Page 120 of Missing Pieces (Men of Manhattan 3)

I changed into a new shirt to humor him and followed him downstairs. "How far away is this place?"

"Just down the street." He opened up the front door and basically pushed me outside. "It's karaoke night. It's going to be a blast."

Karaoke night. I pictured Hailey singing her heart out in Kansas. That's where she said she had fallen in love with me. This was going to be worse than just hanging out at a normal bar. Would everything always remind me of her?

"Do you want to talk about it?" Josh asked.

"There's nothing to talk about."

"Really? Because you're acting like a love sick puppy. It's like the Penny situation all over again."

"It's nothing like that."

"Sure."

"I never loved Penny. I just liked the idea of her."

Josh laughed. "It's about time you realized that. So if you love Hailey, why aren't you trying to win her back?"

"I promised her that I wouldn't break her heart, and I did. There's no fixing that. She thinks I'm a liar." I hurt her.

"I don't know, man, she seemed like a pretty strong girl. I don't think being love sick would keep her down that long."

He hadn't seen the letters, though. But he was right too. It wasn't just the grief of losing her dad that had beaten her down. It wasn't that she thought I rejected her. Either one of those things would push a normal person down. She had only crashed because it was both at once. Maybe if I gave it some time. She needed to grieve for her father. She needed to start to heal again. Then maybe, just maybe, there'd be room in her heart to forgive me.

I opened up the door of the bar and walked inside. There was some guy on the stage singing a country song I had never heard of before. The place was packed. Hailey and I seemed to thrive in places like this. We were so easily able to shut out the rest of the world when we were together. But it wasn't the same without her. It was too loud. There were too many people. I just had to wait five minutes before I made a run for it.

"Find a table. I'm going to grab us some drinks."

I found a table as far away from the stage as possible and sat down. The music. The noise. If I closed my eyes, it was almost like she was here with me. I'd do anything to turn back time and be in Kansas again. I wanted a do-over. It was like I could feel her presence. I was starting to lose my mind.

"Stop falling asleep, man," Josh said and slid a glass of whiskey toward me.

"It's already been at least three minutes."

"Cheers," he said ignoring me, as he clinked his glass against mine.

I took a sip. The burn down my throat felt good.

"Do you think she's the one?" Josh yelled over the music.

That was a shitty question. Especially because of the answer. I downed the rest of the whiskey. "Yes. It's been five minutes." I set the glass down on the table.

"One more song. Then we can go."

"Fine. I'm going to go get another drink." The country music was driving me crazy. It was all about love lost. I waved down the bartender and waited for another whiskey.

The beat to Closer by The Chainsmokers starting pumping over the loudspeakers.

Damn it. Our song.

"Hey, I was doing just fine before I met you. I drink too much and that's an issue, but I'm okay."

I was out of my mind. Now I was imagining I could hear her singing it. I downed the whiskey the bartender handed me and turned around.

And there she was. In that little red dress we bought in Vegas. Our eyes locked.

She smiled as she brought the mic closer to her lips. "I know it breaks your heart. Moved to the city in a broke down car. And four years, no calls." She shrugged and winked at me.

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