Chapter 28
Cal
The bar’s packed in the way that makes Cocktails & Chaos feel alive. We have a live band tonight that is one of my favorites, and this is the night to be at the bar. The weather is perfect, the music is great, and Silvie’s here. My wife.
I don’t get tired of thinking that.
The Bees have taken over a few tables and somehow made this even more fun with a dartboard set up. No idea where that came from, but we’ll go with it. Sometimes it’s best not to ask the Bees any questions.
Silvie is at a table with Mia, Summer, and Wendy. They’re all swapping stories, doing shots, laughing, and catching up like normal friends who do this. And that’s what is fun to see. Silvie has become a local. Not an easy thing to do, but she’s done it. She fits in here.
I’m working behind the bar, making drinks, and grinning like an idiot every time I catch Silvie’s eye. I want to drag her home and fuck her senseless, but she’s having a good time, and I need to work.
A hand reaches over the bar and rests on my forearm. I look over to see a blonde woman who looks to be in her early twenties. “You single?” she asks, shouting over the music.
I don’t hesitate and lift up my hand, proudly showing off my ring. “I’m married.”
And it feels good to say that. Who would have thought that I’d love being married? If you’d have asked me several months ago, I’d swear I’d never get married.
She laughs. “Figures. All the good ones always are. Who is the lucky lady?”
I nod toward Silvie, who is watching this, looking less than impressed by what is happening.
Silvie says something to the women, and they all turn and watch. Great, now we have an audience.
The woman follows my gaze and lifts her drink in a salute to Silvie. “Damn. Lucky.”
“Yeah,” I say quietly and mostly to myself. “We are.”
She wanders off, and I’m still grinning when I feel the air shift in the bar.
A woman steps in that I don’t recognize, but she seems somehow familiar.
Then it dawns on me that that has to be Silvie’s sister.
I don’t know how I know, but something in me just knows.
They look a lot alike, only Silvie has blonde hair, and this woman has dark, almost black hair.
She steps inside and scans the bar like she’s entering a space she plans to conquer. She looks out of place. Perfect hair, high spiked expensive looking heels on the beach, her expression unpleasant and tight.
My jaw goes tight, and my body goes rigid. Because I was just thinking about how happy my wife looked sitting there with her friends. And then this terrible person comes and is about to fuck it all up.
She finds Silvie, and her gaze narrows and fixates on Silvie like a missile. My attention snaps to Silvie, my body going straight, shoulders squaring up.
Belladonna strides toward the table and Silvie’s mid-sip when her sister stops in front of her, making Silvie practically choke on her drink when she sees her.
I want to throw Belladonna out of here. But I also kind of want to watch Silvie dress her down and put her in her place.
“What the hell are you doing here?” Silvie asks, coughing and wiping her mouth.
Belladonna smiles as if she’s happy she caught Silvie off guard. “Hello, sister. Did you miss me?”
“Actually, no,” Silvie mutters.
Belladonna smiles as if she’s ready to attack in some way. “I figured out where you were. I knew you’d go where Birdie was. You two were always so freakishly close.”
She says this like it’s meant to sting like an insult, but there’s something bitter underneath her words.
Silvie squints at her. “You came all this way to insult me? You could have just sent a text like you usually do.”
“Well, that would mean you’d have to unblock me,” she says with a pointed look.
Silvie stares at her and says nothing.
“I came to talk some sense into you,” Belladonna says in a condescending tone, one I know isn’t going to go well for her. I’ve watched Silvie take on board members. She won’t put up with this.
“About what?” Silvie asks, already buzzed, already fearless. Silvie looks at Mia, Wendy, and Summer, who are all glaring at Belladonna. “Oh, this is going to be good, ladies.”
Belladonna lifts her chin. “My husband. Tyler. I know you’re mad that we’re married now, but we’re in love.”
Wendy glances at the others as if she can’t believe what she is hearing. “Is she for real?”
Silvie throws her head back and laughs. “Belladonna, I don’t want your husband. Hell, I’m not even sure why you even want your husband.”
Summer and Mia giggle. Wendy does not.
Wendy leans forward, eyes sharp. “Why are you really here? What’s your problem with Silvie? She’s not the one in the wrong here. You are. And she’s finally happy now, and what, you’re just going to ruin it for her?”
Belladonna glares at her. “This isn’t your business. Back off.”
“Silvie is our business. Why don’t you go away?” Summer sits up straighter. “What’s her name again?”
“Belladonna,” Mia whispers. “I think. Can’t remember. She’s not very memorable.”
“Isn’t that poison?” Summer whispers.
Silvie sets her glass down carefully and straightens. Oh shit. She’s turned into CEO Silvie. This is where it goes down.
“You know what?” Silvie says calmly with a smile. “I am happy. I have a hot six-foot-four tattooed husband who loves me. So, yeah, I’m happy. You can have...whatever Tyler is. And if that’s what you want, I’m happy for you guys. But you need to leave and let me live my life.”
Belladonna’s composure cracks. “You don’t understand what you’ve done. You’ve gotten Tyler fired and me cut off. How are we supposed to live?”
That’s when Silvie finally notices me standing here, a few feet behind them, arms crossed, expression flat. Her eyes flick to mine and widen just a touch, and then she smiles.
