Page 10 of Bourbon & Bonfires

“That would look amazing on you.” I startle at the voice and turn, blushing to the woman behind me. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you. The dress is one of my favorites and would look amazing on you.”

“Oh, I don’t think so. It’s a little revealing in the back for me.”

“Why don’t I pull your size and you can try it on?”

“No, that’s okay. I don’t have anywhere to wear it anyway.”

“I’m a horrible sales person, but you don’t have to buy it, just try it on.”

She has a point, and I shrug my shoulder in response. I follow the young woman toward a rack holding the dresses and wait while she slides the hangers to the left until she finds the one she wants and motions for me to follow her to the dressing rooms.

“I’m Colette if you need anything,” she says before shutting the door behind her.

I quickly undress and take in my reflection, grimacing at the plain cotton panties and bra set I put on this morning. I stopped buying the pretty feminine lingerie I love after Dan left, never seeing a reason, but standing here I am disappointed in myself. My next stop after trying this dress on will be a little panty and bra shopping.

Once the zipper is down on the dress, I slip off my bra and pull the dress from the hanger and shimmy my way into it. This may be one of the only times I’m grateful for a less than voluptuous body, because the ability to wear a dress like this with no bra at my age is not a given.

I’m unable to zip the dress myself, so I open the door to the dressing room a little and stick my head out. When I catch Colette’s eye I send her a telepathic message for help. Smiling, she walks toward me as I step out from behind the door.

“Need help with the zipper?” I nod in response and once the zipper is in place, I step in front of the three-way mirror and am stunned.

“I told you. It’s perfect. Oh wait!” Colette doesn’t allow me a minute to respond before she takes off running toward the far wall of the store. I see a small display of shoes on the wall and am not surprised when she returns with a pair of strappy heels. “Full effect, time. Here, let me help you. I guessed on the size, but I’m usually pretty spot on.”

Once I’ve played Cinderella and let Colette slip the shoes on my feet, guessing my size correctly, I stand before the mirror and can’t believe it’s my own reflection staring back. Spinning back and forth in front of the mirror, taking in how well the dress fits, I catch Colette’s eye.

“I’ll take them both.”

Looks like I’m going to a New Year’s Eve party.

Over the last few years, our New Year’s Eve plans have been pretty basic. Owen, Jameson, and I would hang out at either Jameson’s house or our apartment and eat a pizza, drink some beer, and play a little of whatever game one of us got that year for Christmas. Once I successfully whooped both their asses and passed more levels than either will ever dream of in any game, we would head to Country Road. Ashton usually worked along side Taylor behind the bar, and for a few of those years, Piper dated Tony Dominguez and would be there with his crew.

By the end of most nights, Jameson had a long-legged blonde on his lap, Owen was talking up a few ladies at the bar, and I was playing wingman to one or both. At the stroke of midnight we each had a woman wrapped in our arms and an invitation to keep their beds warm for the night.

Then Ben moved back to town, Piper dumped Dominguez, and our group went out of control with coupling. Now, here I sit alone on a bar stool, realizing how much has changed in the last year. I’m no longer sharing an apartment with Owen, Ben and Piper are married, and Jameson and Ashton are building a family.

That’s why we all planned to be together this year. Our reality: this is our last year just the seven of us. But then Ben and Piper decided to take a last-minute trip to spend the holidays with her mom in Chicago, Ashton came down with the flu and Jameson is nursing her at home, and Owen and Minnie are spending the night with her sister, Dakota, since it’s her first since the passing of her husband. Although they invited me over, I wasn’t in the mood for a mellow night of apple cider and board games with Minnie’s family.

“Hey, darlin’ you need another beer?”

I turn my attention to the new bartender and smile before answering. “That’d be great. How about a shot of Jack too?”

“Coming right up,” she says with a wink.

By the time my drinks are placed in front of me, the volume of the room has intensified, and I’m barely able to hear myself think, let alone have a conversation with anyone. A fleeting thought that perhaps I’m too old for the bar scene on a major holiday smacks me in the face, but I shake it off. Ignore it as I might, I think it’s more fact than thought.

“Hey, Landon. Flying solo tonight?” Taylor shouts as he sets a case of beer on the counter behind the bar.

“Yeah, everyone bailed. I’m probably going to head home.”

“Ah, I’d hoped your crew would be here tonight. Specifically, the girls. You remember my sister from the wedding?”

“Yeah,” I say before throwing my shot back.

“She moved to town recently, and I finally convinced her to come out tonight. I figured she could hang with the ladies and have a little fun.”

“Bummer, man. I’m sure she’ll still have fun. I’m going to call it a night though. Close out my tab?”

Taylor turns and hands my card back without a slip to sign. When I quirk my head at him he shakes his head. “Happy New Year, man.” I laugh and pull a twenty from my wallet and toss it on the bar, motioning my head for the other bartender. Taylor takes the bill and tosses it in the tip jar behind the bar and waves me off. I’ve barely made it off my stool when half a dozen people start clamoring for the spot. Vultures.

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