Part 13 (1/2)

Ahh great.

I dragged myself out of bed and got ready. I decided since it was the first time in like ever that I'll be going out on a Friday night that I should probably try not looking like death. I fixed my hair, put on some makeup, and wore black dress pants with a purple V-neck jeweled s.h.i.+rt, and purple heels. I glanced in the mirror and was surprised how it only took me a half hour to look decent. I shrugged and figured it was good enough.

Just as I was grabbing my purse and coat, Travis knocked on the door. I went to answer it and as I opened it, Travis was standing there looking absolutely amazing. Travis was good looking yes, but right now, he was stunning.

His eyes widened as he got a good look at me. He smiled and complimented on my ability to de-zombify. I chuckled and playfully punched his arm.

”So tell me, where are we going?” I asked as he flagged us a cab.

”To my favorite club, Midnight,” he gestured me into the cab and told the driver where to go.

”Midnight? Never heard of it.”

”That's because it's a little out of the city, more locals.” He rested his hand on my leg right above my knee. It wasn't the first time Travis has touched me slightly, but it was usually to keep me from dropping something or tripping over my own feet.

I felt goose b.u.mps all over me as he left his hand there. It wasn't a feeling I was expecting. I had only seen Travis as a friend and mostly like a brother to me. I was sure he felt the same way too.

Hopefully.

”My friends should be there already. They're excited to meet you,” he turned to look at me.

”Meet me? Why?” I asked confused. Has he been telling people about me?

”I've told them stories about cla.s.s and about taking our kids to the Shedd. They liked all the funny stories I told them of you being clumsy,” he laughed as he pinched my knee. Another sensation of goose b.u.mps and s.h.i.+vers ran through my body. Why is he having this affect on me?

”Oh my G.o.d, Travis!” I scowled. ”How embarra.s.sing.”

”No, no don't worry. They're great people.”

We finally arrived to the club and my heart was racing. I didn't know if it was for Travis or because I was extremely nervous. I was already a mom when I turned twenty-one and never went to a club before. I didn't do the whole binge drinking and dancing thing. I never wanted to leave my baby girl.

”Hey man!” Travis said to some guy reaching over to hug him and pat him on the back. He gestured for me to come over as I followed him through the mobs of people already there.

”Guys, this is Molly. She's in my interns.h.i.+p with me. Molly, this is Bentley, Mason, Mason's girlfriend, Selena, Ruby, and her boyfriend, Leo.” I smiled and told them it was nice to meet them.

Travis placed his hand on my lower back leading me into the booth. A waitress came around and eyed Travis up and down before bringing her eyes on me. She frowned, as she must of thought Travis and I were together. I laughed as I ordered my drink.

”So Molly, Travis tells us you're quite the cook,” Bentley said from across the booth.

I turned to look at Travis confused as to why he would be talking about me to his friends so much. ”Well, I guess... but I have a great partner,” I said trying to lighten the weird tension. Travis' hand ended up back on my knee as it had before. Once again, s.h.i.+vers shot up through my body as I tried to figure out why I was responding to him this way. We had been partners for weeks now with no tension and now tonight its like my emotions are on fire.

”She's the great partner,” Travis interrupted. ”Especially when she's clumsy as h.e.l.l and makes the day more interesting,” he laughed squeezing my knee again.

”Ha... ” I sneered at him for embarra.s.sing me. ”I remember a very clumsy person as well, Mr. sauce all over my pants,” I badgered him. Being with Travis felt natural. It felt odd to be here without Drake, but Travis and I were close. Like siblings, right?

”Oh my G.o.d, not the sauce story!” he chuckled embarra.s.singly.

His friends were hyper-aware of our teasing and leaned in to hear. ”Oh you mean you never told you friends how you spilled Alfredo sauce all down your crotch and nearly burned yourself?” I said laughing remembering the memory of that day. Besides, Travis getting burned a little, it was hilarious. He was fooling around as usual, wasn't paying attention and Alfredo went all down his pants.

His face reddened as he hid his face in his hand laughing softly. ”Okay, you got me back good. No more stories!” He took his fingers to move my chin to look at him. He looked into my eyes deep and for a second I forgot where we were. The waitress broke the awkward tension as she brought us our drinks.

I took a large gulp and tried to get back into the zone. Travis remained talking and laughing with his friends. The girls moved closer to me since the boys were talking about sports.

”So you and Travis huh?” Selena asked me quietly winking.

”What? No. Travis and I are just friends. He's like a brother,” I rea.s.sured her. And myself.

”Then how come he looks at you like that?” She nodded her head over to where Travis was sitting. He was staring at me like he needed me for air. I've never seen Travis look at me like that, but perhaps I wasn't paying attention before. He smiled at me when he noticed I saw his expression. I smiled back hoping he didn't see the confusion on my face.

I looked back at the girls who saw my puzzling look. ”No, it's not like that at all. We took our kids to the aquarium once and are just friends,” I tried rea.s.suring her but she wasn't buying it.

”Well, do you have a boyfriend?” Ruby chimed in.

”Yeah, I do. His name is Drake,” I smiled as I said his name. I took a couple more sips from my gla.s.s as I noticed Bentley hovering over to listen to our conversation.

”He's a lucky man,” Bentley interrupted. He smiled at me as he put his beer to his mouth.

”Thanks,” I blushed. This was getting awkward.

”What does your boyfriend do?” Ruby asked curiously. Apparently, she hadn't seen the millions of photos of me in the magazines and I was grateful Travis hadn't told them.

”Umm... he runs a business,” I said trying to be as vague as possible.

”Oh my G.o.d, wait a minute!” Selena squealed starring at me. ”I knew you looked familiar!”

Travis must have noticed the attention and quickly came to my rescue. ”Guys, no. Not now.” He looked them down firmly. I knew he was trying to be protective but I didn't want to keep hiding behind him.

”It's alright Travis,” I rea.s.sured him. I rubbed his arm and gave him a sincere look. ”They will find out eventually.”

”Are you sure?” he asked.

”It's fine.” I turned to look at his friends. ”Drake Stagliano is his name. You probably saw the pictures.” I waited for their shocked expressions.

”Holy s.h.i.+t. You're that Molly?” Selena gasped. I caught a glimpse of Bentley as he smirked and shook his head in disbelief. ”Molly Woods?” she gasped again.

”Yes, yes... I'm that Molly. Guessing you saw the magazine photos?”

”h.e.l.l yeah, we did! They were hot too!” Leo chimed in all of a sudden. Travis gave him a death stare.

”Those pictures were real?” Bentley questioned as he stared at me. ”I thought they were just another fabricated story.”

”Yeah... they were real,” I answered embarra.s.sed trying to cover my face.

”Don't be embarra.s.sed, girl, you seriously are hot!” Ruby nudged me as she saw my face pale. I smiled weakly at her for trying to cheer me up.

”Come on Mols, let's go dance!” Travis intervened trying to make me feel better. He led me out of the booth and onto the dance floor. I had two drinks so far and was starting to feel relaxed. I wasn't much of a dancer unless it was Stella and I in the kitchen dancing around to music.