to get it straight in my head.”
“What can I do?” she asks as she squeezes my shoulder.
“Nothing. I know that it’s my mom’s voice in my head. I just need to get her to shut up,” I joke with a halfhearted smile.
“Okay. Let me know if I can do anything,” she says and I nod.
She gives my hand a squeeze before she turns and heads back out to work. I know that I need to follow her but I just need to get myself under control a little more.
Even though I know that this is all in my head, I can’t seem to stop the doubt from flooding in.
What even are Brooks and I? We’ve slept together twice and gone out on one date so it’s not like we’re exclusive.
Maybe I was just building this up to be something big in my head, or maybe I’m taking things more seriously than Brooks is.
I wipe my eyes, taking a few deep breaths and pushing out the door to the club. I know that I’m going to see Brooks and I’ll have to talk to him, but I don’t know what I’ll say to him or how I’ll react.
I manage to get through delivering another round of drinks before I come face to face with Brooks. He grins when he catches my eye, obviously happy to see me, but I don’t know what I feel as he comes my way.
“Hey! There you are!” he yells over the music as he stops at my side.
I give him a small smile but it feels forced.
“Hey,” I say back, my voice lacking any emotion.
“Are you alright?” he asks, his brow wrinkling in concern.
“Yeah, I’m just tired. It’s been a busy night.”
He nods in sympathy and rubs my shoulders.
“Can you take a break soon?”
“Sorry, I think that it will be a while,” I tell him and he frowns.
“Damn. Well, my friend Jasper decided to come into town. He was supposed to be here next week but he moved it up a week, so I’m actually headed to pick him up from the airport. I’ll see you at home though, okay? I’ll rub your feet or maybe we can take a bath,” he says with a sexy smirk and I nod.
“I’ll see you later,” I tell him, and he kisses me quickly before he’s heading for the door.
I watch him go, wondering what I’m going to do when I go home tonight.
I need to get past this. I just don’t know how.