Good Enough

*Jax's POV*

“Mama Mia! Here I go again.” I sang as I walked through the house to find my best friend. I found her rolling her eyes as I entered the kitchen. Grabbing her hands, I pulled her to dance with me. “Yes, I’ve been broken-hearted. Blue since the day we parted!”

“Crazy lady, let me go!” Mia tried to sound angry, but her laughter gave her away. I pulled her through the room in a mock-ballroom dance.

“I just missed you so much. You’ve been gone all day.”

“I’ve been at work. If you would come meet Cary, you’d have a job and then you could see me all day!” She’d given up fighting and allowed me to move her through the kitchen to a song only I could hear.

“Nah, I’m good with being a bum. And when I do decide to get a job, it won’t be in modeling.”

“Whatever makes you happy, my love. What has spurred this burst of energy today anyway?”

“We’re going out tonight!” I twirled her around, allowing her to escape from me and moving around the room on my own.

“Oh? Who is ‘we’?” She moved back to making the sandwich I’d stolen her from.

“The five of us. We’re gonna party like it’s 1999.” I grabbed a piece of turkey from the pack on the island and pushed it into my mouth with a smile.

“I’d rather party like it’s 2013. I wasn’t the most exciting 9-year-old.”

“Well fine, you can party like it’s 2013.” I hugged her from behind. “As long as you come, I don’t care what year you party in. Plus, you can spend more time with Tommy.”

I could almost hear her rolling her eyes, but chose to ignore it when she agreed to go out tonight. Spinning in circles, I let out a chirp of excitement.

We’d been in this house for two weeks. She went to work every day and I stayed here. The first week I did a lot of unpacking and decorating around the house, but this past week has been giving me cabin fever. My room was done and most of the kitchen and living room had been unpacked. But I was starting to feel the monotony of unpacking.

I tried reading. I tried going to the beach. I even attempted to learn how to knit. While I didn’t want to find a job, I knew I’d need to start doing something. If only for the sake of my sanity.

Leaving Mia to her sandwich, I moved to the bathroom for a shower. I’d spent the day out in the sun listening to music and trying to finish a book I started earlier in the week. While I loved the sunshine, it made me rather sweaty.

With Abba music playing through my mind, I washed my body and hair. Wrapping a large towel around me, I ran a brush through my hair and left the steam-filled room.

“Don’t go wasting your emotion. Lay all your love on me.” I sang and danced through the hallway toward my room, but didn’t quite make it as a pair of arm encircled me from behind.

“I like the sound of that.” Turning in the arms, I found Bryden smiling down at me. “I’d love to lay all my love on you.”

“Bryden!” I giggled as his lips moved to my neck. Pushing him back I tried to look serious, but I couldn’t stop the smile. “I need to put some clothes on.”

“Nonsense, I think you look perfect just like this.” He pulled me back to him, laughter once again falling from my lips.

“Would you two stop being coupley in my hallway, I have to pee.” Mia pushed between us and moved into the bathroom.

“Go wait in the kitchen, I’ll be out in a minute.” I gave him a quick kiss and pushed his chest back toward the kitchen so I could change.

While Bryden and I have slept together in the past, I didn’t want to rush into it this time. We were starting a new relationship. It’s only been five weeks—three of which I was still in Vegas.

I pulled on a pair of cotton shorts and a tank top and made my way into the kitchen, toweling the water from my hair.

Tommy, Rylan and Bryden stood around talking as I walked in. Bryden’s arm immediately circled my waste as they greeted me.

“So you decided we’re going out tonight, huh? Since when is Wednesday night party night?” Rylan’s eyebrows raised toward me.

“Since Byrden needs a night out, and I can’t spend another night anywhere near this house.”

“You know, some of us have jobs.”

“You’re the boss. You can do whatever you want.” I poked Rylan in the stomach, grabbing a bottle of water from the fridge. “Plus, we haven’t had a real LA night since Mia and I moved here. And since the single is coming out this weekend, we can’t wait. Pull the grown-up sticks from your asses and be excited.”

“Wait, does that mean we get to see the epic party skills of the one and only Jacquelyn Walker?”

“Damn right.” I smirked at them, leaning into Bryden as Mia emerged from the back.

“Saddle up, boys. It’s gonna be a fun night.” Mia smiled as she grabbed the bottle from my hands, raising it in a mock toast.

***

After a late dinner at a local Italian restaurant, the five of us strolled up to the club in downtown LA. While I may not be a model anymore, I still had friend in high places. When the bouncer saw us, his hard exterior broke into a smile and he gave me a hug.

“Little Jacqui, I didn’t know you were in LA.”

“Just moved. How’s Issa?”

“Pregnant.”

“Seriously? That’s awesome. We have to get together now that I’m here.”

“Of course, you still have the number?”

“Yeah, I’ll call you later this week.”

He moved the rope and let us into the club. My friends all gave me confused looks, aside from Mia.

“What? Carlos, worked at one of the clubs in Vegas a while back. I hooked him up with his wife.”

Mia hooked her arm through mine and pulled me over to the bar. I glanced back, seeing the boys following, their eyes glued to our bodies. Mia leaned against the bar, her breasts nearly spilling from the top of her light blue dress, catching the bartender’s attention immediately. She ordered some shots and five beers, handing a shot to each of us.

“A toast to a night out. No obligations. No stress. Just good friends and fun.” We all cheered and downed the shots before grabbing the beers and moving to find a table.

After ten minutes of talking and another shot, Mia pulled me from the chair I was in and onto the dance floor, leaving the boys behind.

The beat pounded through the speakers and took over our movements. And while we were far from being drunk, this was our night out and we had no need for innocence. Pulling my back against her, Mia started moving her hips and grinding against me. I instantly reacted to her movements, placing my hand on her neck and moving my hips in tandem with hers.

I knew we had the eyes of most of the guys in the room glue to our movements, but we didn’t care. We were just having fun. As the song changed, our position changed too. I turned to face her, our movements once again synching. My hands rested on her hips as her wound into my hair. We laughed and smiled as we danced.

Mia pointed out a guy standing nearby sporting a rather noticeable boner and we burst into fits of giggles. This was something I missed. I missed being out with my best friend just enjoying life. You can take the girl out of Vegas, but you can’t take Vegas out of the girl.