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We go through the narrow hallway that leads to the front of the bar. In one corner, staff from our class are ensconced around a table.
“I need to use the washroom,” I say, and we go to the alcove where the two stalls are located. The Ladies is occupied so we wait in the alcove. To my left and a few feet to away stands a figure and something about him makes me look twice. From behind, I see that he has dark hair, his bangs falling in his eyes, some stubble on a deadly square jaw, a leather jacket, low-slung jeans. Handsome in a decidedly dangerous way that for some reason, I can’t resist. I can’t help but like the bad guy.
Then, I look closer, and I realize who it is.
HarrisonfuckingO’Connor…
My heart races. Could I be so lucky that of all nights, he shows up?
He turns and I catch sight of deep blue eyes which meet mine and then linger.
I glance away, wishing I had a gun so I could shoot the bastard. Instead, I realize this total coincidence might give me the chance to get to know him. He looks completely different from when I saw him that night at the club, and even different from the day at the cemetery.
He looks almost human.
Almost.
If he recognizes me, he doesn’t show it. We never actually met, so he doesn’t know me from a hole in the ground. Instead, he stands by the entrance a few feet away from us, watching the bar patrons like he’s looking for someone.
“Do we have to go back?” I say with an exaggerated sigh. “I wish some knight in shining armor would come to my rescue.” I’m only half-kidding. I want to escape Pete almost as badly as I want to kill Harrison O’Connor.
“There are no knights anymore, sweets.” Hannah puts her arm around my shoulder. “We’re on our own.”
“I’m going to the ladies,” I say and open the door to the lone stall after the woman who was inside leaves. The single stall is no bigger than a closet with a louvered door. I swear someone could hear me pee if they stood outside.
“Don’t you leave.” Hannah wags her finger at me. “No more of your escapes, okay?”
“What?” I make a mock-innocent face. “What escapes?”
Harrison stares past us into the room, but I can tell he’s listening and catch the slow grin growing on his face.
“You, slipping out to run an errand or take a call,” Hannah says with a frown. “I know your MO. Promise?”
I sigh as if the weight of the world is on me. “Promise…”
She smiles and leaves me. I go to the single stall with a tiny grubby sink and an overflowing trash can. I really don’t have to go but am hoping to think of a way to meet Mr. Harrison O’Connor, and need a moment to gather my wits. At the same time, I really want to leave completely, because of Pete.
After locking the door, I remove my cell and call my aunt. On the third ring, I get her voicemail.
"Hey, Auntie, I’m trapped with this really pain in the ass guy and need an excuse to leave the bar. Can you call me and ask me to come by and dog sit or something? Love you, bye."
I put my phone back in my bag and then wash my hands before looking in the mirror. There are bags under my eyes due to too many late nights at the hospital. It’s my job and I love it. I’d rather do it than spend my time socializing with the rest of my fellow med students. Especially Pete, who has this annoying habit of leaning in close enough that I can count the nose hairs poking out of his very large nostrils.
I smooth my hair and then leave the bathroom. Harrison is gone, and I glance around the bar but he’s nowhere in sight.
Oh, well. Maybe it’s for the best. There is no way I could seduce someone as hot as him. My phone rings, and I stop and stand in the alcove next to the men’s room.
It’s my aunt.
"Hey, Natalia. What’s up?”
“Hi, Auntie,” I say and smile to myself, holding the phone to my ear. “You're my hero.”
“You sound like you need rescuing,” my aunt says with a chuckle. “Do you want me to come pick and you up?”
“No,” I say, not wanting her to go to any trouble. “If you could just text me in about five minutes and ask if I could come to your place to babysit. You know, sorry for the last-minute request, but there was an emergency at work, or something like that. There’s this guy who willnotleave me alone and I can’t be mean to him because he’s my boss’s best friend. If he gets any closer to me, I’ll scream. When he talks, I swear I can see his uvula.”
“His uvula?” She laughs. “Tell him you have a boyfriend.”
