Chapter 19

After returning to work from lunch, the rest of the day was spent catching up on a few back cases with a non-communicative Ethan sitting across from me at his desk.

When the workday drew to a close, I realized I wasn’t ready to go home, so I found myself in the dimly lit and smoky interior of Sassy's Bar & Grill. The twang of a country song filled the air, resonating from the massive speakers as I made my way to the bar.

The bartender diligently wiped down the area in front of me, her gaze lingering on my face as she assessed my appearance. I knew all too well what she saw - a woman, filled with sadness, sullenness, and solitude.

A melancholic smile escaped her lips. "What can I get for you, sweetheart?"

I shrugged, my voice heavy. "I need something sweet, fruity, and capable of momentarily lifting my blues."

Peering at me for a moment longer, she nodded in understanding. "Well, since I can't provide a remedy for what's troubling ya, and my guess is that it's a man, I'll give you the next best thing - a drink and an ear."

As she concocted my drink, I stared down at my hands, frustration coursing through me. The bartender set the drink before me, her voice filled with sympathy. "Here you go, Hun. It may not make you forget, but it'll certainly ease the sting for a while."

Observing me, the bartender shook her head and walked away. When she returned, I had placed the empty glass back on the bar and signaled for another. A few minutes later, she slid a fresh, full glass in front of me. "Folks around here call me, Sass."

Crossing her arms beneath her ample bosom, causing them to protrude in almost comical proportions, she scrutinized my face. "Sweetie, do you have someone I can call for you later? Because if you down any more of those like you did the last one, you'll need someone to get you home."

A wry smile tugged at my lips. "Thanks, Sass, I appreciate the concern." I didn't want to get drunk; I simply wanted to numb the pain. So, when I picked up the new drink, I heeded her warning and sipped its contents. Yet, by the time I finished it, restlessness and recklessness surged within me.

Anger and hurt waged a violent battle inside me, their intensity palpable. In this moment, anger reigned supreme, overwhelming my senses. Every nerve was on edge, ready to unleash a torrent of biting words on anyone who dared cross my path.

As if sensing the tension radiating from me, a man leaned on the bar beside me. I could practically feel his presence, an intrusion on my already frayed state of mind. I glared at him, my irritation etched across my face, causing him to raise his hands in surrender. "Whoa—don't shoot!" he exclaimed, clearly taken aback.

Though my anger continued to smolder, I knew this man wasn't the cause. With great effort, I suppressed the snarky, bitter side of me and allowed a small smile to creep onto my lips. "Sorry...ah..." I trailed off. After he had provided me with the name Scott Andrewa, I murmured, "Sorry, Scott... It's been a shitty day."

"Well, I guess you can shoot if it'll help, then," Scott joked, pulling out a stool and taking a seat beside me. I observed his every movement, wary of his presence. "Not the best company, Scott. You might want to reconsider sitting there," I warned.

Scott responded with a lopsided grin. "I have two sisters, and I know all about you fire-breathing dragons. So, go ahead, let the fire burn. I couldn't help but let out a spontaneous laugh at his words. Scott nodded approvingly. "That's better. No one as beautiful as you should ever be sad."

My smile faltered, and I felt a surge of discomfort. "No—don't go there," I pleaded, my voice filled with a mix of vulnerability and caution.

Putting his beer bottle down, Scott paused and looked at me earnestly. "I wouldn't dare, even if my life depended on it."

"It just might. I'm not in the mood to deal with another man right now," I cautioned. Scott let out a low whistle. "Whoever he is, he sure as shit pissed you off, didn't he?" I

rolled my eyes in response. "You have no idea."

Scott's eyes softened, and he playfully teased, "So, getting you drunk and taking advantage is completely out of the question?"

I snorted, unable to contain my amusement. "Even as gorgeous as you are, I'm afraid I'd make you suffer a slow, agonizing demise in the mood I'm in."

Shaking his head, Scott replied, "In all seriousness, I can tell you're hurting. I didn't come over here to pick you up. It just seemed like you could use a friend."

I lowered my gaze, hiding the tears welling up within me. "Yeah, you could say my heart's a little shredded right now." Blinking back the tears, I grabbed my drink, downed the remaining liquid, and slammed the glass back onto the bar. "It's time I go home."

Standing up, I slung my purse over my shoulder, and with a nod, Scott rose as well. "I'll walk you out.".

~~

The next morning the ringing of my cell phone woke me and somehow, I pried an eye open. Peering at the number on the tiny screen through a blurry orb, I swiped, taking the call. “Good morning, Kindle.”

“Is it? Because sugarplum, the way you sound, I’m not sure,” Kindle advised.

“Yeah, I’ve felt better,” I muttered around the cotton ball representing my tongue.

Kindle’s voice came across the phone again. “You sick or something?”

“More like, or something.” Boy, howdy, was I regretting my impulsiveness of the evening before.

“What on earth did you do to yourself now?” Kindle’s voice held more than a hint of curiosity.

“Went out to a bar, got blitzed, and had wild sex with a stranger,” I quipped, shaking my head the tiniest amount before I retracted my words. “Just kidding, about the wild sex with a stranger, that is. I did go to a bar and have a few drinks though. The pineapple juice in them has my throat a little raw this morning, and I have a freaking drumline playing its ass off in my head.”

Smothering a yawn, I pushed myself up on an elbow, working to pry the other eye open. Jesus I thought, now I remember why I hate drinking and crying myself to sleep. I couldn’t help the automatic flinch, when across the line, Kindle wailed, “Wait a minute.… Wait a goddamn minute! Did you say you went to a bar?”

I chuckled under my breath, as doing anything else would have proved too painful.

Knowing I was fixing to be blasted, I took precautions as I held the phone away from my ear and began the countdown: ten…nine…eight—

Right on time, Kindle’s voice boomed through the space between the phone and me, abruptly ending my mental countdown. “Where the hell was my phone call? The one that said, ‘Hey Kindle, come join me; I’m getting drunk tonight and want some company—” Her words cut off, as with a significant pause, she gasped with a laugh, “Oh, good Lord. Sometimes I need to pull my head out of my ass. Ethan was with you wasn’t he?”

I snorted. “Yeah—not hardly; he’s the reason I was there getting drunk.”

Kindle sighed. “Damn, what’d he do now?”