18. Lizzy
LIZZY
I can’t look away. The movers I hired are working at warp speed. They’ve packed half my life away in boxes in less than two hours. It would’ve taken me weeks to do the same amount of work that they’ve knocked out in no time. They’re worth every single penny.
Everything in my life is moving at a dizzying pace. I’m not used to so much change in a compact amount of time, but I’m rolling with it because I know what comes next is nothing but good.
My house is going on the market next week.
I should have enough profit to purchase a majority of Brax’s stake in the bar if I want.
I haven’t decided. It’s a huge change for me, going from the corporate world to the bar life.
While I love a great martini, I don’t know if I’ll like serving customers and working nontraditional hours.
I know my current life in Star Falls isn’t bringing me joy anymore.
I’m crossing my fingers that I’m not jumping the gun with both Mason and my career switch.
All I know is that I needed something different.
I want more out of life, and that is never going to happen if I stay in the pattern I’ve been in my entire life.
“Ma’am,” one of the movers says, walking into the living room where I’m perched in my favorite reading chair. “We’re done for the day, but we’ll be back tomorrow morning to finish up.”
“Thank you,” I tell him.
The man isn’t big on small talk. He doesn’t say anything more as he rounds up his crew and exits.
I take a few moments to soak in the sight before me.
Boxes are piled everywhere, and furniture is covered in plastic wrap.
Most of my things are headed to storage down the street from Mason’s until I decide whether I’m going to stay with him.
I’m not ready to let things go or integrate them into his place until I know for sure that I’m not making the biggest mistake of my life.
“You better not do this shit in Chicago,” Mandy says, walking into my house. “You can’t leave your door open or unlocked.”
“Shit. The movers,” I mutter as I cross the room to give my best friend a hug. “You’re looking fabulous, as always.”
She pulls back, looking me over. “Girl, you’re practically glowing yourself. You’re so in love.”
“I am.” I can’t wipe the smile off my face when I let my mind drift to my hunky boyfriend.
Mandy looks around and whistles. “They got a lot done.”
“I know.” I sigh, happy that I didn’t have to do all the work myself.
Mandy bumps my shoulder with her own. “I can’t believe you’re really doing it.”
“I know.” This is all so unlike me. I never leap into anything without thinking of the millions of little things that could go wrong.
“I’m really proud of you.”
I turn to her, my chest aching at the thought of not being able to see her all the time. “I’m going to miss you.”
“I’ll come visit.” She waves her hand at me. “No tears. We need martinis. Get your purse and shoes, and let’s get the hell out of here before you turn on the waterworks.”
“I’m fine.” Of course, I’m lying. She’s the only thing about the move that is tugging at my heart. Best friends are rare, and lifelong ones even more so.
“Bullshit,” she mutters. “But you will be after a few drinks. We need to celebrate your fresh start.”
I grab my purse and slip on my heels ready to get out and experience my little town one more time as a resident and not a visitor.
I’ve never lived anywhere else. I traveled a lot, but I’ve always had Star Falls to come back to and call home.
“I’m ready,” I tell her, but I’m talking about more than drinks.
Ten minutes later, we’re seated at the bar at Benito’s. Although I’ll miss the food here, Chicago has more than enough fabulous Italian restaurants to scratch any itch I get.
“So, tell me more about Mason.” Mandy stirs her martini with the tiny straw spearing the blueberries. She opted for a lemon blueberry martini, while I went for a dark-chocolate one.
“I’ve told you a lot already.”
“Does he give you the ick at all?”
I shake my head and laugh. “Not at all. I’m sure I’ll find something when we’re more comfortable with each other.”
“The honeymoon phase will wear off eventually. It took a couple months before I found an ick for Tim.”
Tim was Mandy’s last boyfriend. They dated six months, but she ended it as soon as she found out he’d been cheating on her the entire time.
“But,” she continues before I have a chance to reply, “I think, if he’s the one, you won’t have an ick. You’ll love everything he does, even if it’s bizarre.”
“What do you think is something that’s bizarre?”
“Bites his fingernails and spits them across the room.”
“Ew, girl,” I say as I scrunch up my face in disgust. “What type of men are you dating?”
“Losers.”
“Obviously.”
“What’s the one thing you like most about him? I mean, besides his massive cock and muscles.”
Thank God I wasn’t taking a sip of my martini, because I would’ve choked. “He’s sweet to me.”
“Damn right. He’d better be. If a man isn’t sweet when he says he loves you, you get the hell out. You hear me?”
“I learned that one already,” I tell her, remembering the asshole who filled my mind with garbage. I turn my head, and my eyes land on that very person, as if I pulled him out of my thoughts. “Fuck,” I hiss.
“What?”
“He’s here.”
“Who?” Mandy looks around and stops dead when her eyes find him too. “I’m going to kill him.”
I grab her wrist as she starts to rise from her high-back chair. “No. I get to do this.”
“Really? I can do it for you.”
Mandy’s always tried to protect me. While I try to be soft and sweet, she’s always been loud and confrontational. It’s why we work so well together. And while a lot of my kindness has worn off on her, none of her stronger traits have ever come out in me. Until now.
“I need to do this before I never see him again.” That’s one of the things I’m looking forward to in this move. I’ll be leaving more good behind, but the little bit of bad in this small town will never touch me again. “I need to get this out.”
“You do you. Just know, I’ve got your back if shit goes south.”
