Page 49 of Icebound Hearts

“For blessing me with that beautiful smile.”

I scoff and laugh, then scoop the drink off the bar and turn away before he can see my face catch fire. The straw finds its way to my mouth, and I suck down a huge gulp of the drink, relaxing as the bubbles fizz on my tongue. Whether it’s from the alcohol, the flirting, or both, the room is spinning, my vision throbbing at the corners in time to the music.

I steal a glance over my shoulder at the bartender, who’s working on a drink for someone else, but he notices me looking and winks at me. With the straw from my drink lodged in my teeth, I reach into my pocket for my phone. It has to be the booze talking, telling me to do it, but my fingers tap to open my text conversation with Sawyer.

ME: You know what? Screw the dating apps. Maybe I’ll just meet a guy the old-fashioned way.

Chapter 15

Sawyer

I’m deep in a biography about Gordie Howe, one of the greatest hockey players to ever grace the NHL, when my phone buzzes on the end table beside me. I reach for it instinctively, and my heart skips a beat when I see it’s a text from Violet. She’s a grown woman with a group of other grown women so I shouldn’t be, but I’ve been worried about her since she left.

VIOLET: You know what? Screw the dating apps. Maybe I’ll just meet a guy the old-fashioned way.

A frown creases my face while I stare at the phone, trying to work out what she’s talking about. Was this even meant for me? She’s almost certainly been drinking so it might not mean anything at all, but I’m stuck on it regardless, so I tap back a reply.

ME: What do you mean by that?

VIOLET: This bartender is totally hitting on me.

Her text comes with a sneaky picture of the bartender attached. It’s dark and kind of blurry, but I can still tell he’s young and probably good looking.

My heart lurches, a tight feeling settling in my gut. Violet is a single, beautiful woman. Of course men are going to flirt with her at a bar. So why does that bother me so much? Without evenrealizing it, my jaw has clenched, and I’m squeezing my phone so tightly that I’m worried I’m going to crack the screen.

It buzzes again, distracting me.

VIOLET: Maybe I’ll finally be able to check another item off my bucket list.

I don’t answer because I don’t know what to say to that. She mentioned having a sexual bucket list that day when her vibrator tumbled out of her suitcase, and the fact that she’s referencing it again right now tells me she’s definitely drunk. Or at least approaching it.

Another text alert makes my phone buzz.

VIOLET: Not like I’ve ticked anything off the list in a while.

A bundle of emotions swirls in my stomach. Part of me would kill to know more about that list and what’s on it, but another part of me is burning with shame for even thinking about it. And then who’s this young prick who’s flirting with her? She doesn’t know him from Adam, and he’s a bartender, so he’s probably a player who doesn’t have her best interests in mind at all.

My fingers fly across the keyboard.

ME: You shouldn’t trust a strange guy. Especially one who’s making your drinks.

Violet doesn’t answer right away, so I sit staring at the phone and wrestling with my feelings. I’d really rather not know that someone is flirting with her, but then again, I’m glad she told me because I don’t think I’d ever be able to forgive myself if something happened to her after I encouraged her to go out tonight.

Finally, the little bubbles indicating she’s typing appear on the screen.

VIOLET: Everyone’s a stranger at first. Even you. *tongue sticking out emoji*

ME: True, but the guy behind the bar shouldn’t be hitting on a drunk woman.

VIOLET: May b he doesn’t know im drunk.

I sigh at her message, because it all but confirms she is.

ME: Violet… he’s the one who served you the drinks. He definitely knows.

VIOLET: Are you jealous?

I freeze, staring down at the phone.AmI jealous? If this were any other girl this was happening to, would I feel the same way? I wrestle with that question for a lot longer than I should, but ultimately decide that I would.

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