Chapter 2: High Heels and Hot Dates
Sipping a Martini at the bar, Alexis jumped out of her seat at the sight of her best friends. Euphoria wasn't just another promotion she had her name all over the lease. She was the manager, the DJ, the bartender, you name it… she did it. She normally was too busy figuring everything out to invite her friends, but tonight was special. After all Josh was on the dance floor and he wasn't dancing with Brit. She was sick of watching him paint the town red while her own best friend didn't even paint her nails.
"Look at you lil miss thing! You definitely give new meaning to red hot." Alexis said twirling Britney around Alexis smiled at Brayden. "Is this one of your designs Bray?" Britney filled out whatever dress she wore with curves to dye for. In the dictionary next to the words voluptuous, there was a picture of Britney in Brayden's red dress. It was amazing that every guy in New York wasn't standing next to her trying to buy her a drink, at least that's what Alexis thought.
"Yeah," Brayden said putting a hand on his chin as if in thought. He shook his head and looked at Alexis. "What a great crowd, filled with New York's finest!" Brayden looked right down at Josh and took a step in front of Brit so she wouldn't see.
"Well," Alexis said avoiding the subject of the real reason she invited everyone. "Who wants a drink?"
"Make that two for me life as an accountant during tax time isn't as bright as it seems." Molly said sipping down Alexis's martini. She looked almost glamorous in her flowing gold dress, but than one look at her flat dark hair and she looked ten years older. It didn't matter how much Devin tried to accentuate her green eyes or her curvaceous figured. She still looked like his grandma at an adult prom.
"But you totally do taxes for Lance Bass" Devin said glaring at his closest friend. "By the way I am still waiting for you to give him my number."
"By the way... He has a boyfriend," Molly said chugging down the martini that Alexis set down next to her.
"Girl, you need to slow down, or you will be fasting for a week…" Alexis shook her head as she handed everyone a drink.
"Baby!" Josh grinned as he walked up putting an arm around Britney. "What are you doing here?"
"What am I doing here? " Britney handed her glasses to Brayden and smiled. It was times like she was glad she took that self defense class. "What the fuck happened to your business meeting? Or is your business in night clubs now?"
"It got done early and my boss wanted to treat everyone to a night at N.Y.C.'s hottest new club."
"There you are! Sorry I took so long but the line for the little girls' room was horrendous." Starlette said walking up to everyone. She was wearing a shot black dress with leopard print thigh high boots. If she was kissing her man, Britney might actually think the girl was a movie star; instead she looked like a prostitute.
"Excuse me, I hate to break up your little moment here, but who the fuck are you?!"
"Excuse me!" Starlette looked her down. She may be little but she was deadly.
"Brit…"
"Save your lies for a bitch that actually cares!" Britney shook her head and walked away. She knew it. She wrote the advice, the magazine would be printed and out there somewhere another woman is going through the exact same thing. Britney just ignored all the signed. So here she sat at sexiest night club in town on the verge on tears.
"You know, they say red is the color of passion not sadness," Brayden said grabbing her hand. "Dance the night away and show him what he's missing. Don't cry over him Brit! You are such an amazing woman and he is a fool to mess that up. He's a piece of shit that doesn't even deserve you thinking bad thoughts about him."
"For once I agree with Bray here." Alexis said handing her a jolly rancher, "And I say we all toast to being single in the city."
"Yes may we all find love and popcorn!" Britney said taking her shot.
"I know I'm not all that hip, but did you just toast to popcorn?" Molly shook her head in disbelief as everyone drank to Britney's crazy toast.
"It's nothing. Just something I came up with while writing my latest article. Think of it as a code for whoever we date."
"Speaking of dates… Let me set you up on a blind date."
"Alexis… It is way too early for me to think about dating."
"Girl it is never too early to grab a bite to eat with some man candy!" Devin smiled. "In fact if you don't like him. I will dress up and pretend to be you!"
"No, I can handle my own dates."
"So than I can set you up?"
"Don't do it," Molly said taking another drink. "The last time she set me up… My date left making out with his sister."
"Please tell me she's joking?" Brayden said looking at Alexis.
"It was an accident." Alexis said innocently. How was she supposed to know her lab partner was a freak! "Beside, that can't happen this time, he is an only child!"
"I don't have…"
"If you finish that sentence..."
"Brayden you can't keep making me dresses."
"The hell I can't! My new boutique is opening and its free publicity. Just always remember who your best friend is."
"My hair would be a mess!"
"Devin McGuire at your service!"
"Devin…"
"Darling… Your man has been cheating on you for months. If I can't get laid by a hot man, I might as well help you get laid!"
"Don't look at me… I'm tipsy and I'm an accountant. I can do your taxes, but you're on your own for dates."
Sighing Britney just agreed there was no way that we was going to win this. The only person who was one her side was taking another shot, and was starting to stumble. She knew that her relationship with Josh was close to ending. She had been mentally preparing herself for months. She just didn't want to believe what she was telling her self! On that note she left the club, ate ice cream, and watched 'When Harry Met Sally'.
The next morning grinned at Brayden walked in the door nonchalantly. "And how was our night?" She asked raising an eyebrow and returning to her bagel and newspaper.
"Nothing happened. I stayed the night at Alexis's. After you left she got more trashed than Molly. I had to make sure she was okay and that some jerk didn't take advantage of her." He said pouring two cups of coffee and sitting next to her.
"Thank you."
"How do you really feel about the blind date?"
Britney laughed as she read the comics ignoring the question. It wasn't that she was scared or nervous. She wanted to get back out in the dating world. But for all she knew this guy could be a nose picking rotten popcorn and that didn't sound appetizing. However bad the popcorn may be, she was actually looking forward to the movie.
"Brit? You could have told her no." Brayden said grabbing the sports section to see the latest scores and stories.
"I'm fine."
Brayden looked at her and smiled. She was the most stubborn woman he knew, it was a good quality to have in the workforce but a bad quality to have in friendship. She couldn't admit she was nervous because that would be a weakness and the great Britney White didn't have weaknesses!