Page 4 of Love Unavoidable
Chapter 1
Sadie - Three Weeks Later
“My family believes in lightnin’ bolts. As a sign of true love.” I snort-laugh into my arm. The same arm that is currently resting lengthwise on the bar top and making a fantastic pillow for my very heavy head.
“Like, you meetthat one person, and your body gets all charged up, like nothin’ you ever felt before. And that’s yer sign. I mean, would you look at these fools?” I lift my head, followed by my arm, so I can gesture to the crowd out on the dance floor. My body follows of its own accord, so I just keep turning until I am facing away from the bar and sitting up on my stool.
I’ve kept my ass planted on this stool, at this bar, for most of my cousin’s wedding reception. Cole and Lexie are hosting it in the tasting room at Lexie’s winery. From my perch I can see across the entire dance floor and beyond to the outdoor spaces filled with tables, chairs, couches, and a huge fire pit.
I’ve stayed at the bar because my goal is to be drunk tonight, just not so much so that I am sloppy. Which is why my goal, moving forward, is to remain upright because everybody knows that laying your head on the bar top is like the third step toward sloppy.
Not for me. Not tonight.
Tonight, I need to be just drunk enough to ignore that the man I stood up at the altar three weeks ago who is currently sitting at a table across the room. Laughing it up with my parents like one big happy fucking family. At MY cousin’s wedding, no less.
Aaron was only invited because he was to be my plus one. Even then, only because we were supposed to have gotten married three weeks ago. Apparently, someone forgot to tell cousin Cole that Aaron should have been uninvited to today’s festivities. Or at least turned away at the door, for crying out loud.
I turn and motion to the bartender for a refill.
Bourbon. Straight.
He raises an eyebrow at me.
“It’s fine!” I say, sounding mostly sober.
I think.
“I am just loosening up my inhibitions a bit.”
Or maybe a lot.
“Single girl at a wedding and all that. You know.”
Good comeback, Sadie.
With mere cunning and wit, that can only come from consuming copious amounts of alcohol, I turn it back on the bartender. Making it now his responsibility to impede my happiness by refusing service. Versus it being my responsibility to keep ordering to get fucked up.
You tell ‘em, girl.
I tap my temple with my forefinger and nod. Never mind that I am pretty much the only one around to witness my brilliance.
“They will all swear by it. Even Cole’s been torched. I mean, lookatim.”
He’s on the dance floor with his new bride, Lexie, looking happier than any man has a right to. I don’t think he’s let go of that poor girl all night. Not that she looks too broken up about it. Fact is, I think she likes it.
“They do look happy,” the girl next to me sighs.
Oh yeah. I forgot she was here! My new friend who is just as pathetically single as I am. And the other reason why I’ve stayed at the bar all night. I can share with her my new thoughts on life, all brilliantly executed over my last three weeks of self-imposed solitude.
“Right?” I ask. She nods enthusiastically.
My new I’m-a-single-girl-now plan is to stay in San Soloman after Cole’s wedding, I’ve decided the girl next to me is going to be my new friend. Seeing as I don’t have too many of those lately. ‘Course that’s what happens when you blackball yourself in a small community.
Which is what I did.
In great, big ass measure.
I settle in with my back against the bar, cradling my glass against my chest. This way, I also have a better view of the room. And a better distraction from my thoughts. The group of guys just beyond the dance floor make for a perfect distraction. Cousin Cole has made friends with a few California men. And can I just say that the sunshine out here really does them good? Rather, it does that group over there good.
