Page 656 of Not Over You

As I sat down at the bar, the bartender asked, “What can I getcha?”

“I’ll take a Moscow mule, please.”

“Comin’ right up.”

The bartender went to work making my drink. The bar seemed to have a good crowd, the buzz of conversation filling the air.

“Liv, is that you?”

I turned around to see a familiar face. “Oh my God, it is you!”

Standing in front of me was my high school best friend, Beth.

I smiled at my old friend. “Hey, Beth. What a nice surprise.”

She threw her arms around me, almost knocking me off the barstool. I chuckled as I hugged her back.

Beth pulled back to look at me like she wasn’t completely sure I was really there. “What are you doing here? It’s been like ten years since you left.”

Beth took a seat on the stool next to me as I replied, “I’m here for work. Doing a research project at the Coastal Reserve.”

“Look at you, Miss Smarty Pants. What exactly do you do?”

“I’m an environmental scientist. I conduct ecological and biological fieldwork for a government lab.”

Beth smiled. “Sounds fancy.”

“What about you? What are you up to these days?”

My friend looked almost exactly the same as I remembered. Wispy blond hair and bright blue eyes paired perfectly with flawless porcelain skin. “I’m a teacher at the elementary school.”

“That’s great. That’s what you always wanted to do, right?”

She nodded as the bartender brought me my drink. “Can I get you something, Beth?”

“I’ll just have a Michelob. It’s a school night.” She winked playfully.

The bartender chuckled and pulled a bottle from a small fridge. He popped the top off and set the beer in front of Beth with a grin.

I took a sip of my drink as Beth asked, “So are you married?”

“Nope. How about you?”

“Yep, going on five years now.”

I smiled, happy for my old friend. “Congratulations Beth, that’s awesome. Anyone I know?”

“You remember Ryan from our geometry class? He played tight end and shortstop.”

My brow furrowed as I scoured my memories. “I think so. Tall, dirty blond hair, and brown eyes?”

“That’s the one.” She giggled.

“He was cute,” I reminisced. Nothing like my Lincoln, but still good looking from what I remembered.

“So how’s life been? Last time I saw you, you swore off this place like the plague.”

I sighed and took another drink. “You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.”

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