Don't Say Goodbye

2)Breaking The Ice

Katie

Chapter 2

Life has had me stuck in a rut, same old shit every week. Monday through Friday I bartend at the restaurant Kelsie works at and weekend nights I bartend at the club down the street. Occasionally I'll have a wedding or private party I'll work but those are few and far between. On Fridays and Saturdays, I'll have a few drinks after my shift and stumble home with one of the two guys I see regularly. I have just enough human contact to keep the loneliness away but no more. I never let anybody close enough to know me or to hurt me again the way Derek did. The name alone causes me to internally shiver haven't even thought about him in ages. The only one of my 'regulars' that's ever tried to have more with me is Alex. We've been hooking up for a while now but I keep it strictly to weekend nights. I've told him multiple times a relationship is not something I want but he still tries, bless his heart. When Kelsie called a few days ago upset, over Peter I assumed, I told her it was time for a getaway. I had already been looking at some vacation spots, basically just daydreaming knowing a week away from the monotony was needed. I already planned to go somewhere snowy, the beach is too hot and too sandy, and Kelsie agreed. Of course, we had to make a brief shopping trip to get some appropriate attire. Hoodies and layers may be fine for Kentucky snow but when she found us a cabin in Colorado we knew we needed more. We were booking last minute and the travel agent told us we could save a little money by sharing with some other guests. I was hesitant at first, I'm not much of a people person, but I thought it wouldn't be too bad to meet some new people. If they were lame we'll just spend our time out and about and away from the others. On our flight from Kentucky to Colorado I try to get her to tell me what's going on.

"Not that I'm against a random vacation but what brought all this on?"

"I just needed to get away while I had the time off. What did you tell Alex? You're still seeing him weekly right?" She asks taking the attention off herself.

"Yeah, we hung out last night I just told him I was going out of town and that I'd let him know when I got home."

"Is he still trying to be your boyfriend?" She questions knowing about his clingy-ness.

"Yes, I keep trying to break it off because I know he wants more than I do, but then he says he's okay with what's between us and backs off a little for a week or two. Then he'll be asking me on dates again and I have to explain it all over. I think about just telling him flat out we can't keep it up, I may be heartless but I don't want to hurt the boy, besides I still have Eric and he never tries to tie me down, well not in a relationship I should say." I wink at her and she rolls her eyes.

"Yeah well I get why you like to keep people at arm's length, it's safer that way." She says bitterly.

"Well when you're ready to talk about that I'll be ready to listen," I tell her knowing she'll eventually spill the beans. Slipping my headphones over my ears, I try to give her some space from this conversation she's clearly not ready for. Eventually drifting off to sleep and before I know it we are landing and headed to the cabin.

On our third day at the cabin, I wake up and shower and plan to get dressed for the day. The other guests are supposed to arrive this evening, but as I look through outfit choices Kelsie knocks on my door and tells me they're already here.

"They're here. And they're hot."

"They're all guys?"

"Hot guys." She laughs.

I'm not sure how I feel about them being guys. I kind of wanted to get away from that part of life, guys and hookups, not that I plan to hook up but let's be honest hookups are how I get through life. I'm not a slut or anything I just don't date. I like to refer to them as long term booty calls. Plus I planned to have girl time here and clear my head. Maybe find a new path for my life, we'll see how this goes. I decide on black high-waist skinny jeans and an oversized chunky grey sweater tucked in. I add a belt and slip on my black toms. As I enter the kitchen I see three extraordinarily hot guys talking to Kelsie. She completely undersold them, and as they continue to speak, I realize they have accents! Oh god, be still my heart....... and lady parts. The universe is testing my willpower, how can I avoid hooking up with at least one of them? Maybe they all have girlfriends. She gets me out of my inner thoughts continuing to introduce us and tells me they're Australian.