Chapter 3
Jack was enjoying the taste of his Scotch while he waited for Patrick to show. He looked around and saw some familiar faces. All the members of Saint Sebastian's Board where there, as well as his colleagues and Andrea, who was now the Chief of Nurses. He didn't know the rest of the people. Just guests, he thought.
After five minutes of waiting, his look got trapped by someone crossing the room. She was wearing a black dress with thin straps, not too revealing, neither too tight. It just fitted her right. She was on high heels, yet she walked with grace. She had a really nice body, he thought, and her face looked fine, at least from that distance. She had long straight dark hair, which fell a little down her shoulders.
She's pretty hot, he thought. Then, another feeling got into him. He was surprised. No woman had called his attention in two years, and all of the sudden he was checking this black-dressed girl out.
He watched her sitting at the bar. It looked like she wasn't having a great time. Must be waiting for her date, Jack thought, pessimistic. The idea of her having a significant other annoyed him, which he found even more unbelievable. And why do I give a shit? He thought, but still he couldn't take his eyes off of her. Off her back, actually, since she sat facing the bar, not him.
Then Jack saw another girl arriving to the table. She looked even more annoyed than the black-dressed girl. He flushed when he realized the annoyed girl caught him staring at them. He looked away. When he glanced back, he saw Patrick giving the hot girl a hug. Perfect, he knows her, he thought.
– Look who's here! –Derek Mills, the brain surgeon, said, as he approached Jack and cut his thoughts off.
– Hey. –Jack said, still glancing at Patrick and friends.
– I bet Patrick 20 bucks you weren't coming.
– Well, I'm here. I guess that makes you a loser. –Jack replied, amused, finally getting his eyes off the other side of the room.
Derek was also a good friend of his and Patrick, as well as Varya, Derek's girlfriend, who was an oncologist. They'd been living together for two years now.
– Where's Varya? –Jack asked, trying to focus on something else.
– She's over there, talking to Marion.
– Marion's here? –Jack asked, skeptical. – Then I guess they're official now.
– I have no idea man, you know Patrick. He keeps saying it's just something casual, no strings attached.
– Yeah, right. –Jack said, laughing. Then that feeling got him again. He was having a good time. Was that even possible? Derek kept talking, but Jack was busy trying to figure himself out.
– Hey! You're not listening to me. –Derek told Jack. – What are you looking at?
– Nothing. –replied Jack, trying not to look nervous.
Derek glanced at where Jack seemed to be staring and saw Patrick with the two girls. – Man! What a dog! I just hope Marion won't bust him, it would get ugly. –Derek said.
Jack just giggled, feeling relieved that Derek had no clue he was checking some girl out.
– They're ok. Wait, the one in the black dress is damn hot! –Derek corrected.
I know, and you have a girlfriend, Jack thought. What the hell is wrong with me?
– Who you think she is? –asked Derek.
Jack had no idea either. He was trying to articulate an answer when Patrick arrived. He shook hands with both of his friends.
– You owe me. –Patrick told Derek, a smug smile on his face.
– I'll pay you. –Derek replied, defeated.
– I'm still here, you know? You putting money on me? Are we in high school? –Jack said, rolling eyes.
– We know. And that's the price for being such an ass. You never go out, never come to parties, you really suck, man. –Patrick said, with a fake serious voice.
Soon the three men were talking about different stuff. Patrick's book, the colleagues attending the party, work issues… Then Derek left them and walked to Varya. Jack saw a good chance to ask Patrick about the hot girl.
– This is a huge party. Your face's all over the place. You think I can keep one of those? –Jack asked, pointing to the posters.
– Ha-ha, very funny. Actually I'm getting bored of talking to people I don't even know.
– I guess that's the price for being famous. –Jack said, sarcastic. He took a sip of his drink, and then asked. – So, who's your friend?
– What friend?
– The one you were holding five minutes ago, behind Marion's back, by the way.
– Oh, you mean Brooke, at the bar? You're never going to believe it. She was my roommate at college and now it turns out she knows my editor. –Patrick explained. Jack found peculiar Patrick didn't bring up she was hot, like he didn't notice.
– Your roommate? Great, then she's like twelve. Jack didn't know exactly how old Patrick was, but he knew there was a difference of ten years between them, at least.
– It's a small world... I think you should meet her. –Patrick said, nonchalant.
Jack tensed up a little, thinking Patrick had noticed he had some interest in the girl.
– What?
– My editor, she's the real thing. Maybe you can become a writer too. –Patrick replied, mocking Jack. – Besides, either you talk to her or to our beloved Board members.
Jack relaxed and threw Patrick a "No way" face when he mentioned the Board. – Sure, why not? Then my face can be all over the room next year. –He said, and then both men walked to the bar.