“Hotties, six o’clock!” Erin, my best friend since sophomore year, yells into my ear. I spin on my heel a little too quickly and end up stumbling. I grab ahold of her arms to try to steady myself, but she just stumbles too.
We look at each other for a minute with wide eyes before we burst out laughing.
I can’t believe I let her convince me to come to a club! I really thought I would’ve hated it, being drunk and all, but I’ve been having a great time, dancing, forgetting about all my responsibilities for the night.
“Let’s get shots!” I call out, pointing to the bar, suddenly feeling like another tequila shot.
“I love drunk Savannah!” Erin hollers as we dance our way across the room, through a sea of sweaty bodies.
“You’ve never seen me drunk!” I laugh. I don’t think I’ve actually been drunk like this before, maybe a bit tipsy back in high school but not drunk, drunk.
“Why hello there, ladies,” a drunk man around our age greets us as we make our way to the bar.
“Hello.” Erin smiles and sticks her chest out; she’s done that a few times tonight, which has resulted in us getting free drinks.
“What are you pretty ladies drinking?” he asks.
“Tequila,” she answers, and the stranger signals over the bartender.
“What are your names?” the guy asks over the loud music, which I’m bobbing my head to, ready to dance again.
“Erin and Savannah,” Erin answers for us both.
“I’m Theo, my buddies are over in that booth.” He introduces himself as he points across the room.
“Let’s have a shot then go have a drink with them,” he suggests, and Erin readily agrees. I guess dancing will have to wait.
Erin holds my hand as we walk back through the people to the booth right where the three men are sitting.
Erin slips next to Theo, while I awkwardly perch at the end of the seat and sip my drink, bouncing my leg up and down.
I really want to go dance again.
I look around the table, shocked to see Erin’s tongue shoved into Theo’s mouth already. The other guys don’t seem to notice them or me; they’re deep in conversation, laughing at whatever they’re talking about.
Screw it, I’m going to go dance.
“I’m going to dance,” I say. Erin doesn’t pull back from kissing, just gives me a thumbs up.
I make my way back to the dance floor and start dancing with my hands over my head, having the time of my life. Being alone, doing exactly what I want to be doing, nothing to worry about at the moment—this doesn’t happen in my life often, and I’m savoring it.
Until some grabby asshole pinches my ass.
I spin around and glare at the drunk man who is smirking at me. “Don’t touch me,” I snap before I dance away, making sure the creep can’t see me.
I keep dancing until my feet hurt and I start to get tired. I drop my arms and begin to make my way towards the bar, desperate for a glass of water.
But before I get there, someone grabs my wrists and pulls me against their sweaty and smelly body.
I look up and see the creep from earlier. I try to free myself, but he doesn’t budge.
“Let go of me!” I hiss, pulling my arm, but his grip tightens and I can’t get away.
“Come on, baby girl,” he slurs, making my skin crawl.
“I have a boyfriend,” I say, hoping that will make him go away. I actually do have a boyfriend, I’m not lying, he’s just not out tonight.
“Yeah, me,” he replies with the sleaziest, grossest smile I’ve ever laid my eyes on.
“No! Let go of me!” I order as I try again to tug my arm away unsuccessfully. His grip is hurting me now.
“Let the lady go!” someone yells over the music. An arm shoots out and grabs the jerk by the arm, causing him to let go instantly as his face grimaces in pain.
The new guy steps in front of me and shoves the jerk away, sending him tumbling to the floor. I can’t see my savior’s face, as his back is to me, but he’s very tall, with a wide, muscular back, which is right in front of my face.
I peek around the side of him to see the jerk getting up. He takes a step toward us, like he might want to fight, but instantly thinks better of it and scurries away.
The man turns, touches my shoulder gently, and asks, “Are you okay?”
“I’m okay, thank you.” I reply as I look up and see the last person I expected.
“Tanner?” I exclaim, feeling my eyes widen.
No way Tanner Taylor is back in town after four years. The last time I saw him was graduation day, and we didn’t even talk. He’d ghosted me a few weeks before.
His eyes widen as he looks at me. “Savannah?” he exclaims back.
“Hey!” I smile, though it’s just from instinct. I don’t feel like smiling, I feel like running away.
“I’m, I’m going to get a water,” I say as I leave for the bar. I order my water and wonder what the hell is going on.
Tanner joins me at the bar, sending my heart racing. “Do you still live here?” he asks with a small smile on his lips.
“I do,” I reply, picking up my glass of water and chugging half of it back.
“What are you doing back?” I question. He left after graduation and, as far as I’ve heard, hasn’t been back since.
“I graduated college and am back for the summer while I find a job,” he explains. “But you, I thought you would’ve left and never looked back.”
“Like I said, things change, people change,” I snap. I’m feeling the same anger from four years ago all over again.
Back then, when he decided he had enough of me, he didn’t even have the guts to tell me himself. He got Erin to tell me it was over and that ‘things change, people change’ after I gave him all of me.
“I didn’t mean to offend you.” He holds his hands up in defense. “Did you ever leave?” he asks as I notice my Apple Watch lights up.
I frown when I see Mallory’s name pop up. I quickly grab my phone and read the text.
“Crap!” I sigh. Of course, the first time in years I decide to go out, my daughter gets sick.
“I have to go,” I state as I text Mallory back, telling her I’m on my way.
“Everything okay?” Tanner asks as I look around for Erin. I can’t see her in the booth we were in or on the dance floor.
I’ll text Erin, she could be anywhere.
“My daughter’s sick,” I reply.
“You have a daughter?” he asks, eyes going wide.
“I do.” I smile at the thought of my sweet, sweet girl. “She’s perfect, sassy, swears like a sailor.” I laugh before I quickly push my lips together. I should NOT be telling Tanner about Rosie.
“I hope everything’s okay.”
“I have to go,” I say.
“Can we… Can we catch up sometime?” he asks, pushing those perfect lips together.
“Sure, whatever,” I say as I hurry away from him.
As I search for Erin, I think about how we have way more to catch up on than Tanner knows.
He’s Rosie’s father.
