Page 55 of Lance

She looks at me again, frowning now. “Youokay?”

I rub the back of my neck, feeling like an asshole. “Sure. Like you said—tired.”

She squeezes my arm. “It will be good for you to have a nightout.”

I don’t answer, watching Simon through the glass as he pounds away at Layla’s drums. Willa laughs again. “You can actually see her regretting this,” she says as Layla visibly winces. She’s gorgeous when she laughs like that, her face open and unworried. Watching her, I feel the weight in my chest lighten a little, and the guilty, sick feelingeases.

“You should come with us tonight,” I blurtout.

She turns away from the glass. “What?”

Shit. I don’t know where that camefrom.

“I uh…” Well I can’t take it back now. Even if it’s a terrible idea. “I think you need a nightoff.”

Her forehead scrunches up the way it does when she’s confused. “You have the club openingtonight.”

“I know. You should come withme.”

“But…who will watchSimon?”

“Could we ask Nia?” Willa’s roommate had watched Simon one afternoon back at the hotel while Willa helped to get the house ready. “They got along pretty well last time, didn’t they? Besides, he’ll be just about ready for bed by the time we need to leave. Pretty easy money I’d say. You think she’d be up forit?”

Willa watches me for a long moment, her eyes searching my face, and I know that this is a mistake. I don’t need to be blurring any lines between us, and taking her to some swanky club opening is definitely blurring the lines. But I can’t seem to make myself care, not really. I’ve been feeling shitty all day and Willa makes that go away. It’s as simple as that. That realization should set off warning bells, but…fuck it. I don’t care. I just want to feel better for awhile.

“Call her,” I say. “Tell her there’s two hundred bucks in it forher.”

Her eyes widen a little. “That’s a lot of money for a fewhours.”

I grin. “Hopefully she agrees withyou.”

* * *

We don’t needto leave for the party until eight at the earliest, so I’m surprised when Nia knocks on the door shortly afterfive.

“Hey, Lance,” she says when I open the door. “I figured I’d come early and help Willa get ready.” She slips past me into the house, carting a small, wheeled suitcase behind her. I glance down at my watch as I shut the door behind her. Willa needs three hours to getready?

“Hi, Nia!” Simon says, bounding into the foyer. “Willa said you’re going to let me stay up late playing video games and I get to eat as much ice cream as Iwant.”

“Did she really?” Nia asks, raising an eyebrow, and Simon erupts intogiggles.

“Course not,” he says. “That would be pretty cool though, wouldn’tit?”

I watch him, shaking my head. Who knew the kid had a sense ofhumor?

“Nia?” Willa asks, joining us in the entryway. She glances at her watch, a perplexed expression on her face. “Didn’t I tell you we were leaving aroundeight?”

“Yes, and you asked me to come over and help you getready.”

“I asked you to bring me a dress.” Willa narrows her eyes at the suitcase Nia is still clutching. “Nia.”

“Oh, come on,” Nia says. “Like I’m going to let you go out to a hot new club opening and not bring a little makeup withme.”

Willa is still eyeing the suitcase. “That doesn’t look like alittle.”

“There’s probably going to be paparazzi at this thing!” Nia argues and Willa shoots me a panickedglance.

“You don’t have to pose for photographs,” I assureher.