“I know,” I tell her as I slide off my chair and smooth out my clothes, standing up straighter and stronger than I ever have. “It’ll only take a minute.”
“If he does anything wrong, I’ll kick his ass.”
“Leave it to me, Mandy,” I beg her. “It’s my war to fight.”
“I’ll torture him forever after you leave, though. He’ll never know a day’s peace.”
“I’m good with that.”
She nods, and it’s my cue.
I keep my eyes trained on Benjamin as I stalk toward him. My heels sound like the beat of a war drum against the tile as I lift my chin and prepare for battle.
“Benjamin.” My voice does not waver as I stand over him, looking down at him like the tiny man he is.
His face lights up as soon as he turns his attention my way. “Lizzy.” As usual, his gaze drops to my body, taking his sweet-ass time soaking me all in. “You look amazing.”
He doesn’t mean it. I’ve been sucked in by his smooth talk before. It’s how I got myself into this head trip to begin with. He was nice at first, giving me compliments left and right, before he flipped a switch and made me feel like trash.
“I know,” I tell him, and I truly believe the words coming out of my mouth. Mason has made me feel loved and drowned out every awful thing Ben has ever said to me. “But you’re looking like shit. You feelin’ okay?”
Ben clears his throat before placing his hand over the exposed skin. “I do?”
I nod. “Awful.” I’ve never been one to be mean, but Ben deserves it. He doesn’t care about anyone’s feelings, and he sure as hell didn’t give two flying fucks about mine. “Have you been sick?” I try to sound concerned and like I care, and even to my own ears, I’m doing a bang-up job.
“No.” He glances to the mirror behind the bar, studying his reflection. “I’ve been fine.”
“Huh,” I mutter.
He pulls his head back, staring at me with his eyebrows drawn inward. “Huh, what?”
“I guess being an asshole has really taken a toll on your looks. Cruelty hasn’t been good for you.”
“Excuse me?” His eyes narrow as he processes my words.
“Being mean has made you ugly, or maybe you always were. But I never noticed because you made me feel like I was the ugly, unlovable one. But in reality, it was always you. Unattractive inside and out.”
“How dare you,” he seethes.
“I hope you find the relationship you deserve, Ben. I know I have.”
I don’t give him a chance to reply before I walk away, leaving my past behind me. Mandy’s on her feet, clapping softly for me. I can’t help but smile as my best friend makes me feel like a rock star. I refuse to allow people in my life anymore who don’t lift me up.
“What’s he doing?” I ask Mandy, not wanting to turn around.
“He stormed out.” She chuckles and wraps me in a hug. “You still did it nicer than me. I would’ve added a knee to the balls before I left.”
“That’s hard to do with him sitting,” I tell her as I wrap my arms around her and squeeze.
“I’m so stinking proud of you,” she says as we release each other.
“Thank you. This calls for another drink.”
“I like the way you think,” she says as she slides back into her chair next to me and calls over the bartender. “One last drink together in Star Falls. The next will be in Chicago.”
“When are you coming?” I ask her, hoping it’s not months from now.
“I have a three-day weekend coming up. If you’re settled in, I’ll come then.”
“I’ll be settled,” I tell her, not wanting to wait too long to see her again.
We’ve never gone more than a week without seeing each other, and that was usually because one of us was sick.
“I still can’t believe you can’t make it to Hunter’s wedding,” I add.
“I know.” She slouches forward. “I hope he understands, but I can’t be mad, because work is sending me to a conference in the Bahamas.”
“My job only ever sent me to Detroit.”
“I don’t know how I got so lucky with such a great job,” she says, pulling the two new martinis in front of us as soon as the bartender sets them down. “But I think you’re luckier because you found love.”
“Maybe you’ll find it in the Bahamas.”
She laughs. “Maybe I’ll have a How Stella Got Her Groove Back moment.”
“Wrong island,” I say before taking a sip of my drink.
“Really?”
“Really,” I tell her. “But that doesn’t mean you can’t have a whirlwind romance on a tropical island.”
“The guys at the conference are always so…”
“That bad?”
She nods. “Maybe I’ll be pleasantly surprised this time.”
“You never know when love is going to find you,” I say.
“Look at you. Who would’ve thought you’d fall for a bar owner in Chicago. A simple visit to your brother turned into your happily ever after.”
“We haven’t gotten there yet.”
“You will,” she says with so much confidence that I believe her. “If you didn’t think it was going in that direction, you wouldn’t be picking up your life and moving.”
She’s right. She always is when it comes to my relationships. I still remember the day I met Ben. Mandy said he was an asshole, but I didn’t believe her. He was too good at hiding his true self from me, but Mandy saw right through his bullshit.
“I may not have met Mason, but based on the few video calls I’ve been on with you two, I can tell he’s a good one. You know I’m never wrong about these things.”
“I know. I learned to listen to your sixth sense.”
Mandy lifts her martini glass between us. “A toast,” she says, waiting for me to lift mine. As soon as I do, she continues, “To new beginnings. May you find all the happiness and love you deserve.”
“You too, my friend,” I tell her, clinking the glass against hers. “And a big cock.”
Mandy snorts and brings the glass to her lips. “Life goals.”
I’ll miss this. I have Mason’s cousins and sisters, and they come close to hanging out with Mandy.
They are just as boisterous and funny, but we don’t have the long history that Mandy and I do.
Maybe that will change over time. At least, I hope it will.
If I have my way, Mandy will fall head over heels for someone in Chicago and join me there so we can grow old together.
A girl can dream, right?