Page 18 of Final Goodbye
Me: LOL. Wow, so many tempting options. Could I take a rain check on all of the above? I just need someone to help distract me before I fall asleep.?You seemed like the best option…
Declan: Are you using me, Paige?
Me: You should take it as a compliment. Being a good distraction isn’t a bad thing.
Declan: Well, in that case, I’ll make sure to arrange a time to make 1-3 happen. But no need to thank me. From what I’ve seen and heard of the guy, he’s a douche. Not to open old wounds or anything, but… Logan Brooks, huh? I take it he’s your ex, based on what I saw earlier.
Me: High school boyfriend. I broke up with him before I left town.
Declan: Is he what took you away from here?
There wasn’t a clear-cut yes or no answer for Declan’s question. In the grand scheme of things, he made my decision a lot easier, because it wasn’t a relationship I wanted to entertain anymore. He made running away from home light years easier because, at the time, when I was eighteen, I didn’t want him anymore. I wantedmore. I wanted options. I wanted a chance atnew friends and relationships, and I didn’t feel like I needed my family within arm’s reach. Even though now, my feelings were different when it came to my family.
For now, I’d keep what felt like a complex answer short and sweet.
Me: Sort of. He definitely made it an easy decision for me to leave. But I also always wondered what the big city was like. I wanted more for myself.
Declan: Did you? Get more for yourself?
Me: I always thought I did until I came back here and realized that maybe life wasn’t much different. I was working at a bar, with no education, no serious relationship, nothing to hold me down there. Life was pretty similar, except the city was bigger, and at the time, my dad was alive.
The conversation was turning just a bit too somber for my liking. If anything, I was back to havingtoo muchto think about. Before giving him the chance to respond, I cut the conversation short.
Me: I should get some sleep. It’s been a long day. Thanks again for today, for everything. And I guess you have my number now…
The little three dots showed up and disappeared, then appeared once more before my phone dinged.
Declan: See you around… soon. I hope. Good night, Paige.
Walking intoPeaksfor my first official shift by myself, a huge cloud of relief warmed over me. It meant I would be busy, with every customer to myself. More money and even more work to keep me occupied.
Before my dad’s funeral, Sophie showed me the basics. How to open, how to close down the bar, where things went, how to set up the tables and chairs, where everything was placed behind the bar, and how to turn the music on. All pretty self-explanatory when you’ve been doing the same type of job for years on end.
I turned on the music to the country playlist they had on repeat every day. Luke Combs’She’s Got The Best Of Meechoed through the speakers. With the music being the last thing to set up, the bar was ready to open for the lunch rush.
Based on the last few days I had worked; I knew shortly after I unlocked the doors that people who worked in the area would be coming in for a quick bite to eat.?
It seemed to be the same customers every day. This town was full of people who supported their own and the small businesses that flooded Alpine Peak. A few things that were necessary if you were going to make it as a bartender: be as personable as possible, remember their name and remember their order. Better service equals a better tip in return.?
The hours flew by, and when the bar emptied out after the lunch rush, I escaped to the back to devour my sandwich before the early dinner rush.
I had just finished my food when I heard the bell ding over the door, indicating that someone had walked intoPeaks.I couldn’t quite make out who was entering the bar with the way the sun was shining in. The person just looked like a dark silhouette headed in my direction, and it wasn’t until he stood right in front of me that I brought my gaze up to meet his, recognizing the same dark eyes that had a special place in my nightmares.
“Logan?” I looked around him, hoping there was someone tagging along with him and it wasn’t just the two of us alone. Instead, I was met with an empty bar and loud country music that was drowned out by the sound of my heart thumping inside my chest.
How did he know I’d be here?
News traveled fast in a small town. I could only assume that he asked around to find out what I was up to.??
Logan looked right at me with a sinister smirk as the blood drained from my face. “A new jobanda boyfriend.” He said it as a statement, with no question laced in his voice. “You work fast. Looks like you might be sticking around after all,” he added sarcastically.
I was torn between being nice and telling him to fuck off.Which version of Logan was I going to get today?
It’d been years since I had to tread lightly with him. I wanted to direct him up to the bar so I could create some distance between us. Me on one side, and him on the other.
My first instinct was to be nice to him. I’d play with his feelings a little bit until someone else walked in and saved me from this interaction.Anytime now, someone would be waltzing in for an afternoon drink.
I stepped to the side, attempting to walk toward the bar and ignore his snarky comment, when he matched my stride, placing his body right back in front of me.