Belladonna follows her gaze and turns. Belladonna’s eyes widen in recognition when she sees me and waves. “Is that your husband? Aren’t you going to introduce us?”
“Time to go, Belladonna,” Silvie says calmly. “We’re done here.”
“No, we’re not done,” Belladonna snaps. “If you don’t fix this, I’ll ruin your life, just like you’ve ruined ours. Really, Silvie. You don’t care about anyone but yourself.”
Silvie looks at her with disgust. “Like what? What would you do, Belladonna?”
Belladonna’s mouth twists. “I’ll tell the tabloids. Everything. And I’ll tell them where you are.”
Summer glances at me and mouths, “Can I beat her ass?”
I shake my head.
Summer scowls and takes another sip of her drink.
“And all you’d be selling them are lies,” Silvie says coolly. “ I’ll sue you for that. You have no assets, but I’ll sue you for anything you have left. I’m an open book. I’ve made peace with what happened with you and Tyler. I have nothing you can throw in my face.”
Belladonna’s face gets red and hard. “You’ll be ruined. No one will take you seriously.”
“Maybe you just move on and get a life? Maybe a job?” Silvie offers.
“You’re going to pay,” she bites out. “I’m going to ruin you. I can promise you that.”
Then she turns and stomps out, her heels catching in the sand and making her trip.
Music continues, drinks are being poured, the Bees are now forming a conga line out in the sand. And someone cheers on a drinking contest in the corner.
But nothing in this bar matters right now except my wife.
She looks over at me, eyes bright, smile easy, like she didn’t just stand her ground and win.
I’m proud of her. God help me. I’m in love with a woman who loves me loudly and I’d have her back about anything.
And I’d let the whole world try her just to watch them prove her wrong.
Wilby shows up and slides into a chair next to Silvie and grins. “Ladies. What did I miss?”
Mia snorts and Summer raises her glass just as Wendy shakes her head like she’s still processing everything. Silvie smiles into her drink, flushed, eyes bright.
“Her sister was just here,” Summer says.
Wilby looks around and cringes. “I knew I smelled a rat when I came in.”
Silvie says, “Oh, you missed it. Apparently, she’s going to ruin me.”
“Not sorry to miss that,” Wilby says with a shudder.
“She’s a real treat and was asked to leave. What can I get you to drink?” I ask.
“Surprise me. You always make me something good,” he says. “I leave for a couple of hours and come back to craziness.”
I bring them all another round, and Silvie catches my hand when I leave to walk away. “Thank you.”
I lean down and kiss her softly. “You’re welcome.”
I turn to head back to the bar and hear Wilby say to Silvie, “When are we going back to New York?”
It dawns on me that she’ll be going back again. And I can’t go with her every time. My life is here in Coconut Beach. Hers is in New York. The thought hits me harder than I expect.
The night winds down and the music fades. The Bees drift out in pairs and laughter trails behind them.
Silvie kisses me before heading out. Her fingers squeeze mine and she says, “I’ll see you at home?”
“Text me when you get there, okay?” I tell her.
She nods and waves and I watch her go.
Donna comes in and slides onto the bar stool when the bar has grown quieter and the lights are lower. She grins at me and says, “How’s my favorite nephew?”
“Hi, Aunt Donna,” I say as I walk around the bar to give her a hug.
She pats me on the back and says, “I was at your mom’s.”
“Is she okay?” I ask.
She puts up a hand. “She’s doing well. In fact, I’m surprised, actually.”
Relief floods my chest. “Yeah, she’s made friends with Silvie.”
“I met her, too,” she says. “Nice woman.”
I nod. “Yeah, she is.”
She studies me for a moment, then sighs. “I am worried about you and your mom.”
I give her a confused look. “What do you mean?”
“I am worried that if this doesn’t work out, your mom will be so upset. She’s so happy and it’s been years since I’ve seen her like this.”
I smile faintly. “I agree. It’s kind of a wild story.”
“It is,” she agrees. “And I’m worried about you getting hurt.”
That makes me pause.
“I worry about Carly the most,” she continues. “If Silvie leaves, your mom will be devastated.”
And I will be, too.
Her words land like a punch to the gut. I know she’s right. She’s looking out for us, but it still isn’t something I haven’t been thinking about myself. My biggest fears.
Donna’s voice softens. “I want you to be happy more than anything. You have a way of self-sabotaging things when it comes to the people around you before they can leave. You always have.”
After she leaves, I lock up alone. The bar feels too quiet.
Silvie’s laughter echoes in my head. The way she looked tonight, like this town was hers, too. Like she could stay.
But she told me in the beginning, when this was fake, that she’d leave. This was a pause for her. A vacation from real life. And I knew it would hurt. I just didn’t think it would feel like this.
I picture my mom waiting for her to have book club and her not being here anymore. And I think maybe Donna’s right. It’s not just me here that’s going to be hurt. It’s my mom. That makes my chest tighten. My mom has been so happy, and I can’t have her lose that.
Silvie belongs in boardrooms, on planes, and has a future that doesn’t need me.
I belong here in Coconut Beach, behind this bar.
We are fundamentally different. And for the first time she walked into my life and turned everything upside down in the best way possible, I wonder if loving her means I let my guard down and left me vulnerable and my mom as well.
I have to make sure she doesn’t get hurt if Silvie leaves.