“Thank you, but I should be going.”
“Do you want to stay the night? We have plenty of guest rooms,” Kelly Ann said.
My heart, which I thought was irreparable, stitched itself back together in a tiny, miniscule way.
“Thank you, but I’m fine. I cannot tell you how much I appreciate you.” I stood and a clink sounded at my feet. Poor little broken Gnomen still laid on the floor. “Can I take him?”
“Please,” they both said in unison.
They walked me to my car, and when Gnomen was safely tucked in my trunk, I hugged them both. I felt lighter as I pulled out of their driveway.
Kelly Ann and Robert waved until my car was out of sight. I hoped their son realized what amazing parents he had. Unexpectedly, tears began pouring down my face.
I sobbed as I drove out of the gated community. The thought of going home made me sick. Jules still hadn’t responded to my voicemail, and I didn’t want to be alone. I almost wished I’d taken them up on letting me stay in one of their guest rooms.
Chapter 14
Instead of going home, I ended up at a bar that Jules and I frequented. Louie, my favorite bartender, lit up when he saw me, but his face fell when he noticed my puffy, tear-streaked face.
He was pouring my Amaretto Sour without waiting for me to order it.
“Wanna talk about it?” he asked.
“Nope.”
“Tell me when you’re ready for your next one.” He tapped the bar three times with his knuckles before moving down to take orders.
It was only eight thirty, so the bar wasn’t incredibly busy. I took out my phone and dialed Jules again. When the voicemail picked up, I hung up, downed my drink, signaled Louie for another round, and texted Jules.
I sent it.
Unfinished and messy. Jules had never been MIA before; we were always glued at the hip. The only reason we weren’t havingour Friday unwinding was because Bradford was traveling so much.
I missed my friend.
Tears leaked down my face. Louie sat down another drink. “Thanks,” I whispered around the tears clogging my throat.
Louie was about to answer when a very drunk older woman saddled up to the bar.
“What can I get you?” he asked, while he tried to be a gentleman and not look at her ginormous boobs she placed on top of the bar.
“Are you single?” she asked.
I brightened. Jules and I had been to the bar enough times that I knew what was about to happen. Louie was an adorable bartender with big, blue eyes and charm oozing off of him in waves. He also was in a very committed relationship with his high school sweetheart.
Without answering, Louie grabbed a glass and filled it with a concoction. I’d never paid attention to what he was putting in the glass, too busy watching the woman’s reaction.
“Here you go.” He handed her the glass. “Would you like to start a tab?”
The woman stared at him and then the drink he’d just handed her, confusion written all over her heavily make-upped face.
“What is this?” she asked.
“It’s an Are You Single. Isn’t that what you asked for?”
She opened her mouth and slammed it shut. Her face turned bright red, which was impressive with the amount of foundation she had caked on it.
“Th- that’s not what I-I meant,” she finally stammered.