Turning to Stone (Heart of Stone: Book 2)

Chapter 13: Cocktails

Chapter 13: Cocktails

Getting ready for a night out encompassed a unique limbo of time: imaginations could run wild with theories of how the night would pan out. Would you meet a hot guy? Kiss him? Go home with him? Would the DJ play the perfect playlist to keep you on the floor until your feet begged for mercy? Would you make a new friend in the toilets?

That span of hours between stepping out of the shower and into the club held so much promise. Regardless of how the night actually unravelled, the getting-ready phase brimmed with anticipation.

And maybe—just maybe—I had a few extra, more specific thoughts whirling through my head as I fastened the press studs of my favourite lacy, red bodysuit between my legs before slipping on my skimpiest pair of leather shorts. I had more skin on show than covered, and while that wasn't unusual for me when clubbing, I still found myself second-guessing whether to go all out with heels or rein it in slightly with flats.

If anywhere allowed you to go all out, it was Escala. The club oozed sex and glamour with the rich and famous who partied there. Knowing its clientele, everyone wanted to look their best in case they bumped into someone they wanted to impress, and that often translated into sexier outfits.

You could also get away with dressing down, too—nobody judged—but tonight wasn't a night for dressing down. And as I'd be standing next to Gabby and Charlotte—who consistently put in maximum effort no matter the venue—then I needed to gel with their vibe.

I settled on a pair of strappy sandals. Dressy enough for a club while avoiding towering over Gabby's tiny frame by adding extra inches onto my five-foot-nine height.

After catching an Uber—I didn't want to ruin my getting-ready positivity by introducing public transport stress—I met the girls outside the nearest tube station. Just as I'd expected, they turned heads as they navigated the steep steps in five-inch heels.

Gabby had refreshed her spray tan, making her platinum blonde hair shine extra bright as the loose curls bobbed against her shoulders. Beside her, Charlotte's immaculate, smoky make-up was accentuated by her hair being scraped back into a tight, high ponytail. The pair of them belonged on a catwalk, and I was here for it.

Charlotte pounced on me, her arms springing around my neck as she pulled me into a hug. A flash of floral perfume accompanied the coconut scent of her hair as she squeezed before stepping back to hold me at arm's length.

"You know, you were already on my shortlist of favourite people to party with, but you're now on my shortlist of favourite people in general."

I chuckled. "Let's not get ahead of ourselves. We don't know if she'll show."

"Your man has influence. I have faith."

"He's not my man." I raised a questioning eyebrow at Gabby who just smiled sheepishly in response. "Come on. Every person who passes is staring at both of you, and I can feel my self-esteem slipping."

Throwing back her head to laugh, Charlotte hooked her arm through mine, and I led them towards the club. They immediately launched into a debate about a guy they'd seen on the Tube, speculating whether he'd been in a recent Netflix series they'd watched. If that blew their mind, they were going to be in for a shock when they stepped inside Escala.

As we queued for the cloakroom, Charlotte released a low whistle when I slipped off my coat.

"So if he's not your man, who are you trying to impress?" she asked, her wide eyes travelling up and down my body.

"Myself." But I failed to keep a straight face.

"I think you look great, Soph." Gabby elbowed Charlotte in a not-so-subtle warning, which her girlfriend ignored.