“He’s not there?” I hated my question, but part of me had felt a small bit of peace knowing exactly where he was. Now, he was gone to God knows where with her and their bundle of baby news. For a moment my heart wondered how Jack was coping with the news. It had been a shock to be sure, I had seen that clear as day. But I imagined, once the shock wore off, he would be ecstatic. And so would the rest of the world when the news went public. I would have to live with their joy on a daily basis. For Jack, I would be a distant memory.

I shuddered. “I can’t stomach the idea of any sleazy guy coming on to me.”

“Just take the compliments and brush them off nicely, but you need this. You need to know you are admired and desired and you need to just have some carefree fun.”

“Don’t you think I’ve had enough of boys’ games of trying get me into bed to last a life time?” I asked. “That’s not the kind of male attention I need.”

But the small seed was planted and started to grow and unfurl slowly as we talked. I wanted to do something, anything, to eclipse the dull empty gnawing ache in the pit of my belly. Perhaps it would feel good to practice the art of flirting a little. And maybe Jack wasn’t such a good kisser ... maybe I just hadn’t kissed enough boys.

* * *

Now, as Joey’s eyes left me and travelled back up the stairs to where Jazz made her way down, I felt an inner satisfaction with my decision. She looked amazing; all soft curves and spun gold hair. Her black pumps were about as impossibly high as mine, although her blue dress wasn’t quite as short. She looked breathtaking, and Joey was trying to remember how to do that most basic human function. A flush crawled up his neck as he took in Jazz’s outfit. This alone was worth it. I could do this for them, I could do it for Jasper and Liz, and I could do it for me.

“Holy shit!” came a familiar deep voice as Colton Graves wandered out of the kitchen, beer in hand. “Joseph, my man, we are going to be busy fending off the dudes tonight. You girls ... just, wow.” He whistled appreciatively. Dressed in black jeans and a blue dress shirt outlining his broad athletic frame, he hadn’t changed much from what I remembered, and he was still handsome in that cropped hair, quarterback kind of way.

“Hey, Colt,” I said, giving him a winning smile. May as well start now, right? “Good to see you. You look great.” He’d moved back to Savannah after college and was working in a bank, although clearly trying hard to keep his high school physique, too. Joey had called to invite him on our outing which had taken on epic proportions.

“Well, you sure did grow up about as pretty as I thought you would,” he said, winking at me. “And by that I mean, absolutely stunning.”

A small fifteen-year-old teenager inside me who crushed on Colton Graves did a little backflip. The current Keri Anne gave him a small smile and a nod.

“Knock it off, Colt,” said Joey. I glared at my brother.

Colt switched his raking gaze up and down the length of Jazz. “And Jessica Fraser, you are a vision of sexiness.”

Jazz blushed appropriately, just as my brother’s jaw got hard. I smirked. Against all odds, I may actually not have to pretend to have a good time.

“You’d better give us our space tonight boys,” said Jazz haughtily. “We’re looking forward to the attention of strange men, aren’t we Keri Ann?”

Once everyone got over the laughable fact that we were heading for a night of drinking, and hopefully just a bit of sinning, in the church van that Jasper had appropriated from his father, we found ourselves forty minutes later being ushered up the steps of the old mansion in Savannah.

In the dimly lit interior, we were greeted by a version of Vern I hardly recognized. His dark hair was brushed and straightened low across one of his kohl-rimmed eyes. A small slash of emerald green eye shadow matched his green satin shirt collar that was popped up over a tailored black jacket and skinny black pants. A silver diamond glinted in one ear. Amazingly, I had never seen him look more perfect.

“Vern!” I clapped a hand over my mouth.

“You look amazing,” echoed Jazz.

Vern preened. “Likewise, ladies, likewise.”

Cooper nodded at him. “Dude.”

Jasper laughed and clapped him on the back.

“Hey, no touchy,” said Vern taking a step back, all business. “Now, I have the perfect table for y’all upstairs. If you’ll follow me.”

I looked around and took in the lavish refurbishment of the historic mansion. Dark wood floors gleamed and ceilings towered above us at about fourteen feet. The molding was brushed with metallic silver and on the walls hung large eye-catching pieces of exotic art.

We followed Vern through the restaurant set with linen tablecloths and gleaming silver. Drawn by a deep thrumming beat to a staircase carpeted in leopard print, we ascended into an exotic harem. Lush and opulent jewel-toned silk curtains framed windows and small intimate areas. The music was hypnotic and sensual as was every surface ones eyes could rest upon. The music, a cover of Alabama Shakes, was coming from a quartet set up in the corner, barely visible through some closely pressed and undulating couples.

A long mahogany bar lined one end backed by antique mirror panels reflecting the glittering and beautifully dressed people littering the space.

Vern led us to a corner room set into a turret with deep burgundy silk curtains swagged across the entrance. The room itself was lined with low, plush, curved benches, pillows and seats, a small low cocktail table with a Moroccan looking lantern holding a candle in the middle. The entire place was a feast for the senses.

Joey and Colt, who had driven separately in Colt’s BMW, had headed straight for the bar. They soon joined us with a bottle of Champagne in an ice bucket and seven shots of something vile, and we all got comfortable. After toasting to friendship, the future, world peace, and anything else we could think of, we were feeling suitably liquidated and Jazz dragged me out to the dance floor. I didn’t want to get more buzzed than this as I knew the melancholy would set in and my internal protections to keep Jack out of my mind would melt down.

Heads turned to watch Jazz and me as we made our way across the room and it wasn’t long before we had accepted offers to dance and declined offers for drinks from several earnest looking business types. A few songs later, Jazz caught my eye with a twinkle, and I dropped my head back in a carefree laugh, capturing for a moment, how fun this actually was.

I was just turning nonchalantly out of the lecherous grasp of our latest admirer when Colt caught me around the middle and pulled me in close. For a moment, my belly fluttered in remembrance of how it felt to be dancing with him at his senior prom. I looked up into his handsome square face. He leaned down to my ear, swaying to the music. The house band had taken a break and Muse, with their deep rhythmic and grinding guitar, had come over the system.

“Hey, beautiful,” he murmured. “You doing okay?”

His large hand, splayed on my lower back, was a bit too intimate but not unwelcome. Maybe it was the alcohol or maybe it was the yearning void inside me but perhaps I could just try and forget Jack with Colton. Jazz always said it was the best way to get over someone.

I nodded against his cheek and let myself sway with him. Why couldn’t I have picked a nice normal boy to date? What had I been so afraid of? Staying in Butler Cove with a nice, safe boyfriend who worked somewhere like a bank sounded absolutely ideal. There was no fizzing in my veins and warmth pooling inside me at his touch, but that was a good thing.