Nothing Good Gets Away

Chapter 15

ROWAN BASS

With all the reluctance in the world, I give the valet a tight smile as he opens my door for me to step out of my car. He helps me with a gentle hand in mine and tells me to enjoy the party as he sits in the driver's seat.

I step up onto the curb and stand in front of the Malibu West Beach Club, picking at my newly manicured nails. This night, I know, is going to end one of two ways. Ideally, I'll have a drink or two and have a nice time celebrating my supposed best friend's birthday. Or, I'll end up in tears. I'm suspecting the latter, but who knows? Things change, sometimes.

"K," I mumble to myself and hold tightly to my clutch, giving the man at the door my name so he can check his list and let me in.

The club is overflowing with people, only a few of which I recognize. But to be honest, this atmosphere already beat all the parties Sienna has held before at various nightclubs in Los Angeles. The lights are dim, but I can still see well as I scan the room for her, and the music isn't loud or obnoxious in my ears.

I do, however, realize that my dress isn't as tight or revealing as most of the other girls, and I suddenly feel like I'm dressed for a Sunday church service rather than a Saturday night birthday party as a 24-year-old woman.

"Rowan!" Sienna squeals with a drink in her hand, and the other one reaching out for me.

"Hi!" I try to perk up and match her excitement as she wraps her arm around my neck. She smells like Chanel and vodka. "Happy Birthday!"

She makes a gagging sound. "Don't remind me. I'm so fucking old."

I laugh, biting my tongue so as not to ask her why she's throwing a huge party if she's embarrassed to be turning a year older.

"Come get a drink!" She takes my hand to drag me over to the bar on the back wall.

She orders me a vodka soda, explaining that it doesn't have that many calories. I don't like vodka at all, but I don't argue with her as I take in her wildly skinny frame.

"Good, huh?" She smirks.

I try to smile through a wince. "Mhm. Not bad."

"Great! Now come here, there's some girls I want you to meet."

Here we go.

She drags me right over to three girls standing tall in stilettos with hourglass frames shown off by tight mini dresses. They look like every girl on every magazine cover there ever was, and I feel like I'm back in high school again, debating whether or not anyone would notice if I stuffed a couple of tissues inside my bra.

"Girls, this is my best friend, Rowan," Sienna gestures to me. "Rowan, this is Natalia, Kylie, and Hailey."

"Hi," I raise my drink in place of a wave.

"Oh my God, such a cute dress," Hailey says.

"Oh, thanks," I look down at myself, "I like yours too."

"You look like Audrey Hepburn or something," Kylie says, "Like, from the 50s."

I take the compliment in stride, but I know it's just another way of her telling me that my dress is modest and outdated, the kind women wore before they started showing more skin.

"Thank you, yeah, you guys all look amazing," I sip from my drink despite the disgusting taste.

"Oh! Joe is here, and he was totally asking about you," Sienna pipes up. "He wants to apologize for the other night."

"The other night?" I chuckle. "That was almost four months ago, Sienna. It hasn't exactly been keeping me up at night."

"Well, you have clearly been keeping him up at night," she winks at me and takes my hand to lead me to a group of men who are just as intimidating as the women. Why is everyone so tall?