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“I love you both very much and know how much you love me, too. How about you two get one daughter married off before you push me into a relationship?”
“I call it careful nudging.” My mom smiles as I lean down and kiss her cheek, picking up the bag off the table. “There’s enough food there for you to have lunch and dinner for a few days. Oh, I also added pie for you and some muffins for the boys and Dolores.”
“Oh, muffins!” I laugh as I head for the door, wanting to do anything but head home and be alone with my thoughts.
As I climb into my SUV, I try to imagine what my life would have been like if things with Campbell had turned out differently. My heart broke that day, but I know that what happened between us was for the best. I would have given anything to be the woman he wanted, the woman that was meant for the future we had painted for us, but sometimes, things don’t work out the way we want them to. He wouldn’t have his little one, and I… Well, who knows where I’d be, but that’s all in the past now. Sometimes the past is best left in the past.
“Fuck! I need to get out of here,” I mumble to myself before throwing the car in reverse.
I could probably head to Nashville for the night, but that’s way too involved. Taking the hour and some change drive to Nashville won’t take too long, especially on a workday in the early evening, but then I’d have to get a room. And rooms require some planning, not to mention I have to work tomorrow.
I drum my fingers on the steering wheel, letting my brain wander and find something for me to do. The entire town probably knows that Campbell is back in town by now. Their nosy asses will be on the lookout for any signs that his return has affected me. It has. I’m just not sure how yet. And they don’t need to know any of that. Right now, I need to collect my thoughts.
I definitely can’t go home. My mom will call to see how I’m doing and ask me a million questions. She’s up to something. I’d bet my next paycheck that she and Ms. Peggy both are. Ms. Peggy wasn’t happy with the way things went down with Campbell and me. She was team Marissa all the way and would be as delighted, if not more, as my mother for the two of us to get back together. If it were up to them, Campbell and I would be planning our wedding before the end of the year.
With going home being out of the question, that doesn’t leave very many options. I drive around aimlessly for Lord knows how long. Just as I’m about to give up and go home, the sign for Tallywackers comes into view. It’s not my favorite place to hang out, but beggars can’t be choosers. It’s a bar. I can get tequila. It’s happy hour, so I can just about guarantee there are plenty of people there ready to drown their sorrows. The perfect place to hang out and shut off my brain for a few hours.
But there’s only one problem. There’s a high probability that Finn will be there. His father owns the bar, after all. I’m supposed to be avoiding him, so showing up at his father’s place of business, wanting to drown my sorrows, isn’t the best idea.
Just as I’m about to give up and head back toward my apartment, I have a bright idea: I’ll call. It’s so juvenile, but it might just work. I can call and ask for Finn. When they tell me he isn’t there, I’ll know it’s safe to go there and blow off some steam.
Having made up my mind, I pull over on the side of the road and dial the number for Tallywackers. I only have to wait a few seconds for someone to answer.
“Hello, Marissa.” The sounds of the music playing loudly in the background make it almost impossible to decipher who answered the phone.
“Hello?” I pull the phone away from my ear before saying the first thing on my mind. “How the hell do you know who’s on the phone?”
“Caller ID,” the unknown voice chuckles. “It’s Nolan, by the way, and I know why you’re calling, and he isn’t here. He isn’t set to be here until tomorrow night, so it’s safe to come get a drink. I’d need one, too, if I found out my ex was back in town.”
“How did you know that? I just found out a few hours ago.”
“Ms. Thompson has been telling anyone she can that he’s bringing her grandbaby home for good. The rest was just a logical guess. I’m sure your parents sat you down to tell you. Am I wrong?”
“No. I just wish everyone wasn’t making such a big deal out of it. We broke up a long time ago.”
“That’s not any of my business, Marissa. But if you’d rather talk to me about a certain bar owner’s son, I’m all ears.”
“No thanks, but I will take that drink since said bar owner’s son is nowhere in sight, right?”
“Would I lie to you?”
“The verdict is still out, but I’ll be there in a few minutes,” I respond quickly before ending the call and pointing my car in the bar’s direction. I know I should be embarrassed that Nolan figured out that I’m avoiding Finn and that he knows Campbell is back in town, but things could be so much worse.
I pull into a spot near the entrance to Tallywackers. The parking lot is relatively empty, as you’d expect for a small-town bar in the middle of the week. There are a few cars sprinkled around the parking lot, but none that I can place, thankfully. The last thing I want is to have to explain to anyone, especially my mother, why I headed here instead of home after she told me about Campbell.
Yea, I’m a grown-ass adult and can drink when I want. However, that will lead to questions about what’s going on between Finn and me. Which will lead to questions about Campbell and me. Which will lead to having a conversation I’m not the least bit ready for right now.
I turn around in my seat, feeling around for my gym bag on the floor. I’m the last person you’d see in a gym, but I keep a change of clothes in my SUV for just this occasion. People wouldn’t give me too hard of a time for being in a bar on a Wednesday night, but there’s something about getting completely obliterated while in uniform that seems very unprofessional. Not only does it go against several rules of professional conduct from the county, but if people have to worry about whether I’m drinking on the job, I’d lose their trust. Yes, I’ve known almost all these people my entire life. They should know my character better than anyone else, but there is nothing logical about how people feel. Once trust is broken, it’s hard to repair. Trust me, I know that better than most, and I don’t want to take that chance.
“Finally.” I sigh, grabbing the gym bag and climbing out.
I make it through the door and to the bathroom with no one noticing before quickly changing, stuffing my uniform into my bag, and heading back to my SUV. With that taken care of, I slam my door shut, lock it, and head for the entrance.
Tallywackers has been in Magnolia since before my parents were married, and it still looks the same. Housed in an old brothel, it lives up to its name, hosting burlesque and drag shows whenever possible. It’s a place to see and be seen in Magnolia, making it the last place I want to walk into right now. I’ll have a few drinks to waste some time and make it home in time to catch my shows. What’s the worst that could happen?
My eyes scan the bar before landing on Finn behind it. Motherfucker. I need to get out of here, but as soon as I turn to leave, I run smack dab into something hard.
“Ouch.” My hand flies to my nose as I take a step back and come eye-to-eye with Nolan. “You lied to me.”
