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Tonight, she was flying solo. I’d already brushed her off, telling her I was too busy to chat. Yet, she kept finding reasons to linger at the bar. There was no bigger turnoff than a woman who couldn’t take a hint.
“Can I get you something?” I asked, doing my best not to flash the charm. It wasn’t something I had control over, but in times like this, I needed to reel it in.
“How about you?” she said with an insinuating undertone. I couldn’t help the smile that cracked at the corner of my mouth. I might not have wanted her advances, but the egotistical jerk who lived inside of me liked when his ego was stroked.
“Can’t, sweetheart. If you haven’t noticed, it’s a little crazy, and I’m short-staffed.” I wasn’t, but I needed to build my defense.
“I can wait.”
“It’s going to be a late night.” I nodded to a person at the opposite end of the bar. “If you’ll excuse me.” I hurried my ass over to the waiting customer.
I poured the next wine on his tasting flight, wiped down the bar, and turned to Lanes to make sure she was still good, though she only ever had one glass of wine.
“You good?” I asked.
“I’m fine.” She smirked. “You, on the other hand, seem to be reaping what you sow.”
“The only thing I’m reaping is a headache.”
“Maybe you shouldn’t have… oh, I don’t know… fed her lines of bullshit after bullshit to sell her a case of wine she’ll most likely never drink.”
“First off, that hurts coming from you.” Unlike my family and friends, Lanes was one of the few people who didn’t usually judge me. She accepted me for who I was, and as stupid as it was, I appreciated it. “And second, how did you know I sold her a case?”
She tucked her blonde hair behind her ear, sipping her wine. The light pink gloss transferred from her lips to the glass. Her eyes snapped to mine, and she gave me her ‘give me a break’ glare. “That’s what you do. You use that ridiculous smile to sell cases and then sometimes, if the woman strikes your fancy, you get a date out of the deal.”
“I didn’t realize you paid such close attention.”
“I don’t,” she said with a careless ease. “It literally happens every time I’m here. On rare occasions, one of those women you charmed returns and doesn’t realize you were just trying to sell wine and make a good tip even though, no offense, it’s so obvious. Amateurs.” She rolled her eyes before continuing. “So I get to kick back and watch you squirm. Until you need my help that is.”
“I don’t squirm, and I don’t need your help.”
“You were so squirming. I swear I saw your skin ripple over there.” She held her glass up, then tilted it to her lips again, taking a small sip.
“You’re enjoying yourself, aren’t you?”
Her cheeks plumped with her smile, and her lashes brushed the tops before her eyes popped open with pure amusement. “So much.”
“Thanks, Lanes.”
She fluttered her eyelashes in mock innocence, which made me laugh. Lanes could always make me laugh. Even when Gramps died. I never thought I’d laugh again. The aching pain in my heart had been too much to handle, but then there was Lainey. Sweet, bubbly Lainey who yielded sarcasm and wit like a trained swordsman.
“Should we take the flowers and throw them into the crowd to see who is next?” she’d said that dreaded day.
One sentence from her, and the pain eased, the joys in life slowly came back to me, and every tear I had been holding at bay and had been forcibly pressing against my eyes had dispersed. Some tears disappearing completely and a few slipping down my face, but not in pain. They fell in joy. Joy that I had people like Lainey in my life. Joy that I was lucky to have had Gramps for so long. I had hugged her, grateful for the reminder that even in times of loss, there was always room for laughter.
That hug had been exactly what I needed.
Her lip quirked, and she motioned to the far end of the bar.
“What?” I asked, the smile from the memory still holding strong.
“Your friend is back.”
“How many times can I blow someone off before they get the hint?”
“I don’t understand why you don’t just take her up on her offer. She clearly wants you.”
“That’s the problem. She wants more than a single night, and you know I don’t do that.”
