Page 1 of Clueless
ONE
LAUREN
A sigh leavesmy lips for the umpteenth time that hour as I scroll through my plethora of text messages and social media notifications, nursing the fruity cocktail in front of me. As much as I have loved attending my brother’s wedding this evening, it was yet another reminder that I can never shake this…empty feeling inside of me—a feeling only highlighted when I’m near my siblings, let alone their partners.
At least Daddy dearest died before the wedding. I haven’t had to deal with any of his narcissistic, abusive words. I’m sure he is rolling in his grave over Aiden being genuinely, truly happy.
I shake my head, trying to clear my thoughts. Tonight was supposed to be a good night. Itwasa good night. Rory looked absolutely beautiful in herwedding gown, and I shed more than a few tears over the fact that Ifinallyget to call someone my sister. I’ve already called Casey my brother for years now. The night was magical, and I couldn’t be happier for my siblings or their children.
They’rehappy.
I just wish I knew how to be happy, too.
The sound of a chair sliding out beside me forces me out of my thoughts entirely, and I look up into the eyes of a man that has to be in his forties. He looks down at the chair before looking back at me. “Is this seat taken?”
I shake my head. “Go ahead.”
Though, I don’tnotnotice how the bar is pretty much empty, and he’s choosing to sit directly next to me. A part of my mind is screamingstranger danger, but the other part of my mind is focusing on just how much my feet hurt from these heels, and I don’t want to run away unless I absolutely have to.
He speaks again. “I don’t think I’ve seen you here before. What brings you to this shithole?”
I look around the bar, questioning where the hell this “shithole”is that he’s referring to. This is the nicest bar I’ve been to in a long time. The real question is—why the fuck is it so empty if it’s this nice? Turning back to him, I raised a pointed brow. “Dare I say, we have different definitions of shitholes.”
He barks out a laugh, and somehow, it fills me with a sense of butterflies. “Really now?”
I smile as I pull my drink closer to me, pleased with myself. As much as I wish I had the whole “man-hating” gene in me, I do indeed take far more pride in making a man who looks like a pit bull laugh. “Yeah. This place is very nice. I keep wondering why it’s empty.”
He smirks down at me. “It’s about to close.”
My mouth goes into the shape of anO. “Should I leave?”
The man shakes his head before signaling to the bartender. “Nah. You still have some time. This rounds on me, okay?”
I look down into the bottom of my drink, confused, until I realize that it’s definitely empty.
When the fuck did I drink all of it?
Should I even have another one, if that’s the case?
With my mood tonight, I refuse to even let myself psychoanalyze that. “Sure. Okay. But the bartender hands it to me first.”
He looks back at me and raises an eyebrow questioningly.
I shrug. “What? I don’t know you. You could roofie me.”
The bartender whose name tag saysStevenlaughs, though he follows it with a cough, trying to hide it. Ibite back my own tipsy laugh. The man beside me only shakes his head. “Tequila sunrise for me tonight, please. And the lady will have…”
I stare at my drink, contemplating. “Actually, I’ll have the same. Gold tequila though, please.”
Steven knocks on the counter in response to both of us before he gets to work. I play around with the straw in my drink, musing as to how to even start a conversation with this man that happens to look like a Greek God, but he beats me to it. “So, you never answered my question. What brings you here? You’ve been here awhile.”
I raise an eyebrow. “Been watching me?”
“Can’t help but notice and admire beauty when it comes in.”
That gets a snort out of me. “Cheesy. Just looking to escape, though. I just moved here from Nashville, and my brother got married tonight.”
He pauses. “So, you came to a bar? Is there no alcohol at your brother’s wedding?”
