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One
The smooth wood of the bar top under my hand immediately relaxes me from a long workday while I sink into the bar stool at The Neighborhood Bar in the small town of Mercy, my home. My closest friend, Cooper sits beside me fumbling on his phone then looks over at me.
“Hey man, finally. I thought you were standing me up,” he smirks.
“I forgot that I didn’t take a shower all day and thought that I should do that before I went out in public.”
“I love how you want to smell good for me, watch out though, I’m a taken man,” Cooper jokes with a giggle of his eyebrows.
“You’re not my type sorry buddy.”
“What is your type?” Cooper turns his body towards me asking.
“Female,” I respond grabbing the drink that Noah placed in front of me.
“So, what you’re saying is that I don’t have a chance?” Cooper asks.
“Nope, sorry,” I shake my head.
“Very well then. I hope it’s okay, I invited Nyd and Mads to join us tonight. Nydia has been working late shifts this past week and I’ve been passed the fuck out by the time she comes home, so we haven’t seen one another very much this week.”
“That’s cool,” I say before sipping my beer.
I haven’t been around Nydia much. Cooper and I became fast friends earlier this year, just after he and Nydia started to date. He was relatively new to town, only just settling in Mercy earlier this year.
Nydia walks in and behind her trails her friend, Madison. I’ve seen her from time to time in town, but we’ve never really talked. She’s gorgeous with fiery red hair and blue eyes, the color of a beautiful clear sky. Her lips are ruby red and turned up into a cautious smile as her eyes roam the bar as she takes note of her surroundings with a twinge of discomfort.
Nydia leans in, places her hands on Cooper and kisses his cheek with a smile and Madison stands beside her awkwardly.
Both Cooper and I swivel around in the bar stools and lean back on the bar behind us now.
“Ladies,” Cooper greets them. “You know my friend, Lewis?”
“Hey Lew,” Nydia waves.
“I’m Madison,” she leans forward and holds out her hand.
“Lewis,” I reply, my hand encasing hers. “Nice to officially meet you.”
“I thought this was a small town and everyone knew everyone?” Cooper asks looking between everyone.
“Well, we’ve seen each other around town, but we’ve never really talked or any of that.” I reply.
“Yeah, I know he hangs out here, but you know me. I really don’t drink, so I don’t ever come in here,” Madison explains.
“You know that now there’s the entertainment area, right?” Nydia points back to the addition to the bar that just opened up.
“Let’s get a booth and stop talking about how Madison and I have never really talked before,” I point over to the back wall.
The four of us travel to the back of the bar and grab a booth. Nydia sits beside Cooper, resulting in Madison and I to sit beside one another.
The sweet smell of oranges wafts my way as she brushes her hair off her shoulder. With a glance across the booth to Nydia and Cooper who are sitting closely and whispering to another oblivious to the outside world and nestled in their own, I turn my body to Madison and place my hand behind her on the top of the booth.
“Well then,” I begin, “you work with Nydia, right?”
“For now, I just finished nursing school and will be starting to work at Luke’s office here in town. I guess his nurse that he brought here from Hollybrooke is retiring soon.”
“The older spunky lady with the blue in her hair?” I ask.
