Chapter 16: Harmless Flirting
Lara blinked, surprised that he knew her name. Did Duke tell him about her?
She shot Duke a suspicious glare.
I swear, if he told him any embarrassing stories…
"Uh… actually, it's Lara," she corrected.
The man tilted his head. "Oh? Then who's Nichole?"
Lara sighed. "It's my second name. Duke decided on his own to call me that, without my consent, and I got tired of correcting him."
The man let out a deep chuckle. "Figures. He probably loves the fact that he's the only one who calls you that. It's like his own personal pet name for you."
Ali snickered while Duke groaned. "Babe, please."
Lara raised an eyebrow, confused by their reactions. As if they knew something she didn't. But before she could question it, the man extended a hand toward her.
"The name's Asher. But Ash will do."
Lara took his hand, offering a small smile. "Glad to meet you, Ash."
Ash turned to Ali next, his lips quirking in amusement. "And you must be the infamous Ali."
Ali gasped dramatically, placing a hand on her chest. "Infamous? Rude. The correct term is famous."
Duke and Ash chuckled.
"Right, the famous Ali," Ash corrected, playing along.
Ali tossed her hair over her shoulder, grinning. "Much better. Happy to make your acquaintance, Ash."
With introductions out of the way, Ash and Duke guided them toward the plush leather couches.
The other three men, who had been silently watching the exchange with mild amusement, finally spoke up, introducing themselves one by one.
The first one, a blonde with striking features that made him look like a Hollywood star, smiled. "I'm Noah. Pleasure to meet you, ladies."
The second, a man with dark hair and a strong jawline that hinted at mixed American-Italian heritage, nodded. "Giovanni. Gio, for short." His voice was smooth, almost lazy, like he was used to drawing attention without trying. He leaned forward slightly, his dark eyes locking onto Lara. "You're even prettier in person."
Lara felt warmth creep up her cheeks. "Oh. Uh, thank you?"
Ali nudged her playfully. "Damn, girl. You should come out more often."
Lara chuckled, shaking her head. The compliment was flattering, sure, but deep down, she knew words like these didn't mean much. Not when the one man who should have looked at her that way never did.
She exhaled softly, pushing the thought away.
The third and last one, a man with sharp features and dark eyes that reminded Lara of a half-Korean, half-American model, smirked. "Zach." he introduced himself. "And let me guess, you two are the troublemakers Duke warned us about?"
Lara scoffed, pointing at Ali. "Troublemaker? That's all her. I'm innocent."
Zach chuckled, his gaze shifting to Ali with obvious interest. "I find that hard to believe."
Ali smirked. "Well, do you like trouble?"
Zach let out a low chuckle. "Depends on the kind of trouble we're talking about."
Lara shook her head, laughing at their banter. Now that she saw the men up close, she realized she recognized their faces from Duke's Instagram posts. They were all good-looking, successful, and effortlessly charismatic.
But her mind suddenly drifted to one particular person.
To the man with striking green eyes.
The one she had also seen in Duke's posts before. She wondered if he'd be here tonight. There was something about those eyes that intrigued her. She had never seen anyone with such a piercing gaze before.
As the night went on, drinks flowed, and the group easily fell into conversation. The four men were charismatic and had a way of keeping things lively. Lara found herself enjoying their company, so much so that for the first time in a while, she wasn't thinking about Lucas.
Duke and Ash had become lost in their own little world, murmuring to each other as if no one else existed. Meanwhile, Ali had turned her attention to Zach, her flirtatious nature taking over as she laughed at something he said, her fingers brushing against his arm playfully.
Lara, on the other hand, remained quiet, sipping her drink as Noah and Giovanni occasionally engaged her in conversation. They were smooth talkers, their words playful and teasing. She could tell they were flirting, but it was harmless, effortless in a way that didn't made her feel uncomfortable.
"You know, Lara," Giovanni mused, swirling the whiskey in his glass, his dark eyes holding a mischievous glint, "watching you sit there all quiet and mysterious… it's almost unfair."
Lara arched a brow. "Unfair? How so?"
Giovanni leaned in slightly, a lazy smirk tugging at his lips. "Because now I have no choice but to spend the rest of the night figuring you out."
Lara burst into laughter, shaking her head. "That's smooth, but I'm married." She held up her left hand, flashing her ring.
Giovanni chuckled, exchanging a glance with Noah before looking back at her. "We know."
She gave them a curious look. "And you're still hitting on a married woman?"
Giovanni shrugged. "Hey, don't get us wrong. We respect boundaries. But you look like you could use a little distraction tonight."
Lara let out a soft laugh, though the words struck a little too close to home. "That obvious, huh?"
Noah smirked. "Pain has a way of showing itself, no matter how much you try to hide it."
She froze for a moment. Was it that easy to see? Had she been that transparent?
Lifting her drink, she masked her expression behind another sip before exhaling. "Well, I appreciate the thought, but I think you two should find someone else to charm."
Giovanni grinned. "What if the married woman is too hot to ignore?"
Lara rolled her eyes but chuckled, shaking her head. "I'd say you're wasting your efforts."
Noah and Giovanni laughed but didn't push any further. Lara felt nice, even if fleeting, to have someone give her attention—attention that didn't feel forced or obligatory.
They continued chatting, the teasing fading into lighthearted conversation. Giovanni asked her about her job, and she found herself talking about her students and how much she loved teaching. Noah shared a few funny stories from his own work, making her laugh, genuinely laugh, for the first time that night.
But the moment was fleeting.
Noah's phone buzzed, and after a quick glance at the screen, he excused himself to take the call.
A few minutes later, Giovanni stood and stretched. "I need a smoke. Don't miss me too much, Lara." He shot her a wink before heading toward the exit.
Lara shook her head, smiling faintly. But as soon as they were gone, the loneliness crept back in, slipping through the cracks of her carefully maintained composure.
She stared at the amber liquid in her glass, swirling it absentmindedly as the lively chatter around her faded into background noise.
And then, like an unwelcome guest, her thoughts dragged her back to the one thing she had been desperately trying to forget.
Lucas.
With Riah.
She squeezed her eyes shut, but it was no use. The image of Lucas and Riah standing too close, his hand resting possessively on her waist, played over and over again in her mind like a cruel, never-ending loop.
Her grip on her glass tightened.
She had been so sure. It was Riah.
There was no other woman in Lucas's life.
It couldn't have been his mother, his sister, or some distant relative. That kind of touch, that kind of familiarity. It wasn't meant for family.
Her throat burned as she swallowed hard.
Why does it still hurt so much?
A bitter laugh escaped her lips as she stared at the ice melting in her drink.
Because you're stupid, Lara.
Because after everything, you still love him.
After everything, you still hope.
Her chest ached, the weight of it pressing down on her like a slow, suffocating tide.
She didn't want to think about it. But here she was, drowning in it.
She couldn't break down here. Not in front of Duke. Not in front of his friends.
Taking a deep breath, she forced down the lump in her throat. She wasn't going to cry.
Lifting her glass, she downed the rest of the whiskey in one gulp, welcoming the burn as it slid down her throat.
If she was going to drown in her emotions, she might as well let the alcohol take her down with them.