Page 41 of Chasing Blue

“Bruh,” is his reply.

“Yeah.”

“Where are you now?”

“Still sitting at the table in Playa’s.”

“Dude, you seriously took a girl to a restaurant called Playa’s to end it with her so you can crack on to another girl? We really need to talk. Order me a beer. I’m coming down there.”

Shannon ends the call. I finish my drink and watch the world go unseeingly by as I attempt to formulate a plan to win back the girl who captured my heart a lifetime ago.

* * *

An hour later,I’m standing at the door of Spangles with my brother as he attempts to use his celebrity status as a way into the private party happening inside.

The entire front of the bar and restaurant is glass, and I can see directly inside. The dining tables have all been removed to create a dance floor, and black, silver, and purple balloons shaped as 5’s and 0’s have been set on high-top tables in each corner. The place is packed with probably one hundred and fifty people, but even with the low lighting, my eyes find her, my Blue.

I take my phone from my back pocket and pull up her number. Scarlett’s arms are raised above her head as she dances and sings along to an ‘old school’ dance tune I can’t remember the name of. Scarlett apparently has a much better memory than me as I hit call on my screen and watch her sing along to every word.

She’s wearing the black, crocheted bag she always wears across her body, and I’m hoping her phone is in there and hopefully on vibrate.

“The security bloke won’t let us in, but said he’ll get your girl to come outside if you point her out,” Shann leans in and says. “I don’t think he believes we really know anyone inside.”

“I’m just trying to get her on the phone.”

“Are you sure she’s in there?”

“Yep, I’m looking right at her.”

I watch as Scarlett leans into Zoe, says something to her ear, and then steps away from where everyone is dancing. She moves towards the bar, pulling her phone out as she walks, frowning as she sees my name on the screen. She covers the ear she’s not holding her phone to and says, “Jack, everything okay?”

“Blue, come to the door of Spangles and ask security nicely if they’ll let me and my brother in.”

Her head turns towards the door, and her eyes meet mine before I’ve even finished talking. She ends the call, turns to the bloke she’s standing next to at the bar, and they both start moving towards us.

The bearded bloke she’s with opens the door and gives a chin lift to the security dude.

“They’re good, Tommy,” he tells him.

“No worries, boss,” he replies as we pass him and enter.

Once we’re inside, Scarlett wears both a smile and a frown as she asks, “What the fuck are you doing here?”

“Looking for you,” I tell her honestly. She continues with the smile—frown combo but adds a headshake to it too.

“Span, this is Jack and his brother . . .”

“Shannon.” Shann puts his hand out to the bearded dude. “Shannon Cole.”

Scarlett’s wide blue eyes are on my brother as she continues, “Jack and Shannon Cole. They’re from Palmers Bay, the place I grew up. Jack, this is Span.” I watch as she leans into him and his arm comes over her shoulder. My mouth goes dry as my vodka-laced brain attempts to quickly assess the dynamic between them. “Span and his husband Anthony own this place. They’re also my adopted big brothers.”

Okay. Inked and bearded big brothers I can deal with.

“Shannon Cole, big fan from your fighting days. Let’s get you boys a drink,” Span says after shaking both our hands.

We follow him and Scarlett to the bar—heads turning in my brother’s direction as we pass. While Shann orders a round, Scarlett turns to me and asks, “So what happened to your girlfriend?”

I scratch at the growth on my chin and study her for a moment. Her eyes are glassy, cheeks flushed, both of which I know are indicators Blue’s had a lot to drink.