Page 1 of Everything I Crave

Chapter One

Gunnar

1 year earlier

I stand behind the makeshift bar at Scarlett’s wedding watching her sister, Willow. Her fiery attitude matches her long, red hair as she argues with my bartender. When she pulls out the,this is my sister’s weddingcard, I intervene.

“What can I help you with, darling?” I coo at her, hoping to ease the situation.

“Ugh. Finally.” She flips off my bartender as he walks away. “I want another cran vodka,” she demands, thrusting her empty highball glass in my face.

“Sure thing,” I grit out between clenched teeth. I can’t stand when people demand things of me or my staff. Sister’s wedding or not.

I walk off to make her cran vodka, without the vodka. I add some sprite and a shot of water to the cranberry juice hoping she didn’t notice I never picked up a vodka bottle. She’s so drunk, I don’t thinkshe will.

I watch her as I make the fake vodka and cranberry, she’s staring far off into space, a sadness in her eyes that I recognize from experience. Before I bought The Bar it’s a sadness that filled my own eyes, also fueled by alcohol. Her sadness simmers my anger at her demanding tone just a little.

I slap Bennett’s shoulder as I pass him and toss a wink his way. A sign that someone is cut off without knowing they’re cut off.

“Here you go. Cran vodka.” I hand her the glass.

She takes a sip, and heads back into the crowd, none the wiser and not a thank you in sight.

I need to find Lorelei, her mother, and let her know that her youngest daughter is cut off. I grab a tray of champagne and walk through the crowd while I search.

I’m halfway to Lorelei when I run into Scarlett.

She reaches to grab a glass off my tray, “Hey, Gunnar, the food is so delicious. Thank you for everything.”

“No problem, Scarlett. It was my pleasure. Hey, I don’t want to stress you guys out on your wedding day, but I told my staff to cut off Willow.” I shift the tray to the table next to me.

“Oh no. I’m so sorry, Gunnar. Should I have Mom bring her home?” She passes the glass of champagne to Preston, her new husband, as he walks up to join us.

I shake my head. “No, no she’s fine. She just seems a little sad and doesn’t know we switchedher to virgin drinks. She’ll be fine. I just wanted you to know so you don’t get mad at me.”

“No, absolutely, I would never be mad at that. Thank you for looking out for her.” She smiles at me, and walks off, presumably to find Lorelei herself.

A few minutes later, I see Willow arguing with her mother in the driveway of Preston’s cabin while I go to the catering truck to grab more food.

Lorelei points animatedly at the car. Willow shakes her head, and runs off in the opposite direction, towards the trail that leads away from Preston’s house, and the wedding.

I sigh, knowing the weight Willow is carrying. The look in her eyes, so familiar they could be my own from not so long ago. A haunted and hollow look. I’ve seen it so many times over the years. Trying to numb the pain away with alcohol.

Except it never works.

A particularly rough deployment when I was in the military put that look in my eyes. So I have to assume something beyond getting cut off at her sister’s wedding is the reason behind that sadness there.

My staff and I have loaded up all the supplies, it's finally time to get into my truck and head home finally. I shuck off the tux coat and loosen the tie, sighing at the relief in that small gesture.

I’m almost home when I see a small figure wobbling the center line of Main Street. I stop my truck,and get out, recognizing the figure immediately by her red hair.

“Willow?” I question.

“Ooh heyyy Gunnarrr,” she slurs, wobbling back down the line towards me.

“What are you doing out here, darling? It’s a little unsafe, don’t ya think?” I reach out to steady her as she falls towards me.

“Mmmm, you smell good.” She plants her face in my chest, inhaling deeply.

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