He has told me more times than I can count that the best way to get over a break up is to get under someone else, which is exactly what my wing man is attempting to ‘help’ me with tonight. Despite turning down his many offers to go out these last two weekends, it’s his birthday today, so I have no choice.
While I’m not planning on drinking much, he insisted on Ubering to the bar anyway. What I don’t understand is why he decided that he wanted to go back to Working Class to celebrate. Maybe he read up on exposure therapy and knows I associate this bar with that night with Ellie, but that might be giving him too much credit.
The music seems louder than normal, and the place is packed.Behind the bar, Nick makes drinks at a swift pace. When we catch each other's eyes, I give him a nod, and he offersone of indifference back to me. He obviously knows the truth, and I’m sure he doesn’t like me very much right now.
Honestly, I don’t like myself much either.
I had a feeling that Nick was going to be here when Wes made the suggestion, but what am I supposed to say? Sorry dude, we can’t go to the bar that you want to go to for your birthday because my fake ex-girlfriend’s best friend works there. Yeah, I don’t think that would’ve gone over well.
Wes leads us over to the bar and orders something for both of us. While handing my card to Nick, all I want to do is ask him about Ellie, but that’s not my place, not anymore. I couldn’t hear what Wes ordered, but knowing how he acts on his birthday, I am scared of what it could be. He is always a little more unhinged when he has something to celebrate, so it could be anything.
When the glass is placed in front of me, I am relieved to see that it’s just a regular beer, but there is a shot that accompanies it. He clinks his shot glass against mine, and I throw it back, bracing for whatever this clear liquid might be.
Vodka… It’s vodka, and fuck, that hurt.
By the time I’ve taken a few seconds to recover, Wes is already meandering his way over to a group of five girls at the other end of the bar. They look to be in their early twenties and are all dolled up. It looks like they’re going out to a club rather than a local dive bar, but who am I to judge?
Sequins and short skirts are right up Wes’ alley, so it doesn’t surprise me that he has already honed in on the group. He is attracted to shiny, pretty people like a beacon in the dark.
Wes is already chatting up one of the girls who is wearing a tiara and sash that is there to inform everyone that it is her birthday. Before I know it, she offers her sash to Wes, and he does a few poses making the group giggle. When I catch his eye, he waves me over, and there is no choice but to join him.
“Ladies, I’d like you to meet my friend Patrick. He’s newly single.” He wiggles his eyebrows and suggestively winks at the group.
A collective ‘hi, Patrick’ comes from them, and I am annoyed at Wes for pulling this shit. I’m not interested in meeting anyone new, and Wes has already been well informed of that. I hate how he’s using the birthday loophole to try to mend mybroken heart—which is how he continues referring to my situation.
For some reason, the birthday girl decides to give me her undivided attention. She is very pretty—bright blue eyes, blonde hair, tall—and if I weren’t feeling the way I am, I might actually be into it for a night. But, I miss Ellie, and I want to go home.
To keep Wes off my back, I make the choice to chat with her and keep her entertained. It only takes thirty minutes for her to spill her life story.
Her name is Olivia, and she just moved here from Texas to start a new chapter in her life. Her dog Penny is her best friend—I’m sure the friends that she came here with would be offended to hear they were beat out by a dog, but to each their own. She thinks that tall guys are hot. She also informed me that I am tall enough to be considered a hot tall guy. And, she is really excited to go to brunch tomorrow. However, after watchingher down two green tea shots and a margarita, I am not very confident that she will be making it to brunch.
She is progressively getting closer and more touchy as the night develops. While I’m still not interested in her, I know that if I walk away, Wes will just throw another woman at me to try to get me ‘back in the game’. At least Olivia is somewhat interesting, and she keeps the conversation going. Although, it takes almost an hour for her to ask me something about myself.
“So, what do you do for work?” She twirls a hair around her finger and leans closer to me. Her perfume has an artificially sweet smell that assaults my senses.
“I actually just quit my job.” No better way to kill a mood than to bring up your very recent unemployment. Her reaction is exactly what I expect it to be. Polite, but slightly concerned.
“Oh—” This is the first time that she hasn’t had a quick response to something. “Are you looking for a new job? Or taking some time off to explore your hobbies?”
“Yeah, I’ve applied to a couple of places, but if I can’t find anything, I’ll probably just move back home and figure some things out.”
“Where’s home?” She takes a sip of her drink and purses her lips. I can tell that those shots are catching up to her because she is focusing a little too hard on our conversation. Her eyes have already glazed over, and she leans on the counter to stop herself from swaying.
“Raleigh, North Carolina. It’s where I grew up, and my family is still there.” It sounds so concrete when I say it, which makes me realize that I don’t want to go back. I’m not ready to leave here, but Olivia doesn’t need to know that. I’m not drunkenough to start emotionally ranting about my life decisions, despite the fact that Wes keeps bringing me drinks.
“Well, I think it would be such a bummer if you moved away because I think you’re really cute.” I let her flirt, but it makes me feel guilty that I have no intentions of having this go anywhere. I try to keep some space between us, but she keeps closing the gap, gripping onto my arm and leaning into me.
When I look over my shoulder, I see Nick glaring at us. Fuck, I didn’t even think about how he might go home and tell Ellie about this. The shame starts to sink in, but Wes has perfect timing. He walks over with three new shots, and I fear that one of them is for me.
“One for me, one for the birthday girl, and one for my best friend in the whole world!” Wes hands them out and clinks his glass against ours. Noticing how Wes is slurring his words, I realize that I have not been keeping track of how much he has been drinking. Him and Olivia seem to be on the same level of fucked up, but that’s fine. Your birthday is the best excuse to get belligerently drunk, and no one is allowed to question it. So, I keep my mouth shut and think about ordering them a couple shots of water.
There’s nothing I want to do less than take this shot, but hearing Wes whining about it is not worth it. So, I throw it back and almost gag on the tequila as it burns its way down my throat.
I choke out, “Really, Wes? You couldn’t warn me that you were switching the liquor?”
“You’re more fun when you drink tequila,sue me.” He shrugs his shoulders and walks away, leaving me with Olivia once again.
Chapter 41
