Dania {18+}

Bonus #1: Jealousy makes the heart grow fonder... right?

I stood outside the school with Tess waiting for my Uber to pick me up.

Reyn's meeting was running a bit over time. He sent me a message just a few minutes earlier apologizing profusely and asking whether I could meet him at the bar so that we could go home together.

Grabbing a drink at the bar after a long week of classes didn't seem like a terrible way to start my Friday evening, anyway.

"I'm heading to the bar to meet Reyn. Do you want to come with?" I propositioned Tess who was rubbing away some smudged lipgloss using a vintage golden compact.

"Actually, I've got to head home to get ready for my date with Orion."

"Tell Oreo I say hi and that he's welcome to audit a class whenever he'd like. I know he misses it." Amusement colored my tone. He most definitely did not.

Every time he saw me after retiring as my bodyguard, he reminded me of how happy he was that he never had to sit through one of my classes again. And ever since their impromptu kiss at the club, I'd been hearing his name from Tess more and more. I made a mental note to ask her about him later.

"Let's catch up this weekend, bish," she promised before heading off to her car when my Uber pulled up in front of us.

"That better be a promise," I yelled over to her smiling.

She blew me a kiss before opening the car door and saying, "Tell your fiance I say hello."

I shook my head chuckling as I got into the car and greeted the driver. Tess knew how strange it felt to me still. I was sure that by the time I got used to calling Reyn my fiance we'd be married already. And that reminded me: we had yet to decide when the actual wedding would be.

Reyn didn't want me to be stressed planning for the wedding while I was in school, so we figured it would be better to wait until I was done with medical school. He had offered to arrange everything on his own, but I really wanted to do it together. We would only have one wedding. And Reyn always handled everything else on his own. I didn't want this to be yet another thing he had to figure out by himself. This was the first step of our marriage. And I wanted to take it together.

But two and a half years. Could we wait that long? Did I want to wait that long?

According to Reyn, he was satisfied that I was more than just his girlfriend for the time being. But I hated that we had to wait, not because I wasn't ready but because of school.

I smiled to myself. It seemed like Reyn had really spoiled me rotten. Here I was complaining because I couldn't have it all. I was never like this before.

When the Uber stopped outside the restaurant, I got out and walked into the familiar, dark, classy space. The opulence had an edge to it, a seduction of its own. As always, I had to resist the pull of the titillating ambiance as my eyes scanned the space.

I immediately spotted Reyn seated with his back to me at one of the tables. A woman in a navy power suit sat across him, prim and poised. A femme fatale, if I ever saw one.

I moved towards the bar, diverting my eyes to see Rylan bartending.

"How come your behind the bar today?" I greeted.

"Bartender is out today, so I'm filling in. How've you been?" She took my hands over the counter as we caught up.

She had just gotten back after a few months in rehab about a month ago now. She picked back up as manager as if she had never left, getting right back into the rhythm of being in charge of the restaurant. The difference in her from when I had visited her those few times in rehab to the strong, healthy woman that stood before me today was astonishing. She continued attending therapy sessions to manage any temptation to relapse. I was so proud of her.