her hold on Anna’s wrist and then tugged her off to the side. “C’mon, now. We’ve been best friends for forever. I know you better than you know yourself. What happened?”
At that moment the dam broke. Tears tripped over Anna’s lashes and then streaked down her face at a pace that startled her friends.
“Oh, my God. He turned you down,” Emmadonna concluded and then pulled Anna into her strong arms for a smothering hug. “I’m so sorry.”
Anna’s eyes bugged as she struggled to get air into her lungs. When it was clear that was nearing on being impossible, she started whacking her friend on the back in hopes that Emmadonna would catch a clue and release her. She did. Just a mere second before Anna blacked out. Coughing and sucking in air, Anna managed to shake her head.
“Are you going to be all right?” Emmadonna asked, referring to Anna’s broken heart and not her possible broken ribs.
“I’ll live,” she said with mild conviction. “I just want to go.”
“What did he say?” Emmadonna insisted. She always went in for the juice. “Do we need to roll up in here and curse his butt out? ‘Cause you know I will.”
Emmadonna lived to curse people out. Drama was her middle name. “No.”
“Humph! I’ll be right back.” Emmadonna turned.
Anna knew that her protest had been overwritten and that she’d have to confess more than she wanted to in order to stop her well-intentioned friend from getting rowdy. “Charlie didn’t say anything.”
Now Ivy peered over Emmadonna’s shoulder to stare Anna down. “So what happened?”
Anna mopped her face again and wished that the earth would just open and swallow her whole. “He didn’t say anything because I didn’t tell him. Okay? Now can we just drop it?”
“You punked out?” Ivy asked, frowning. “Damn. Do you need me and Emmadonna here to go in and pass him a note to ask if he likes you? He can check box yes or no.”
Anna huffed in frustration. “Why can’t you just leave it alone?”
Emmadonna cocked her head as she read Anna’s face easily. “There’s another woman.”
Jackpot. The two women’s gazes clicked as the friends finally read the truth in her face. Frankly, none of them should’ve been surprised. Charlie was a ladies’ man. He’d never hid or denied that. She should have just left well enough alone. They were just friends—so why did she feel so used?
“So, who is the bitch?” Emmadonna challenged as she started to remove her earrings. “Did anybody bring a jar of Vaseline?”
Ivy dug into her purse. “I think I have a small jar.”
“It’s Roxanne.”
They froze.
“Roxanne … as in your roommate? That Roxanne?” Emmadonna checked.
Anna nodded. “So? Do I have your permission to leave now?” She was on the verge of having another tidal wave of tears hit her and she would rather it happen when she was alone. “And since Roxanne was my ride—any chance one of you mind driving? ”
“You’re not going anywhere,” Ivy announced, hip-bumping Emmadonna’s plus-size frame out of the way and swinging an arm around Anna’s shoulders. “Screw Charlie … and the horse he rode in on.”
“Yeah,” Emmadonna cosigned, tossing Ivy’s jar of Vaseline back into her purse.
“I never liked that weave-o-rific heifer anyway.”
A small smile returned to Anna’s lips. It was funny to see soft-spoken Ivy get a little feisty on her behalf. “Don’t get mad at Roxanne. She doesn’t know that I like … liked Charlie in that way.”
“Is there something wrong with her eyes?” Emmadonna countered. “Stevie Wonder can see that—”
“Em, please. Just drop it.” Anna pinched the bridge of her nose to stave off a massive migraine.
“Come on, girl. We’re going back in there.” Emmadonna took one arm and Ivy grabbed hold of the other and together they started marching Anna back into the party.
“What? Wait.”
“No waiting. Once you get thrown off a horse, you don’t just lie on the ground and wait for another one to just trample all over you.”
“Yeah,” Ivy said. “You pick yourself up, dust yourself off and get back on that sucker.”
“Cowboy metaphors? Really?” Anna twisted her face as she was once again shoved back through the fraternity house. The music seemed ten decibels higher. The bass pulsed in perfect time with the thin vein pounding along her temple. Bumping and grinding bodies made the whole place look like it was just seconds from turning into one mass orgy.
“Hot damn,” Emmadonna said, shaking her thick booty. “This is the joint right here!” When she then dropped it down low and then picked it up again, a young brother rolled up on her and tried to show her what he was working with. “I’m going to catch up with you two a little later,” she told Anna before drifting away.
Anna stared after her friend, stunned to be abandoned within seconds of entering the party.
“Don’t pay her no mind,” Ivy consoled. “You know men are her weakness. What we’re going to do is have ourselves a good time. Charlie Masters is not the only shark in the sea—and the fastest way to get over one man is to get under another one.”
Anna frowned. “Come again?”
“Girl, that’s what my momma told me and she has never steered me wrong.”
“Your mother has been married like eight or nine times,” Anna reminded her.
“She practices what she preaches—and trust me, every husband is better than the last.” Ivy laughed.
“All right. What the hell?” Anna conceded the fight. It was clear that none of her girls were going to let her escape this place so that she could go back to her dorm and cry her eyes out.
“Really?” Ivy checked.
Anna bobbed her head. “Yeah. But I think I need a drink first.”
“Then a drink it is! “ She snatched Anna by the hand and proceeded to tug her through the throng of people—yet again. In the crowded kitchen, the girl bypassed the beer keg for the harder stuff on the counter. Before Anna knew it, she was tossing back tequila shots like she was on spring break in Cancun. Next thing she knew, the alcohol snuck up on her and started numbing her heartbreak.
Soon all thoughts of Charlie melted away and all that existed was the jamming beats bumping throughout the house. She closed her eyes and started rocking her hips. She was feeling good—damn good.
“Oooh. So you do know how to loosen up,” an amused baritone said from behind.
Anna
