Page 38 of All Snowed Gin

“Damn, man. You lucky SOB.”

I nod. Don’t I know it. Except, I blew it.

“So, when do you see her again?” he asks.

“Don’t. She left. Went back to Georgia.”

“But you got her number, right?”

“Nope.”

Lou looks at me, eyes wide, mouth agape in disbelief. I can see the wheels turning in his head, trying to process my answer and come up with a reply. Taking a long gulp of my drink, I prepare myself for whatever crazy thing is about to come out of Lou’s mouth. Only, there was no preparing for what he does next.

In a single, swift move, Lou reaches behind me and slaps me upside the head.

“Ow. What the fuck was that for?”

“Pierce, I’ve been your best friend since we were kids. I’ve watched you do a lot of stupid shit. Hell, half the time I was doing that stupid shit with you. But this, by far, is the stupidest. No, it’s beyond that. It’s crazy.”

“Don’t hold back, would ya?”

The words are dripping with sarcasm, but I know he’s right. So much so, it’s like a dagger to my already aching heart. Rose was…perfect. It’s a big heavy word, but there isn’t another one. She was everything that I would ever want in another person. Friend, lover, partner. Sure, it was only four days, but she understood me in a way no one else has. She knew what I needed and was a salve to a wound I never thought would heal.

Too bad I could never live up to being remotely what she needs in return.

“I am holding back,” Lou continues. “You have no idea how bad I want to shake you right now, hoping that would knock some sense into you. A sassy, perky, smart brunette who loves old movies, cooking, and alcohol production—literally your dream girl—is dropped in your lap, and you not only don’t realize that you love her but you didn’t get her number? There are no words for that level of dumbassery.”

Love? Who the fuck said anything about love?

I whip around to face my buddy, ready to refute this statement. Only, I can’t. Instead, I sit there, mouth wide open, the realization hitting me. I fell for Rose Adler. Hard.

“And this is the part where you realize I’m right and start to kick yourself…”

I glare at him, turning back around. “Yeah, yeah…”

“So, whatcha gonna do about it?”

“Nothing. You might be right about my feelings, but that means nothing. Pretty sure she doesn’t feel the same way. She wasted no time in packing her things and going when Winston knocked on the door.”

“Unless she’s just as afraid of her feelings as you are.”

“Who died and made you Dr. Phil?”

Lou shrugs. “Sometimes you just know things.”

“How about you just know things about your own personal life instead? And leave me to wallow in my own dumbassery, as you put it.”

“Okay, okay. But, one last thing. What would Gramps tell you to do?”

Gramps.

Part of me wants to reach over and smack Lou for bringing him into this. But a bigger part of me can hear Gramps’s voice, telling me what I already know.

“When it comes to the right woman, there’s no such thing as making a fool of yourself. Fight for her, fight with her, but most importantly, don’t give up the fight.”

Damn it.

“That Silver Lining Sour is pretty good, huh?” the bartender asks Lou, cutting into my thoughts. “Southern Brothers really upped their game with that one.”