Sweet Torment/A Jordan Knight Fanfic (18+)✔️

33

Chapter Thirty-Three

I was less tipsy than I should've been considering I'd drank half a bottle of wine. It was probably poor form to attend an elementary school Christmas recital after drinking, but I couldn't change what was done.

I got up to use the restroom in the middle of the second grade rendition of "Jingle Bells" and again during the fifth grade's performance of "Santa Claus is Coming to Town." But I didn't miss a second of sweet Madi's class singing "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer."

Once the seemingly everlasting show was over, we congratulated Madi (Kaylee even gave her a bouquet), and then Kevin and Madi headed home while I sat in Kaylee's front seat.

"Where to?" she asked.

"This was your idea. Take me wherever you want."

She chuckled. "You know what? It's been a long-ass time since we hit the scene in LA."

"Let's just go somewhere close," I said, suddenly panicked at the thought of going into the city.

I wasn't ready to go back. I wasn't ready for all that the city represented.

"You told me to take you wherever I want, so sit back and hush up."

It was one of those nights where I realized my sister was stubborn like me, and I didn't like her—or myself—all that much sometimes.

An hour later, she tossed her keys to the valet as we got out at a bar we frequented when we were in our early twenties. In fact, I remembered going there for my twenty-first birthday. Or didn't remember, as the case may be.

But that was over seven years earlier. I was closer to thirty now, newly divorced and feeling my age as I watched the young twenty-somethings walk up to the bouncer in their tight, short dresses. I glanced down at my jeans and sweater and then eyed my sister, who was dressed similar to me.

"We're not dressed for this," I complained.

"Who gives a fuck? We look hotter than those skanks," she said, gesturing with her chin toward a group of girls.

"One drink. Then we leave."

"I didn't drive an hour to the city for one drink. We're getting wasted tonight, babe. I booked us a hotel room and everything."

"You can't just kidnap me and force me to stay in LA for the night."

"Can't I?" Her eyes gleamed wickedly as she stared me down.

She had a point. I had nowhere to go. No job I had to report to.

No man waiting at home for me.

She wasn't giving me much of a choice, so I may as well indulge her. I rolled my eyes and she grinned, knowing right away that I'd conceded before I'd even said a word.

And then she hooked her arm through mine and we walked together into the bar. The bouncer didn't even card us, which made me feel positively geriatric. It was exactly as I remembered it—loud and dark. Lights bounced off every surface, and the large wooden square in the center of the room was filled with ladies showing too much skin and men who'd had too much to drink. It hearkened back to a magical time in my life when I'd had no real cares and very little responsibility other than waking up in time to attend my classes.

I supposed I'd been living a similar existence for the past several months. I didn't have a whole lot of responsibility. Lincoln's flexibility with my schedule had been more than appreciated, and it had allowed me to help with Madi at the drop of a hat.