Free Driven to Date by Susan Hatler

fifteen minutes. One more night.”
    His eyes lit up. “Does this have anything to do with Madison McKenzie?”
    “Yes.” I bit my lip, wishing he didn’t smell so good standing this close to me. “She’s going to this dance club tomorrow night with her husband. Since she thinks we’re together, she asked if we wanted to meet up with them. I was going out with my friends anyway, so you don’t have to stay long. In fact, you’d probably only need to drop by long enough to meet her husband.”
    He raised his brows. “Just to be clear, you only want me to come for Madison.”
    “You’re the one who offered to help.” I stepped back, reaching for my briefcase. “If you can’t spare time from your busy social calendar . . .”
    Grabbing my arm gently, he lifted my chin. “I’ll be there. You can count on me.”
    My belly fluttered as my gaze met his. “Thank you.”
    He nodded, made his way toward the door, then turned back. “Anytime, buttercup.”
    I gave him a grateful look in return, wanting to hate him for ruining my life, but finding it harder and harder to do so.
    ****
    Friday night, Ginger, Sarah, and I arrived at The Oasis in downtown Sacramento a little before nine o’clock. In my black pants and white sequined top, Madison would have no doubt that Jill Parnell was ready for fun —thus balancing out the demanding position I wanted her to give me. And the whole supportive boyfriend thing would be the icing on my cupcake, too.
    “IDs ladies.” A burly bouncer wearing a tight black shirt scrutinized our driver’s licenses, which I took as a compliment considering I turned twenty-one nearly a decade ago. I paid the cover charge, then ducked through the door into eighties night at The Oasis.
    “When was the last time you came out dancing?” Sarah yelled over Duran Duran’s New Moon on Monday as she adjusted the strap of her green halter-top.
    “I believe we had a different governor in office.” I scanned the crowded club for Ryan, who had texted that he’d meet me here around nine. I didn’t spot him, but the place was huge and had a lot of dark corners.
    “Shall we get a drink before grooving with our hot moves?” Ginger grabbed my hand, leading me through the crowd, then we stopped at the edge of the dance floor.
    “I’ll get this round.” Sarah offered, waving away the cash I held out. “Mojitos all around?”
    Ginger smacked her lips. “Sounds delicious.”
    “Be right back.” Sarah squeezed her way up to the crowded bar.
    “Still thinking about Victor?” I watched the crowd dance under the colored strobe lights as the DJ switched songs to Tainted Love by Soft Cell. The familiar beat had my body itching to let loose all of this pent up stress from work .
    “I broke it off with him.” Ginger slipped her arm through mine, then led me to the center of the wooden dance floor.
    I wanted to cheer as I turned to my friend. “Are you okay?”
    She shrugged. “I’m bummed, but not going to let him ruin my girls’ night out.”
    “Don’t forget my fake boyfriend will be making an appearance.” Securing our spot, I swung my hips to the beat, letting the music wash over me.
    While we danced, Ginger nodded toward a tall blond with a nice build. “Maybe I should ask that guy to dance?”
    My gaze drifted down to his left hand where a flash of gold glinted off his ring finger. “Married.”
    “Figures.” Ginger laughed, then nodded toward a guy with short brown hair, and a nice smile. “What about him?”
    With my hands in the air, I glanced to my right. “He looks nice.”
    She nodded. “I know, right? But does he seem like the kind of guy who’d ditch me when I need a date for a wedding?”
    “Just ask him to dance and have fun,” I shouted, surprised at my own advice. Since when was I not worried about planning, evaluating, and making sure we didn’t waste our time on the wrong man?
    Kristen’s advice to “just have fun” must seriously be rubbing off on me. I wasn’t