Page 2 of Forever Yours on Christmas Eve
Somewhere Chip and his family would never think to look for her.
Pushing the door wide, she was immediately assaulted by the stench of sour beer and darkness. Stopping cold in her tracks and letting her eyes adjust, she blinked several times before she realized there weren’t too many people in here.
Still, of the seven folks there, they were all staring back at her. Whether it was because she was standing there in a wedding dress, or because she’d clearly never set foot in this establishment before, she couldn’t tell.
Clearing her throat slightly, she stiffened her back and tried to project the vibe that said she didn’t care what anyone thought of her. Making her way to the long bar on the opposite wall, you could practically hear a pin drop as her heels crunched across the floor on the peanut shells someone had left behind. Only a few people were sitting there at this time, which she counted as a blessing. She was here for a drink and some peace and quiet.
“What can I get ya, sweetie?” the older, dark-haired bartender asked as she walked over.
“Um… Chambord, please,” she said, settling herself on the barstool. “Neat.”
To her surprise, the woman cocked her head and gave her a slight nod in… approval? Kelsey wasn’t sure, but it wasn’t the awkward stare that she had felt coming in, so she counted it as a win. As the woman stepped away, Kelsey unzipped her puffer coat and looked casually around the bar and the three men seated there. On the far end was a man who looked like he’d come straight from Wall Street at the end of a market crash. His suit, hair, and entire persona were disheveled as he stared into his glass as if he were waiting for it to give him answers.
On the cap end of the bar was a good-looking, brooding sort of man. He had dark hair with silver mixed in at the temples, and sat in a brown leather jacket with his back to the wall, constantly searching the area. Kelsey knew that pose well, considering her father and all his friends did it too.
There was no question, he had to be police or military.
The bartender was talking with him, and at one point, stretched across the bar to give him a peck on the lips. It made the stern man crack into a brief but beautiful smile as his eyes were transfixed on the woman. Kelsey’s heart pinched without her permission, as her traitorous brain wondered what it might be like to have a man ever look at her like that.
“Ew, Mom, please stop,” a young man said, appearing with a dishpan in hand and a bar towel over his shoulder. He looked suspiciously like the bartender. “You’re gonna drive away the patrons.”
“Carter, do you think you were dropped off by the stork?” the woman said, turning back from the man’s lips with an unapologetic smile on her face.
Carter feigned a dry heave before heading further behind the bar.
Kelsey smiled at the exchange, her eyes drifting to one stool over where a rather beautiful man with dark hair sat. He seemed to be deep in thought as he sat with his beer, watching two large men fight it out in an octagon cage on the flatscreen above the bar. The sleeves of his gray sweater were pushed up slightly, and not only did she see some beautifully toned forearms, but she also saw the peek of what appeared to be an anchor tattoo. Recognizing his posture, she figured the man was probably in the Navy, which was possible given the base nearby. She’d run into plenty of Sailors over the years she’d vacationed in Harbor’s Head.
Feeling her phone buzz in the pocket of her coat, shepulled it out to see it lit up with nearly a screen full of alerts. Knowing they were probably all about Chip, Kelsey swiped them away without reading them. She’d already done enough thinking about it all.
She was sure the situation would still be there waiting for her the moment she went home again.
Speaking of home, she remembered that she and her dad were supposed to be getting together with Chip’s family tonight for Christmas Eve. There was no way she was going to be able to face any of them, especially after taking off the way she did, but she didn’t want her father to worry.
I’m sorry, but I’m not going to be making dinner tonight. I need some time to think.
Are you okay?
She smiled. Out of everyone on earth, her dad always had her back. Always.
No matter what.
I broke up with Chip. I just need a few hours to myself.
Start from where you are.
Kelsey rolled her eyes at her father’s favorite phrase. Ever since she was a little girl, whenever something was bothering her, he always told herStart from where you are.It was his way of telling her to acknowledge what was happening, decide a clear path forward, and then take steps toward it. More than once in her life, she wished she had his foresight.
Because tonight, like many other times, she had no idea where to start.
Kelsey jumped when the bartender suddenly appeared with her drink
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to jump you, hun,” the woman said, sliding a sparkling glass with the raspberry liquid in front of her.
“Oh no, it’s fine,” Kelsey insisted. She knew she should probably explain that she’d been through a lot. Or at least why she was wearing a wedding dress. Still, Kelsey had an idea that this woman had probably seen far worse as a bartender, so she decided to keep mum.
“It’s on the house,” the woman said, giving her a wink and stepping away. “Any woman with the guts to walk away from someone who’s not right for her gets a celebration drink for free.”
Kelsey broke into a smile. “Thanks. It’s been a long day.”
