Searching For Jenna novel Chapter 33

"Having a good time," Elliot said, bumping his fist against Chase's. Now he was even more suspicious about why Steven was at this particular bar. "What about you?"

"Oh yeah," Chase said. Elliot heard a little slur in his voice. Chase grabbed Steven's shoulder and said, "You need to come back to our table. The view's getting good."

"Okay," Steven said and looked back at Elliot. There was something about Steven's smirk that Elliot didn't like. "Catch you later."

Elliot watched them walk away toward the other side of the club. The restrooms were on that side, and Elliot decided he should check them out and see if he could see how many of Steven's posse was with him.

Elliot moved through the crowd keeping eight to ten people between Steven and himself. From his position, he could see Steven and Chase sitting down at a table with about five other guys. It was entirely too weird that they showed up at the place he'd picked to go for a relaxing night. Being relaxed just went out the window.

In the restroom, Elliot stepped in a stall and texted Sandy while he used the restroom. He asked her about what Steven had said. She texted him back that what Steven said was more or less the truth, but she'd overheard Megan and Cara talking about going to Lexington tonight after the restaurant closed. Sandy said she thought they were going to meet some of Megan's friends and go out dancing.

When Elliot came out of the restroom, he looked out over the crowd. What were the possibilities that Megan and Cara would be coming to this bar? Elliot was headed for his spot on the opposite side of the club when the band started playing their version of "Footloose." Beth hunted Elliot out of the crowd and pulled him over to where Beth's friends, Emma and Zoey were waiting with none other than Megan and Cara.

"Oh my God!" Megan shouted and wrapped her arms around Elliot. "What are you doing here?"

"What am I doing here? What are you doing here?" Elliot asked in stunned surprise.

"Cara said she heard about this bar and thought we ought to check it out," Megan shouted in Elliot's ear.

Cara seemed genuinely surprised to see him, but Jason had been the one who mentioned this place and then Elliot had looked it up online. He could have told Cara about it too. Elliot had to wonder if Jason might be trying to play matchmaker.

"You guys know each other?" Beth asked in surprise.

"We work together," Megan said pointing between Cara, Elliot and herself.

"No shit!" Beth laughed. "And you didn't plan on coming together? Sounds like fate." Then she screamed, making everyone jump. "Oh my God! This is my favorite song. Come on, Elliot!" She grabbed Elliot and pulled him out to dance with her to Trace Adkins' "Honky Tonk Badonkadonk."

"Come on, Cara," Megan said and pulled Cara out on the dance floor with them.

Before Elliot knew it, the girls had pulled in a couple more guys, and all of them were dancing every song. A slow song came on, and Beth pulled Elliot out on the floor again. "I think I might have some competition," she said into his ear.

Elliot blushed blood red. When Cara didn't move right away, Beth grabbed her hand and pulled her up. "Come on. You know you want to." She pushed them out onto the floor together.

"She's right," Elliot admitted. "I did want to dance with you."

Cara nodded just barely. "Yeah." She swallowed nervously.

The next song was "Remember When" by Alan Jackson and Elliot pulled Cara closer. He remembered their beginnings, and he wondered if she was thinking about Jenna. He had no idea how he would tell her that Jenna was dead. That part of him was long gone. This song almost made him want to cry for all they'd lost, but Cara would probably freak out, wondering what the hell was wrong with him.

The band switched back to upbeat songs, but when Elliot pulled back and looked down at Cara, he could see the confusion in her eyes. He knew she felt the same attraction he did, the one that brought them together in the first place. But, she didn't understand why she was having these feelings for a man.

Out of the corner of his eye, Elliot saw Steven stalking them. He was watching what they were doing. Elliot twirled Cara making her laugh and then pulled her close. "Steven and his group are here," he said in her ear.

Her eyes went wide. "You're not serious."