False Starts

Chapter 17

ABBIE felt like her heart would beat out of her chest as Michael pulled her through the throng of people at Surrender. The steady beat of the music enveloped her; it wasn’t just in her ears, it was in her head. They reached a table, which Abbie assumed was VIP, and had a large number of people gathered around it. She greeted Allison with a hug, happy that she was there.

      “Take a shot!” Michael yelled over the music. 

      Misunderstanding, Abbie yelled back, “I don’t have my camera with me!” He laughed and handed her a shot of Grey Goose, and she laughed at her own stupidity. “Sorry, it’s been a while!” she said, glad for the flashing lights that hid her reddening cheeks.

Michael just laughed again and grabbed a shot for himself. “It’s my first night of retirement, let’s tear it up!” he hollered, and they knocked glasses and downed their drinks. The rest of the night went by in a haze.

It was the same the next day. Michael’s party continued poolside at the Encore Beach Club, where he was presented with a gorgeous cake. Abbie hung out mostly with Nathan Adrian, watching happily as Michael spent most of the afternoon with Allison by his side.

“They look cute together, don’t they,” she remarked to Nathan as they watched Michael pull Allison up to the DJ booth and pump up the crowd.

Nathan nodded, looking at her sideways. “You feeling okay, Abbie?” he asked suddenly. She just smiled at him in response.

“You know my roommate, Ade?” she said suddenly. “She thinks you’re cute. We keep teasing her that if you guys get married her name would be Adrienne Adrian.”

Nathan was a bit surprised by Abbie’s non-answer and sudden change in subject. He wasn’t sure what to make of it so he just let out a hasty laugh. “I remember, Ryan told me about her,” he responded, looking back at Michael and Allison at the booth. “He pretty much said the same thing.”

Abbie ducked her head to hide the look of dismay that may have crossed her face. She closed her eyes and took a breath to compose herself, but Nathan didn’t seem to notice, because he went right on talking. “Where is he anyway? How come he’s not here?” 

      It was another non-answer, as Abbie merely replied, “I think I’m going to get a drink. Do you want anything?” Nathan shook his head and watched her scurry off through the crowd to the bar, wondering what all the not answering was about.

The partying went on until the evening. Nathan and Allison didn’t stay for the entire weekend. It ended up being only Abbie and Michael going to the Nightswim after party at XS Nightclub. “Hope you’re wearing your suit under that dress,” he teased her with a smile as they entered the club. She smiled back and winked at him, replying, “’Course!” Those were the last words that were spoken between them at a normal volume. 

      The evening went pretty much like the one at Surrender, although there seemed to be an air of exclusivity to the night, especially when the only person Abbie really knew there was Michael. Nathan and Allison weren’t in attendance; Abbie no longer remembered why. She just kept drinking, trying to forget how she felt that afternoon when Nathan asked her why Ryan wasn’t there. She’d been trying all through dinner, pretending like nothing was wrong, smiling and laughing and talking with Michael. Surprisingly, or maybe not so much, it was easier when she was with him. 

      It should be Michael, she kept thinking. I should be with Michael. Why am I not with Michael?

      Because, a small voice began in her head, but she quickly downed another shot, effectively shutting it up. Abbie watched Michael on the platform, jamming with David Guetta, getting another “USA! USA!” chant from the crowd. The music was loud, the drinks were good, and Abbie was very nearly able to forget everything.

The lights on the platform were bright, obscuring the faces in the crowd. It was nothing but a dark mass of bodies from where Michael was standing. Still he knew where to look to find Abbie, and he imagined he could see her moving to the music, in her dark blue shift dress, looking happy, for once. He hated seeing her upset, and he wished he could do something to stop the hurt. He could, he knew he could, if she would let him. But Abbie either couldn’t or wouldn’t let go of the pain and Michael had to wait until she was ready.

      Suddenly, Michael was tired of waiting. He had been patient and unselfish, hardly able to bear Abbie being in pain. He didn’t, couldn’t get mad at Ryan because the poor guy was confused as all hell, but Michael was helpless because he promised Abbie he wouldn’t get in the way. Well, now he had to. For her sake. And for his own sanity.

He thanked David Guetta for letting him spin, then hopped down from the platform to louder chants of “USA!” The way he smiled and shook hands and high-fived people was automatic as he threaded through the crowd. He had one thing on his mind: get to Abbie, NOW. When he reached her, he grabbed her wrist and none too gently towed her to a dark corner, away from people, cameras, prying eyes. Against a wall he pinned her, one hand cradling her face, the other on the small of her back.

“Let’s try this again,” Michael muttered, his voice a low growl, clear even over the loud music. He pulled Abbie close and pressed his lips on hers. 

      She didn’t try to stop him. She pushed back with equal pressure, pulling him closer with her hand clamped firmly on the back of his neck. Her lips parted when she felt Michael’s tongue on her bottom lip; she flicked her own out to meet it and felt him tighten his hold on her. He made a sound that was a cross between a moan and a groan, and nearly lifted her off the ground; even in her high heels she was now standing on tiptoe.

“Take me away, Michael,” Abbie breathed into Michael’s ear as his lips moved from her mouth to her collarbone. “Just take me away.” She didn’t even know if he heard her, but as he leaned back, the look in his eyes told her he was thinking the same thing she was.

Michael pulled away, breathing heavily, then, without a word, took Abbie by the wrist and pulled her briskly towards the exit. She was only too happy to follow.

      The music was loud. Abbie couldn’t tell if the pounding in her chest and in her ears was in time to the song or her heart hammering in anticipation.