3. Chapter Three
Chapter Three
Kallie
The bar buzzes on with the soft voices of conversations and clinking glasses. I moved to one of the booths in the back to make room at the bar for people who weren’t trying to drown their emotions.
I’m not exactly mad I’m single. He was a grade-A douche, but I liked the routine I had going. For the most part . I don't handle change very well, and I feel like everything in my life has been uprooted. Honestly, I’m more upset about losing my job than my boyfriend, and that should say something. For one night, I just don’t want the overwhelming thoughts of what comes next.
I turn my gaze towards where Lance is talking to a few customers only a few feet away. His eyes are full of concern as he watches me drain my glass, and even though people are talking to him, his eyes don’t leave mine. He smiles at them before he breaks away toward me, and I can’t help my heart picking up its pace a little more.
“Another one, Kallie?” he asks once he’s standing in front of me, arms folded across his chest and his voice laced with concern.
I shrug, not trusting myself to speak just yet. The last of the whiskey in my glass burns as it goes down.
Lance places a glass of water in front of me instead of the whiskey I wanted as he points to the glass. “Drink,” he demands. He leaves no room for any kind of argument. I roll my eyes but bring the cup to my lips, his brown eyes following my every move. When he catches me looking at him, he clears his throat before speaking again.
“I’m cutting you off. No more whiskey, only water, and when you’re ready to leave, I will take you home. Do you understand me?” I can’t tell if he’s frustrated or concerned anymore. Maybe both. But honestly, I don’t care. I didn’t come here in hopes of pleasing anyone. I’ll drink the water, but only because my head is swimming and everything is becoming blurrier by the minute. I can’t stop the words once they start pouring out of my drunken mouth.
“You know, for the past few years, I’ve been with a man who wouldn’t let me be myself. I couldn’t go hang out with friends because he was a controlling asshole. I was lucky if I even got to see my family without an argument.” I look down at the table, not wanting to see the pity in his eyes. The feelings inside me creep up, and I can’t decide if it’s from anger or the need to cry. “I didn’t come here tonight to let you or anyone else tell me what to do. I did enough of that for three years. I refuse to do it any longer.”
When I look back up at him, I see a small smile on his face. “Good girl.” My eyes grow wide, and my confusion must be written all over my face as I try to avert my gaze, because he leans across the table and grips my chin so I can’t look anywhere other than his intoxicating eyes.
“Don’t ever let a man tell you what you can and can’t do. This time, though, I refuse to be the one to tell your dad I let his daughter get drunk at my bar and not make sure she made it home safely.” Only then does he release my face. I have no idea what to say, so I only manage a small nod before grabbing the glass to wet my suddenly parched mouth. Have I ever mentioned Lance is fucking hot? Maybe it’s the alcohol in my system, but damn.
Okay, that’s a lie, but…
The tattoos littering his arms make me want to inspect them, see what else he’s hiding under his rolled-up flannel shirt.
“Kallie? Did you hear me?”
My eyes snap back to his. “What?” I ask as I feel the heat creeping up my face, not even realizing he was talking. He just caught me checking him the fuck out.
Wow. I probably should go home.
“Um—I’m going to head out.” Shaking my head in an attempt to clear the inappropriate thoughts of my dad’s best friend from my mind, I go to stand, but a wave of dizziness hits me, and I almost fall forward. Lance somehow manages to catch me faster than I can comprehend. Like Edward Cullen fast.
“Woah, you okay?” His hands grip my elbow as he helps me steady myself.
“Yeah—yeah. I’m okay.” I pull my arm from his grip like he’s on fire, and he looks taken aback.
“Keys.” Lance holds his hand out, and I manage to reach into my pocket and hand him my car keys.
“Let me just tell my brother I’m taking off for the night and I’ll take you home,” he says after taking a few steps back.
“The cabin. I’m staying at the cabin,” I manage to mumble as I sit back down and lay my head on the table. Lance walks toward the bar, and I swear I hear him say, “I know,” which lets me know he already talked to my dad.
Great.