Page 66 of Honey Bee Library
I latched the door shut and peeked through the space between the wall and the door to see that the women were now standing in front of the mirror that I’d just vacated.
“I have no idea what is wrong with Cole.”
The blood in my veins turned ice cold at the mention of Cole’s name. The woman’s dark hair came into view, and I realized that it was the same woman from earlier.
“He doesn’t understand that this club is all about image, and that girl will only hurt his image.” She was smoothing her black hair back toward her bun. “I sorry, but some backcountry girl?” She sucked air through her teeth, making a whistling noise. “What are people going to say? This is Obsidian, not some square-dancing bar.”
The group of women who were standing around her all laughed. I frowned. That wasn’t even funny. I’d been to square-dancing bars. They were ten times more fun than this place. There you let loose. Here it felt like everyone was judging you for just existing. This conversation was proof of that.
“What did he say to you?” a woman with tightly curled blonde hair asked.
Black-hair woman sighed. “He told me to leave his table. He was so rude.”
There was a murmur of disbelief that rippled through the women.
She shrugged as she turned from side to side in front of the mirror. “It’s fine. Just a minor setback. Once the backwater girl is gone, I’ll be the one he’s texting. I’m always the one he texts when he’s lonely.”
The other women giggled, and my stomach churned at her implication. I knew, once I left, Cole was going to seek out comfort with other women—I just didn’t want to have a mental image of it happening.
The women finished preening and left in a cluster. The bathroom fell quiet with them gone. I took in a deep breath as I unlocked the stall door and stepped out. After washing my hands, I stared at my reflection with new resolution.
Those women were mean, but they spoke the truth. I didn’t belong here, and it was about time I accepted that. I wasn’t going to sit around until Cole decided that he was done with me. For the first time in my life, I was going to be the one to leave.
No more hiding.
I left the bathroom with my head held high. I didn’t slip into the shadows, I pushed through the crowd, ready for Cole to find me. Needing a drink to bolster my wavering confidence, I made my way over to the bar and ordered a French 75. While I waited for it to be made, I leaned my right elbow on the bar and glanced around, wondering how long it was going to take for Cole to find me.
“Hello, gorgeous,” a deep, rumbly voice said from behind me.
I frowned and turned to see a guy with dark brown hair and eyes staring back at me. His grin was wide, causing the edges of his eyes to crinkle. On any other person, his expression would be inviting, but when it mixed with the look in his gaze, my skin went cold.
“Haven’t seen you around here.” His gaze flicked down to my very naked ring finger. “Looks like you are as unattached as I am.”
“Here’s your French 75,” the bartender said. “That’s $35.”
I almost threw up in my mouth.Thirty-five dollars? What the hell had I been thinking?
I opened my purse and started rifling through it. Just as my fingers found my wallet, the man next to me was handing over his credit card.
“Let me, lovely.”
I glanced up at him.
His smile turned wicked. “You can pay me back later.”
“Willow, there you are.”
Cole.
I glanced in the direction of his voice and saw his smile slowly fade as he took in the scene.
“Are you okay?” he asked as he stepped closer. “Tim, put her drink on my tab and give this man back his card.”
The bartender nodded as he obeyed.
“Excuse me, I was buying the lady a drink.” The stranger straightened like he was sizing up Cole.
“No you weren’t.” Cole didn’t falter. He was staring at the man like he was a joke. Which he was. But I didn’t need Cole to rescue me, again. I just needed to get out of here. “Now get away from here before I lose my patience.”
