Chapter 8
Riley
T here’s nothing quite like the smell of stale cigarettes and warm beer on a Monday night. No, really, I can’t think of anything quite like it. At least Mondays at Evergreen Tavern aren’t very busy, and I have a sneaking suspicion that’s why Chloe was so adamant that we go out tonight of all nights.
Chloe waltzes in like she owns the place and walks right up to the bar to order a drink. The wall behind the bar is covered in old, beat-up license plates from all over the country, and it gives it the character it needs. The bartender is busy wiping down the counter until he sees Chloe and does a double take. He walks up to her, smirking. He places his tattooed arms on the bar and leans forward so he can hear her.
“Hey, there. What can I get for ya?”
She bats her eyelashes, pretending to be shy, and I roll my eyes. “Umm, do you have the ingredients for a cosmo?” What on Earth is she doing? I tap my foot on top of hers, and she hip checks me and shakes her head slightly.
“I think I can manage to find the ingredients for that drink,” he says, grinning. He turns his attention to me to ask what I want. “For you, darlin’?” I fight the urge to roll my eyes again.
“I’ll just have the same. Thanks,” I murmur.
“Sure thing.” He winks at me.
He walks away to make our drinks, and I hip check Chloe like she did to me a moment ago. “Chloe, why do you do that?”
“Do what?” she asks, feigning ignorance.
“Oh, I dunno, act like some ditz who doesn’t know what’s going on.”
She sighs exaggeratedly. “I’m trying to get a free drink, Riles.”
I burst out laughing. “There’s no way that really works.”
She grins and winks. “Bet.”
The bartender walks back over with two very pink looking drinks, and I cringe. I actually hate cosmos, but I didn’t want to be difficult. He places them both on the bar and smiles at me, then Chloe. “On the house, ladies. Enjoy yourselves tonight, and let me know if you’re bored and need some fun.”
Chloe puts her hand on her chest, and he tracks the movement. “Oh my gosh, thank you so much. It’s girls’ night tonight, but we’ll let you know.” She winks and turns to go find a table, and I’m a bit stunned and impressed with what my best friend just did.
As we walk over and seat ourselves at a bar height table, my skin feels itchy because I can feel eyes on us. I know that no one is looking at me, they’re looking at Chloe, but it still makes me feel uncomfortable. We sit down, and Chloe is smirking at me.
I look down and pull my hair from behind my ears so it’s covering a bit more of my face. “What? Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Because, Riley, you’ve turned so many heads in this bar, these dudes are going to have to see a chiropractor tomorrow.”
My drink sprays from my lips as I try to contain my laugh. “Chloe, how many of those have you had, ‘cause they were definitely looking at you and not me?”
She flips her hair over her shoulder before saying, “Oh, I know, but a good majority were definitely looking at you, too.”
I giggle—actually giggle—and I’m questioning how many drinks I’ve had because I’m not a giggler.
“Don’t be so modest, Chloe.”
“See, Riley, that’s where you need to reframe your mind. It’s not vain to feel good in your skin. You look hot tonight, and not only are you hot, you are an amazing person, so own it.”
I feel my cheeks heat, and once again, I’m not sure if it’s the alcohol or my own insecurities showing on my face. Maybe Chloe’s right. I do feel extra good in this outfit that she picked out for me and it’s something that I never would have chosen for myself. I wouldn’t have even tried it on if I were by myself. I would have thought that it wouldn’t be flattering on my curves, but it actually shows off all the right places.
I’m lost in my thoughts when Chloe clears her throat. My eyes shoot up to hers. “What is it?”
“Don’t turn around now, but guess who just walked in.”
My heart instantly falls to my butt, and I start getting cold sweats. This can’t be happening. I came out tonight partly to get my mind off of him. Chloe doesn’t know that, because of course, I won’t admit how much he’s on my mind, but it’s true.
“Oh, God. No, no, no. Maybe he won’t see me.”
Chloe’s eyes widen. “Oh my gosh. You really do like him or you wouldn’t be freaking out like this. Riles, let him see you in all of your hotness. Maybe you can finally get some one-on-one time with him and have a conversation that doesn’t have to do with nails and screws.” She smirks. “Pun intended.”
I smack her arm. “Chloe, it’s girls’ night. I’m not going to leave you here by yourself to go talk to him.”
“What kind of wing woman would I be if I didn’t encourage you to go spread your wild oats?”
“Never ever say ‘spread your wild oats’ again.”
