Chapter 4 Chapter Four: Millie

I didn’t know what I was doing at the hotel bar, but all I knew was that I didn’t want to stay locked in that room.

So, I put on a red dress that I hadn’t even planned on packing in the first place, slipped into a pair of black heels, and pulled my hair into a high ponytail.

Maybe I just needed some space.

Staying in the same room as Jude had messed with my head in ways I couldn’t even describe. We had made a deal the night before to solve the whole sleeping arrangement issue. I would take the couch for one night, and he’d take it for the other.

Honestly, the couch wasn’t even uncomfortable, so Jude had no reason to feel bad about me sleeping on it.

However, I would feel terrible if he had to sleep there. He was way taller than I was, and I couldn’t exactly imagine his long legs fitting comfortably on that thing.

I had barely taken a few steps into the bar when I heard someone call my name.

“Millie! Over here!”

I frowned and turned toward the direction of the voice. To say I was surprised would have been an understatement. Because the person who had just called my name was sitting with Jude.

I hadn’t even known Jude was in the bar.

For some reason, that made me feel strangely awkward. I wasn’t sure why I had come here in the first place, but I had wanted to do something different. The last thing I had expected was to run into him.

Hesitantly, I walked toward them.

Jude had his back turned to me, which made me wonder if he even wanted me to join them. Maybe he’d gotten sick of me.

I had already bothered him enough by staying in the same room. The last thing I wanted was to follow him around like I had nothing better to do.

“Hi,” I said nervously when I reached the table.

The guy sitting with Jude immediately smiled at me.

“It’s nice to meet you, Millie.”

How did he even know my name?

“We were just talking about you!”

And he had just answered my question. But why were they talking about me?

“I was just telling him that the world is too small because you and I were classmates, and now we work for the same team,” Jude explained, finally turning to look at me.

His eyes traveled over me for a second before settling on my face. I suddenly became very aware of the red dress I was wearing.

“Yeah.” I nodded, trying to ignore the awkward feeling in my stomach. “Too small.”

“Why don’t you sit with us?” his friend offered. “I’m Niall, by the way.”

“I’d tell you my name, but it seems like you already know it.” I let out a nervous laugh. “And I don’t want to intrude.”

“You can sit with us if you want,” Jude said.

His words sounded casual enough, but something about his tone made me wonder if he was only inviting me out of politeness.

“Unless…” Niall started, raising an eyebrow. “You’re here because you’re meeting somebody.”

“Oh, no.” I quickly shook my head. “I’m just here to waste some time.”

“Great! Then sit with us.”

Niall was the complete opposite of Jude. He seemed cheerful, incredibly outgoing, and far too comfortable talking to someone he had just met.

Nothing like Jude.

I glanced at Jude, wondering if he was actually okay with me staying.

He gave me a small nod.

“Okay.”

I reluctantly pulled out the chair and took a seat beside them, trying not to overthink the fact that I had somehow ended up at the same table as Jude.

An hour later, I could already feel myself getting tipsy, but I was having fun.

I never thought I’d spend my night with Jude and his friend, but Niall was surprisingly great company. He had a way of keeping the conversation going, and somehow, I had already laughed more tonight than I had in weeks.

“Are you single, Millie?” Niall asked, taking a sip of his drink.

“I am.”

He immediately rolled his eyes.

I frowned at him. “What?”

“You’re just as boring as Jude.”

Jude and I exchanged a confused look before turning back to him.

“You two are single and in Vegas, and you’re not even trying to make the most out of it!”

I frowned, not exactly following his logic.

“What are we supposed to do?”

“Have fun!” He shrugged. “Maybe get laid.”

My cheeks immediately reddened, and I looked down at my drink

“I’m not ready for that,” I admitted.

“Why?”

“Because I just got out of a four-year relationship.”

“If you don’t mind me asking,” Jude spoke up, and I looked at him. “Why did you break up?”

My gaze fell to the tequila shot in front of me. I grabbed it and chugged it without thinking. Alcohol was desperately needed in situations like this.

“It’s a long story.” I let out a heavy sigh. “Are you sure you want to hear it?”

My eyes moved between the two of them.

“We’ve got all the time in the world.” Niall shrugged.

For some odd reason, talking to Jude and his friend didn’t feel wrong. If anything, it was like lifting a weight off my chest.