Page 13 of The Charmer

And yet the damage he'd done had left lasting marks. I hadn't even realized it at first. I'd simply been too dazed by the breakup.

One day, I’d gone to his club and waited for him by the couches, as usual.

Then a gorgeous woman approached, sitting next to me.

"I'm with Kyle now, so you're not welcome here anymore," she stated matter-of-factly.

I thought it was a practical joke, so I started to laugh.

"I'm going to have to ask you to leave," she went on.

I gawked at her. "Are you serious? Did he put you up to this?"

"He did ask me to give you the message, yes. He figured it would be easier this way."

I looked her straight in the eyes. "You're joking."

I felt as if someone had slapped me. We'd been going out for six months at that point. Granted, we were going through a rough patch, but that was the most humiliating thing I'd ever gone through.

"I'll ask security to escort you out if you don't leave on your own."

I'd run out of there before she could see me burst into tears. And I never went back.

In the months that followed, I'd been too heartbroken to even consider dating. The first time someone asked me out after the breakup, my initial instinct had been to simply run away. That hadn't changed yet.

One day this huge hole in my heart would mend, I was certain. I just didn't know when that day would come.

I put my mask on even before I left Books & Beads. My costume was a bit over the top, but I'd always been a bit weird and owned up to it. The day was gorgeous, the sun shining brightly, warming up my face. The Quarter was alive, chants from revelers resounding on the streets. Jazz bands played throughout the area, and a lot of bars had their doors open, letting the music fill the streets.

The crowds grew bigger and bigger as I approached the bar, although the parade hadn't reached Dumaine yet. Smiling from ear to ear, I stepped inside. There were several other people in costumes, but none of them were quite as loony as mine.

The place was even more packed than the last time I’d been here. It was really cool of Julian to offer free drinks. I shuddered to think how much it had to cost him.

I didn't need to wait too long to get to the bar. I was fully expecting to see Julian at the counter, and my stomach rolled with disappointment when he wasn't.

Oh, Georgie, what's gotten into you? Shake it off. I was hoping to spot those iridescent blue eyes at some point, though.

I waited until one of the bartenders was free and got his attention. He looked at me and smiled, then said, "Sazerac, right?"

"Yep."

"Is this your first one?"

I grinned. "Yes!"

"Okay."

"Wait, is that how you check that no one drinks more than one?"

He laughed. "Most people try to stick to that, anyway."

I found that hard to believe, but hey, if it worked for them, who was I to question it?

I looked at him intently as he prepared it, so mesmerized by the dexterity with which he moved that I didn't realize someone was watching me.

"Told you I'd find you."

My body lit up instantly. I turned around and sighed. Oh yeah, those iridescent blue eyes were trained on me, molten hot. When he stared at my mouth, the temperature of my body elevated. Instead of chastising myself, I declared victory. At least I knew my body was still capable of feeling something in the presence of a gorgeous man.

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