“I’m serious, Riles, you should go. And like you said, there were plenty of eligible bachelors checking me out when we walked in. I won’t be by myself for long,” she says, winking.
My palms are sweaty, and my heart feels like it’s beating out of my throat. Am I really going to go do this? He’s going to think I’m a psycho after I have been so cold with him, but once again, I’m here to challenge myself, so I suppose here goes nothing.
“Riles, wait. Before you go, take off your jacket,” she says, waggling her eyebrows at me.
I roll my eyes, and I’m about to say, “absolutely not,” but that one drink has me feeling a little brave. I take off my jacket and look behind me as I hang it over my chair. There he is, sitting by himself at a nearby bar top table.
Gosh, he looks handsome. He’s wearing dark jeans and a long sleeve Henley, with the first couple of buttons undone. His sleeves are rolled up, and there are his dang forearms again. Muscles and everything.
I get up and make my way over on shaky legs. It’s not a far walk, but right now, it feels like miles, and it almost feels like my vision is going in and out. I try to take deep, settling breaths, and my vision becomes sharper. I can do this. I’ve talked to him so many times before and I never feel like this. I’m just saying hi; it just feels different because it’s out of our usual element.
Just a few more steps and I’m there. Except, instead, I freeze. He looks up and sees me coming, and we lock eyes. Right as the most gorgeous woman I’ve ever seen runs her hand up his forearm, over his shoulder, and leans down so her huge fake boobs are in his face and whispers in his ear. Then she sits down at the empty seat, the only other seat at his table.
I realize I’m frozen, standing there, staring. I quickly try to recover and wrack my brain for what to do when my guardian angel comes and saves the day, and she has a guy with her. A really tall, really hot guy, and he now has his hand around my waist.
“Hey, there you are. We were looking for you.”
I look up at him, stunned. What in the ever-loving hell is going on? Then it all clicks. I have the best friend in the world, and she orchestrated this in two seconds flat so I wouldn’t be absolutely mortified. The hot guy is not a bad touch. I’m still a little dazed when I reply, “Here I am.” Oh my gosh, duh, Riley, yes, here you are. Thankfully, Chloe steps in and takes over.
“We ordered another round. It just got to our table.”
“Oh, good, that’s great. Excellent. Perfect. Let's go.”
I scurry out of there as fast as I can and almost trip on my way. Mortified, I grab my jacket off the back of my chair and turn around to bolt out the door. As I turn to go, I feel Chloe yank on my arm and spin me around.
“Riles, I can only imagine what you must be feeling right now, but don’t let him see you run out of here because of it.”
“Chloe, I can’t stay here.”
“I know, I know, I’m not saying that. I’m saying don’t let him see you run out of here alone.”
With pain in my eyes I snap, “Newsflash, Chloe, I am alone.” There’s so much truth in that one small sentence. I have felt so alone since my mom died. Worthless and alone, and right when I come out to challenge that, it all royally blows up in my face.
She looks at me with the most empathy in her eyes. “I know it feels that way, Riles, but you’re not alone, even when it feels like you are, you’re not. I am here, always. I’m not suggesting you walk out alone, I’m suggesting you walk out with Grant.”
“Who the hell is Grant?”
The guy who had his arm around my waist just a few minutes ago waves at me. “That would be me.”
I wince. “Sorry. You don’t have to do that, though. You don’t even know me.”
“Hey, no worries. I go to school with Chloe, and I was heading out, anyway. I’d be happy to walk you out to your Uber.”
“Are you sure?”
“Of course.”
I think about it for a minute, unsure. I turn around and see Finn talking to the big boobed brunette and my decision is made. There’s no way in hell I’m walking past them on my own.
“Alright, let’s do it.”
Grant takes me by the hand, and we walk toward the exit. It takes everything in me not to look at Finn’s table as I walk by. As we near the exit, I can feel eyes on me, and I know it’s too good to be true to think that Finn is watching me leave. Don’t look, don’t look, don’t look, I tell myself. I look, and my breathing stops as I realize Finn’s eyes have been burning into my skin since I walked past his table.
Why is he looking at me like that when he has that Victoria’s Secret model sitting across from him, with her manicured hand resting on his muscled forearms? The forearms I can’t stop thinking about. Now I’m going to go home and ruminate on this dumpster fire of a night. I’m going to furrow back into my den and never come out. And Finn Hart is never going to call me Riles again.