That Blue Gibson

CH 86

"Ally, it's fine!" Liz insisted, pulling out of her arms when the cab eased to a stop at the curb. "I'm just going back to the hotel. They need their space, I get it."

"Let me come with you," she said quickly, looking over her shoulder most likely for Taylor. 

"No, I'm gonna go alone. Go finish my drink for me! Taylor has it."

Ally sighed in frustration, but let her go. "Call me as soon as you get back, okay? I'm gonna worry until you do!"

"I will," Liz nodded and opened the cab door when Taylor burst out of the club with a panicked look on his face. She took the distraction, hopped into the cab before anyone else could stop her and leaned to the driver, "Dépêchez-vous!"

She kept her head down as the cab pulled away and her heart sunk when she heard Taylor yelling back on the sidewalk. 

Her driver adjusted his mirror so he could see her and asked, "Américain?"

Liz sighed in relief, "Please."

"Where to go?"

"The Rit... shit. I'm sorry, can you give me a moment?" she asked, realizing she couldn't go back to the Ritz. She'd have to call Andy and find a new place, but she'd need to get her things first. Listening to her phone ring, she put her head in her hands and tried to figure out where exactly the night went south.

She was a few feet away, her hands full of drinks for her and Ally when she saw that a blonde woman had taken her place at the little table near the dance floor. She could only see her back, but by the color and curl of her hair, Liz knew it was Jordyn. Plastering a smile on her face, she kept walking, but once she was close enough to hear their conversation she knew Jordyn was crying. 

"... and then he said he wasn't going. That I should go to Greece by myself and, fuck I don't know, Al! Do some Eat Pray Love shit? Is it me? Is something wrong with me?"

"No, honey, no," Ally shook her head and soothingly rubbed Jordyn's back. 

Liz caught a glimpse of Dave returning to the VIP bar and sidestepped Ally and Jordyn, scurrying up the steps to his side. She needed to let him know, give him some sort of heads up that Jordyn was there and most likely needed him.

"Hey, can we talk?"

"Great plan," his voice was so harsh it made her gulp. "So you went to a fuck den with Depp?"

As hard as she tried, she couldn't make her brain function quick enough to answer in a timely manner. "I'm sorry, a what?"

He fussed with his drink and wouldn't look at her. "Did you fuck him?"

"Dave, no," she felt tears sting her eyes and she reached for him, wishing he would just listen. "Now is not a good time for this..."

His drink hit the wooden bar so hard she was surprised it didn't shatter and he bent just enough that his face was close to hers, his brown eyes blazing. "Answer me!"

Her shock turned to devastation when she saw Jordyn just over his shoulder watching the entire thing and for once in her life, flight overtook fight. She gave some half-assed excuse about needing air and took off, throwing his hand off her shoulder when he tried to pull her back.

She heard him swear as she darted down the steps and into the crowd, walking until she found a spot where she was sure he wouldn't see her and looked back. Her heart sped up and slowed down with each movement Dave made once he saw Jordyn and Liz wondered if maybe she was having a heart attack. She was 34 now, after all. The surprise, concern, anger and then sympathy that crossed Dave's face when Ally filled him in on Jordyn's troubles were fine, but when he put his arms around his ex-wife and kissed her forehead, Liz had the distinct sensation that she was intruding. She took two steps backward before finally turning away and running for the door.