Longing for You (Touched by Magic Book 1) by Kelli McCracken Page B

industry had a way of doing that to people.
    “You promise you will call me if you need anything, right?”
    Once she noticed Ally nod, she concentrated on the street. The cab would be pulling up any second. Enough time had passed since she called them. In a way, she was relieved to be going home. It hadn’t been the best night for either of them. If Mike sent her one more text, she’d block his number.
    “I feel bad for getting you drunk and then asking for space. Maybe you should just stay. I’ll pass out in a few minutes anyway.”
    “Please,” Cassie snorted. “I’m buzzed, but I wouldn’t say I’m drunk. You, my friend, are very drunk. You need to get some sleep.”
    A goofy smile curled Ally’s lips as she turned in Cassie’s direction. Her body swayed from side to side. If she didn’t go to bed soon, she’d do a face plant on the table.
    Guess that was better than the concrete at their feet.
    At least the tension began to fade, and not a moment too soon. A flicker of light drew their attention back to the street where the cab began to slow two houses down. She couldn’t wait to get home and let the day be over.
    “Cass?” Ally began as both stood. “This whole night went to hell because of me. You wouldn’t let me pay for the drinks, so will you at least let me pay for the cab?”
    “Nope. I’ve got this.” The words barely made it out of Cassie’s mouth when realization jolted through her. Her purse was nowhere in sight, nor did she remember getting it back from Mike. That meant it was still at the club, locked away in the cabinet.
    Shit…
    She didn’t dare mention this to Ally. Her friend would either insist she stay or insist on paying for the cab again. Neither option would keep Cassie from the inevitable. She had to face Mike, and for more reasons than to collect her purse.
    It was that thought that had her opening the front door of Ally’s house and motioning her friend to go inside. “I’m not leaving until I know you’re in bed. Let’s go, missy.”
    Ally parted her lips like she would argue, but Cassie shook her head and pointed again. Her friend slumped her shoulders and walked inside while Cassie motioned to the cabbie to give her a minute. When he nodded, she followed Ally to her bedroom. It wouldn’t take long to make sure she made it to bed without passing out on the floor. Once she did, Cassie could head back to Midnight Blues.
    While she wasn’t looking forward to seeing Mike, especially after all the texts he’d sent, she couldn’t deny that a certain level of excitement pulsed through her veins. And that excitement stemmed from the thought of seeing the McCabe brothers one more time.  
    One McCabe brother in particular.
    * * *
    Cassie observed the entrance of Midnight Blues once the cab pulled up to the curb. The crowd of people who’d been hanging outside, smoking and chatting, had dispersed into different directions on the street.
    The minute she exited the cab, she noticed the lack of music pouring from the club’s open door. Guess Theo’s band had finished their set. There was a good chance that he and Jonah were no longer there, seeing as how it was close to one a.m.
    A twinge of disappointment had her hesitating from going any further, but it was the cabbie’s voice that forced her to brush aside the thoughts. “You sure you don’t want me to wait for you, sugar?”
    “Yeah, I’m sure. I don’t know how long I’m gonna be.”  
    She reached inside her back pocket and removed the money she’d found not long after they’d left Ally’s house. Had she not dug her phone out of her back pocket to read all of Mike’s texts, she still wouldn’t know about the money.
    At least she wouldn’t have to come back out and pay her fare once she collected her purse from Mike. As long as they didn’t get into another long discussion, she’d search for Theo and Jonah. Hopefully, they were still around and in the mood to talk, not that she couldn’t find better