Page 18 of Forget Me Not

"Well, yeah. But did you know that more than forty percent of college graduates don't even use their degrees?"

I think about that for a moment. It makes sense. Everyone is pressured at a young age to decide what they want to do for the rest of their lives. It makes sense forty percent wouldn’t get it right on the first try. In fact, I’m surprised it’s not higher than that. "Can't say I did. I guess I've never done my research on college statistics." My head drops in shame as I fidget with the money in my hands. "It’s never been an option for me, so I’ve never looked into it."

"Tyler," Taryn snaps from the end of the bar, stealing his attention from me. "We've got customers down here with empty glasses. Get your ass back to work."

I gulp, while Tyler rolls his eyes, grinning. "Don't let her scare ya. She's the biggest hard-ass with the softest heart."

I laugh. "I've seen the hard-ass, but I have yet to see anything soft when it comes to Taryn."

"You will," he assures me. "Just give it some time. Don't give up so quickly on this place, it will grow on you." He slaps his hand to the bar. "So, did you need another drink?"

"Oh. Yes! Vodka and Red Bull, please."

He gives me an awkward sideways glance. "Are you even old enough to drink? Because I just turned twenty-one and you look years younger than me."

"I'm not sure if I should take that as a compliment or an insult. But yes, I actually turned twenty-one in July."

Tyler raises his eyebrows, and I can hear the sound of his tongue clicking on the roof of his mouth. "Prove it."

I unzip my purse and pull out my wallet. “I swear I’m not lying.”

Tyler holds up a hand, lowering it as I push my wallet back into my purse. “I’m just messing with ya.” His hazel eyes sparkle and his mouth draws up into a broad smile. I trust you, Rhea."

That's his first mistake. I have yet to know what his second is going to be, but when it comes to trusting a word I say, it's only a matter of time before the dominos all crash down.

He reaches out and grabs the bottle of vodka and a glass, keeping his eyes on me as he mixes it. "How long do you plan on hanging around here?"

“Lockhaven? I dunno.” I shrug my shoulders. “Forever, maybe?” I can’t believe I just said that, but the possibility is real.

“I meant the bar.” He laughs. “But please don’t give this town your entire life. Get out once you’ve gotten what you came for; otherwise, you might actually be stuck forever.”

“And you? Are you stuck forever?”

“Nah, I mean, for now I am. But there’s a whole world out there I wanna see one day. Just gotta get myself in a position where I can afford it.”

“Well, I’ve seen enough to know that Lockhaven is the safety net I need. It’s a mess out there.”

“Oh yeah?” His eyes perk up as he slides my drink toward me. “Where have you been?”

“Here. There. Everywhere. But enough about me. You should probably get back to work before Taryn kicks your ass.”

“Eh. I could take her.” I laugh. After just watching her throw out that other man, I’m not sure many people want to go up against her.

My eyes trace the curves of his lips as they move upward, and I find myself doing the same. This is exactly what I wanted. Normalcy. A normal night out and normal conversation with a person my age. No ill intentions. No agenda.

“You’re probably right, though,” he says. “But you didn’t answer my first question. You plan on being here for a while?”

My shoulders rise. "I'm not really sure. Taryn asked me to stop in to get an idea of what the weekends are like. So, here I am."

"It gets pretty busy, but Fridays are usually more chill than Saturday nights. If you really wanna see the place get rowdy, come by tomorrow. Say, around eight?" His brow rises and I find myself leaning closer over the bar.

"Are you asking me on a date, Tyler?" It's a joke, and the sound of his laughter proves he knows it.

"A date at the tavern where we both work? Come on now, give me more credit than that?"

"Okay"—closing the gap between us as my drink inches toward him—"let's say you did ask a girl out on a date, where would you take her?"

I've never been on a date, and Tyler seems like a stand-up guy. So I'm genuinely curious what guys his age do with girls like me on a Saturday night out.

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