Alicia and her family are back to the family's country house. She's crafted fond memories in that place, amongst her relatives, unlike her sister Kesia, the 'outcast'. Now, that she's started her brand new career, and that she's engaged to be marrie...
"Happy Hour all day every Friday!" Ewan read the huge banner that hung from the quaint red-brick building's entrance as he drove on the pebbled street fishing for a spot to park.
"Looks likeyour wallet is in luck, sis....or is it? I mean, suddenly I feel so motivated to drink double." Kesia quipped, pulling down the passenger's mirror to take a quick peep at her makeup.
"Ugh." Instinctively, I pressed my sparkly, grey purse to my stomach.
"Blame the sign, not me!"She teased, and Ewan threw me a wicked little peek through the rearview mirror.
"They must be struggling. Lots of parking available for a Friday night. The place is new...but still." Ewan pointed out as he effortlessly parallel-parked his Camaro a block or two down from the bars' entrance. I wondered what sorts of bars he used to frequent back in Los Angeles - this question adding to the long list of things I didn't bother asking him in all those years.
He leaped out, crossed over to the sidewalk, and opened the door for my sister. Moving her seat forward, he stretched out his hand for me to get out.
His longish curls bounced as he straightened his back, and shut the door behind me. His grip felt sturdy and yet smooth on mine.
Our hands remained intertwined, even long after I had made it successfully out of his car. The way his thumb stroked my skin as we held hands felt too delightful for me to let go.
It wasn't until my sister - who was walking a step ahead of us, turned around to speak and her eyes caught an involuntary glimpse at our intertwined hands. He was the one who let go.
"It's nice being out of that house," she said as our IDs were checked at the door.
"I don't know what's just so horrible about it..." My little objection was met with a duo of tight, wry side smirks, making me realize I was sorely outnumbered. I headed straight toward the bar leaving them both slightly behind and sat down on an empty stool. I ordered a shot of whiskey instead of my usual strawberry daiquiri.
My cell vibrated, and upon checking it I realized I had missed my daily nighttime call from Bryce.
"Shit..." I whispered under my breath.
'Family game night, talk to you in the am?' I typed in a hurry and without allowing myself to give it much thought I pressed send. That marked the second lie I had told in one night and I couldn't for the life of me understand why I hadn't just told him the truth.
"We making you that miserable already and the night hasn't even started?" Ewan ordered a beer. His eyes scanned the colorful alcoholic display behind the bar with distracting impassivity.
"I'm having a good time," I said, and I'm not sure if by saying this I was trying to pull myself out of the fog of my guilt for lying to Bryce, or because I wanted Ewan to know I was glad he agreed to be our designated driver.
He veered his eyes at me, skepticism tugging at the corners of his lips.
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
