NEW BEGINNINGS

CHAPTER FORTY SIX

He had a wild night with her. He got to find out that her name was Lucia and she worked in New York but she was here on some kind of project. They drank and sang and talked. He hadn't felt so happy in a while, so complete. He didn't want the night to end. It was like she was real and just nice. She had shown up when he needed somebody and that counted for him. He saw her off to her house and he stopped at her door. They had strolled down to her place since it wasn't far from the bar

"So, it's goodbye?" She asked
"I doubt that. I'd love to hang out with you sometime soon. I mean, if that's okay with you"
"Of course it is. Give me your phone"

She said and he dug his hands into his pockets. He fished out his phone and handed it to her. She put in her numbers and saved them. He smiled. His typical type of girl

"That's my number. Just call me when you're ready and I'd show up. You should call me though so I can have your number and call you when I'm bored or when I need company or something"

He dialed the number and her phone rang

"Now you have it," Gabriel said, smiling at her
"You should head home. It's almost midnight. I don't know how safe these parts are"
"I would be fine. Get some rest and thank you for the amazing night"
"You're welcome"

She says, smiling at him. She went in and Gabriel headed back to his hotel room. He was different. He felt different, lighter maybe. He wanted to call Dylan and tell him about how he felt for this new girl that he just met. He could hear Dylan laughing at him and wishing him luck as he had done when he was about to date Val. His mind wandered off to Wanda. He had kept some distance from her. He barely called her anymore or picked up her calls. He also stopped replying to her texts if it wasn't about work. He felt bad about it but he knew it was something he needed to do for himself and his best friend even though they were not talking at the moment. It was only a matter of time before they fixed things up. He would be leaving here in exactly one month and he would be heading back home. He hoped that he would meet Dylan in a better mood and hopefully, they can settle their differences and he prayed that Dylan wouldn't leave the house for good because Gabriel wasn't sure if he could handle any of that. He wasn't ready to stay in the house if Dylan wasn't going to be there. It was funny how he had so much grown to love Dylan like he was his own brother. He hoped that none of that would change and if it was going to change, it should not be because of a woman

***

She stared at the key on her side table. It was the key to the house she had made for her brother and his wife. She sighed. Her brother and Brie were back from their honeymoon. He had texted her since she had not picked up any of their calls ever since their Dad died. She had barely spoken to anybody. It was almost nine in the evening when she got up from her bed. She got dressed in a short grey gown that revealed way too much skin but she was going to a club so she didn't care. She packed her hair into a messy bun. She thought it was sexy and others would quite agree with this ideology. She got into her car and drove to the best one around. She entered and went straight to the bar

"Give me the heaviest vodka you have"

She said to the bartender and he gave her a stare but obeyed. He gave her a cup and she gulped it down at a go

"Woah pretty, take it easy on the vodka"

She heard someone say beside her. She looked at him and the first thing she noticed was the wedding ring on his hand. He might have forgotten to take it off and it irritated her to the core but she managed to keep her cool either way. She asked for another glass and was given another. She was about to drink it up again when the man beside her touched her

"Leave me the hell alone" she snapped at him
"Feisty, I like that"

She rolled her eyes in disgust

"I came here for some time alone. I am not interested in talking to you and next time you decide to be an idiot and flirt with another woman, take off the wedding ring. Respect your wife"
"And who the hell do you think you are?"

The man asked, obviously attacked by her words

"I am none of your business. That is what I am"

The man grabbed her by her neck

"Let me go!"

She said, trying to get his fist off her neck. She felt another weight on her at first then she saw the man flying across the bar.

"She said you should let go"

That was a voice she knew too well. She looked behind her and Dylan was there. She stared at him. The man stood up and murmured something to himself before walking away

"I had that under control," she said to Dylan
"You know you could just say thank you," Dylan said back to her
"Thank you"
"You're welcome. Why are you here by yourself, dressed like that?"
"It's a club. I'm not going to wear a suit here"
"I'm not asking you to and I love the dress but you'd get the attention you don't want. The guys here don't respect women. They don't respect you, not the way I do. To them, you're just another sex object"