Chapter 2 — Sweeping

I grew even more nervous. I wasn’t used to being the center of attention, but I reminded myself that I wasn’t the shy, introverted Ava anymore. Determined, I moved forward, swaying my hips and letting my body do the talking.

"Bone! I can’t believe it!" Cecil was the first to hug me tightly.

"And here we were, making plans to comfort you!" Paula chimed in, planting a kiss on my cheek.

"Look at you! You look amazing!" Maggie exclaimed, pulling me into a hug.

"But… what happened to you?!" Paula asked as I settled into one of the chairs around the table.

"Well," I said, shaking my head slightly with a small smirk, "I got tired of suffering. What good does it do me? I’m ready to skip all the stages of grief and just enjoy myself already." I shrugged, feigning nonchalance.

"Yeeessss, that’s the spirit!"

All the girls cheered enthusiastically, their voices blending with the lively energy of the club.

The waiter arrived, took our order and a minute later he arrived with several rounds of drinks, tonight would be to celebrate.

No more crying, no more Mike and I wouldn't regret any more for my exes. Although that same morning I thought that I would end up celebrating my engagement, now I was thinking of celebrating for my freedom.

We drank a lot, round after round, I began to feel how the elixir began to take effect in my body, I felt more alert, extroverted, as if my brain finally accepted the idea that I was trying to introduce to it all day, that I was an independent, strong, and brave woman.

But not only that, another sensation accompanied me, I felt observed.

I drank the drink that was in front of me and trying to hide it, I turned to look for that look on my back that had me restless, when I found beautiful and intense blue eyes that remained fixed on me, it was an extremely attractive man who was watching me in the distance. A chill ran through my body.

How could a person produce that feeling with nothing more than a look? I immediately turned back to the table, feeling flushed.

One of the girls noticed the brief moment when that man and I exchanged glances. She quickly leaned in and murmured in my ear.

"Ava, it seems like you’re turning heads tonight," Maggie teased.

"Mmmm?" I pretended to be distracted.

"Don’t play coy. “I saw that you noticed," she said, subtly pointing with her lips toward a spot in the club. "That spectacular specimen has been staring at you for a while."

She leaned back in her seat, acting as if she hadn’t said anything.

Curiosity got better of me, and I glanced back, taking a closer look at the owner of those piercing blue eyes. He was undeniably attractive—a man with strikingly chiseled features, a well-defined nose, and thick, dark eyebrows that matched his jet-black hair. The contrast with his fair skin only made his intense blue eyes even more mesmerizing.

I noticed his casual attire, which seemed effortlessly stylish. He wasn’t alone—two other men sat with him, both equally good-looking and engrossed in conversation.

Taking advantage of their distraction, I toasted with my friends, but my eyes couldn’t help wandering back to him. I was captivated, almost spellbound, as I observed him. My trance was broken by the giggles erupting at my own table—my friends were whispering and laughing about how handsome the group of men was.

I ignored their chatter, trying to focus elsewhere, but after their toast, the blue-eyed man turned toward me again. This time, when our gazes met, he smirked ever so slightly and raised his glass in my direction.

Caught off guard, I quickly turned away, my heart racing. Nervous and surprised by his boldness, I glanced at my friends, who were now murmuring excitedly among themselves, barely able to contain their laughter.

"What are you doing, Ava?!" Maggie leaned over the table to whisper, her eyes gleaming with mischief. "Why are you scared? That guy is clearly into you."

"You’ve got nothing to be afraid of," Cecil added with a grin. "You’re single and stunning tonight—go for it!"

"He’s incredibly handsome," Paula chimed in. "Maybe you should at least talk to him a little."

They were all over me, murmuring like the tiny imps that appear on cartoon characters' shoulders, urging me to misbehave. I nodded, sipped my drink, and gave them a nervous smile.

Yes, I’d promised myself that I was the new Ava. But honestly? I wasn’t ready for that much of a transformation. Marching over to a stranger’s table to kickstart a seduction plan wasn’t in my playbook. Just the thought of it made my cheeks burn.

Sure, I wanted to be a braver, bolder version of myself. But diving straight into the deep end like this? I wasn’t there yet.

To distract myself—and hopefully my friends, I forced a change in subject. Turning to the girls, I asked about work. Since we all worked at the same company, albeit in different departments, it was a safe, familiar topic.

A minute later, the waiter returned with a bottle, which caught us off guard since he’d just dropped off a fresh round of drinks.

"I have a gift for you," he said, placing the bottle on our table with a knowing smile. "It’s from the gentlemen at that table."

He gestured toward their table—the one where the blue-eyed man was sitting. All of us turned to look in unison, and the men smiled back.

But the blue-eyed man? He didn’t just smile. His gaze locked on me, intense and unwavering. He raised his glass in my direction, and I felt another shiver race down my spine. I quickly averted my eyes, mumbling a polite thank-you to the waiter.

"Hey, Ava!" Paula whispered excitedly. "Why don’t you invite him to dance?"

"No... I... I can’t," I stammered, my nerves already kicking into overdrive.

"Come on!" Cecil urged, practically bouncing in her seat. "Don’t be such a prude! You’re supposed to enjoy yourself tonight!"

"Okay, okay!" I raised my hands, trying to calm them down. Their excitement was practically contagious, fueled by the attention of those handsome strangers. "I’ll think about it, all right?"

We kept drinking, laughing, and enjoying ourselves, but I couldn’t stop thinking about that handsome man. Every so often, I’d steal a glance at his table, only to grow nervous when he caught me staring.

A little while later, I heard someone clearing their throat behind me.

“Good evening.”

The deep, gravelly voice sent a chill down my spine, and every hair on my body stood on end. I froze, instinctively knowing who it was.

When I finally turned around, there he was—the blue-eyed man. He was even taller than I’d imagined, easily about six foot three, and just looking at him made my heart leap.

“I was wondering if you’d like to dance with me,” he said, extending his hand toward me.

I stared at him, stunned, my mind blank. Turning to my friends for support, I found them wide-eyed and frantically gesturing, nodding, winking, urging me to accept. Meanwhile, I sat there nervously, my pulse racing, overwhelmed by the presence of this striking man.

At last, I managed a slight nod. With my mouth half open, I placed my hand in it. Standing on shaky legs, not helped by my sky-high heels or the nerves fluttering in my stomach, I let him lead me to the dance floor.

We started to dance, keeping a polite distance, though I could feel his presence enveloping me.

“My name’s Alex,” he said suddenly, his deep voice cutting through the music.

“I’m Ava,” I replied softly, glancing up at him as a faint blush warmed my cheeks.

“A pleasure, Ava.”

He slid his hand to my waist, pulling me closer with an ease that left me breathless.

After the song ended, he invited me to the bar to go for a drink, the girls looked at me from the table smiling, with an expression of approval, I guessed they wouldn't mind me chatting for a while with the newcomer, so I accepted.