Prologue #2
“I’m single,” she laughed, reading my mind. “It’s unrelated to that. I’m unattached.”
“Oh,” I said.
“So, what are you doing in London?”
“What?”
“Uh… you’re adorable little accent. What is this? Where in America are you from?”
I sipped, confused. Yes, my accent was a mish-mosh. The fact that she found it convincingly American thrilled me.
“Right now, I’m traveling,” I tried to sound my most North American. “Sort of a nomad. I’m in London competing.”
“In what?”
“Equestrian. I’m an eventer,” I said. “Horse trials. We have a big competition coming up—my coach and his riders.”
“Ah,” she said. “Really?”
I nodded.
“My ex-girlfriend from a million years ago rode, but just for fun. They say stay away from horse girls, but I seem to have a thing for them.”
Yes. Definitely flirting.
I flushed bright red. “Well… I am one. Always was, so…”
“So you ride. But music, what are you into?”
I winced. “I’m not sure. I don’t know much about music, which is super embarrassing because I have this cousin who is a… singer.”
I knew if I said too much, she’d know who my “cousin” was and I’d out myself. I left it ambiguous to keep a low profile, treasuring my anonymity.
“Oh, well, cool. What does she sing?”
“She’s classically trained.”
“Oh, really?”
“Yeah.”
She’s working on an EGOT.
“Well, I am not. I did go to school, but that was for production. I then promptly dropped out to produce, though, for what that’s worth.”
“So is that what does it for you?”
“Nah,” she said. “Gingers do.”
It took me a minute to realize she meant me. And in that minute, Jaz returned, holding out her mobile phone.
“Hey, Jen says they made it. Let’s go.”
I looked at Jaz, then Mary, “I think I’m out.”
“What? Why?”
“Because I like the vibe.”
I hoped she’d get a clue.
Jaz rolled her eyes. “I will make an excuse. Text me, bitch!”
“I will,” I called.
“Who is that?”
“Another rider,” I answered. “We were supposed to meet a Brit, but like… I don’t honestly like her. She’s a friend of my sister-in-law’s but I find her sort of grating.”
“Your brother or sister married a Brit?”
Not exactly.
“It’s complicated,” I said. “But they live here.”
“You’re too young to be this mysterious.” Mary put her drink on the bar.
“Is it bad?”
“Nah. It makes it sort of hot. You have more layers than I thought you would.”
I cocked my head. “I’m not that young, Mary. You shouldn’t make assumptions.”
She bit her lip. “I really, really shouldn’t. My friends want to go to this bar. Meanwhile, I have no desire to ditch you right now.”
I raised my eyebrows. “I mean, I could go to another bar?”
* * *
MARY
I shouted over the club’s techno. Betty followed us. I hadn’t pegged her as a dancer, but she was loads of fun. The problem? I was desperate to go back to hers—wherever that was—and make bad choices.
I melted to my core when I gave her a hard time and her eyes lit up. And that laugh!
“You couldn’t be more obvious,” Bea giggled, flopping by me at a corner table.
“What?”
“She’s a ginger. And she’s very hot. But are you sure she’s queer?”
“She’s been flirting with me from the minute we met, so, yeah.”
“I dunno. I get ‘just for the night’ vibes.”
“I don’t.”
Betty approached, hips swaying from the heels that must have tortured her. Even sweaty and worn out, she was gorgeous.
“Well, I am happy if you are.” Bea patted my leg and stood. “Go home with her. Do yourself a favor for once.”
Betty reached me as Bea departed towards the toilet line. The mysterious ginger slumped by me.
“Having fun?” I asked.
“Alicia is a laugh,” Betty agreed. “She’s like the energizer bunny, though. My thighs are so trashed from no stirrup work that I’m just done, I think. You?”
I was clueless what “no stirrup work” meant, but the mere mention of her thighs sent me reeling. I was sure she meant nothing by it.
I said, “I’m tapped out. I started my day at about 5:30 today, so I am done with dancing.”
“Oh, boo. That’s early. I am a morning person, but getting up before six is a hard pass.”
I didn’t think, just ran my hair through her strawberry-blonde waves absentmindedly.
“What?” I assumed she blushed, even in this low light.
“I love your hair.”
She did the same, running her hand over the buzzed portion. “Yours is way more badass.”
“You can thank Alicia. She buzzed it before the show.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, I’m not this cool.”
“I doubt that. You are so confident. I wish I had that. You’re enigmatic.”
“Enigmatic!?”
“Don’t look so surprised!” She pulled back, my hand dropping to her breast on accident but continued as if she didn’t mind. “I mean, you’re a musician.”
“How, then?”
“Well, when I saw you up there, you had this huge presence. I thought you were super tall, Mary. But like… you’re only a smidge taller than me—not by much—and that speaks volumes in my opinion. I say this, coming from a family of really tall dudes.”
I couldn’t fight the urge to kiss her. Her glossy pink lips sparkled under the light coming off the emergency exit. It wasn’t glamorous, but somehow, I liked it.
“Could I kiss you?” I tried to cover all my bases. “It’s just—”
Before I could finish, she leaned in with the answer, our lips meeting in a way that sealed any doubts Bea had about Betty’s motivations.
I pulled her closer, gripping the roots of her hair slightly, then tighter as our tongues tangled.
I breathed her in, not minding the obvious fake strawberry of her lip gloss.
When I pulled away, she said, “Yeah. You’re still enigmatic, Mary. Sorry, not sorry.”
I giggled. “Well, what now?”
“I’d let you take me for a drink somewhere quieter or…”
“Or what?”
Please say you want to take me home. Please, please, please.
Before she answered, my phone buzzed in my jeans pocket. I wanted to ignore it, but the fact that it bypassed do not disturb worried me. There were only a few people that applied to—never a good sign.
“Shit,” I pulled it out. “Uh, I have to take this.”
“Oh.” Betty’s face signaled confusion.
“Just a sec. I’m so sorry!”
I ducked into the hallway by the loo and answered. “Yes, Mum?”
She groaned. “I’m… I’m feeling sick. I fell and—”
“Mum, that is what Stacy—”
“Well, I sent her home because I was doing alright.”
I ran my hands through my hair, frustrated. Thwarted again. Her home health aide was supposed to stay the night so I could live like a normal thirty-something.
“I’m sorry, darling. I am so sorry.” I could tell she’d been crying.
“How did you land?”
“I’m stuck on my back,” she said. “I think I hurt my hip.”
Of fucking course you did!
“Well, okay. I’m headed towards you. Call 9-9-9 and don’t move.”
“Alright, darling.”
I hung up and raced to Betty. My face said it all.
“Oh, shit. Are you okay, Mary?”
“I just… I’m so sorry. I need to rush and deal with an emergency. I’m so sorry, Betty. You’re amazing and—”
“It’s okay,” Betty said, disappointed but kind. “Look, I get it. Shit happens.”
Too often in my case!
“I’ll head out. I gotta get a cab back anyhow. I need to be at the barn at eight.”
We filed out to the corner cab line, dodging a couple having a drunken argument.
“You take the first cab,” Betty urged.
“Oh… okay.” I stepped forward.
She threw her arms around me, then kissed me goodbye. “I hope whatever it is, Mary, it’s going to be okay.”
I didn’t know it yet, but I’d not forget the warmth in her voice for ages.
It was as if I knew this old soul for longer than three hours.
I didn’t know it, but the missed opportunity to get her number would haunt me for years.
If I’d even stood a chance, I would have tried.
Unfortunately, Betty remained an actual enigma.
Who was she? And why was I so drawn to her?