Page 15 of Holiday on the Rocks
Her hand flew into the air. “Did you ever just see someone and think yes, this is the night I’ll be arrested for assault?”
We stepped inside the lodge with soaring ceilings and people everywhere. There were several Christmas trees filled with an obscene amount of lights, green wreaths hanging on the walls, and several seating areas with burgundy sofas and stately brown leather chairs.
Mahogany floors ran under foot and marble pillars in the distance screamed we’d arrived where the whole town wanted to be. There was a large wall of windows ahead of us showcasing the mountains, snowy trees, and ski lifts. The vibe of the whole place was Holiday Vacation.
We checked our coats at the door, and I followed her into a dimly lit bar where a woman in her late twenties stood. “Welcome, two?”
Allie shook her head. “Oh God no, I’m not with him. Just one.”
The hostess’s eyes darted between us. “Okay, please follow me.”
She was seated at a small table to the right of the bar, while my sad seat was a few tables over. I glanced at the menu and did the only thing I could; order a thick steak, side of mashed, and a Miller Lite.
As I drank my beer and waited for my chow, my attention wouldn’t leave her. With a flick of her wrist she brushed away a stray curl from her face while her pink pouty lips were strangling me. She was literally the most beautiful woman I’d ever seen; then and now.
Her sunny smile appeared and punched me in the gut as the waitress took her order. The one I’d spent countless hours dreaming about as I sat staring and obsessing like a crazed stalker. It was then she noticed my gaze and immediately hopped to the seat across from her, so my view was now of the back of her head.
Still good.
The waitress set a margarita in front of her. Oh how I wanted to lick the salt from her lips. Yes, I’m the definition of what gives men a bad name. Sue me.
I finished dinner and my beer when my pulse spiked as a guy who was at the bar a second ago, was now seated at her table. But this was okay, I couldn’t blame him, and I knew it was cool. But when she slurped down her margarita in record time and threw her head back and laughed, I realized this was not okay.
The guy said something to her and exited. As bad of an idea it was, I walked to her table. “Are you ready to go?”
She looked over and her flushed cheeks confirmed she still wasn’t a big drinker. “No, I’m not ready. You just go over there, or I’ll take an Uber back.”
“You’re in a bar with a stranger. We both know what happens when you drink.”
Giggles. “You don’t know me anymore. I’m a grown up now. Please go away.”
“I know me being here is a problem?—”
“Well, the answer to this problem may not be at the bottom of this margarita glass, but I’m going to be checking it hard.”
“You have a concussion.”
Her eyes rolled. “A minor concussion. My headache is gone and it’s none of your business anyway.”
“It’s not good for you?—”
Instantly she reached into her purse, pulled out her magic eight ball, and shook it. “Do I give a shit what stupid Levi thinks about anything?” Her eyes looked into the little triangle window. “It says fuck no.”
“It does not.”
“Does too.” She set it on the table.
“No it doesn’t.”
She dramatically held it out and sure as shit she was right. “Huh, I?—”
“Don’t know anything?” She crossed her arms over her perfect chest. “Bye bye now.”
“Alcohol isn’t good for you?—”
“There are a lot of things that haven’t been good for me, and I pulled through just fine.” Her eyes narrowed. “You can go now.”
“I’ll wait at my table.”
