It All Started in Vegas

Chapter 6

Charlotte POV

The cab ride seemed to take forever, probably because I kept thinking about what bar guy's name could be. I can't believe I didn't even ask, but neither did he, so I don't really feel as bad. I didn't ask because I was too busy having a great time with him, I wonder if he was having fun too? 

Well, it's a guy in Vegas, so he was probably looking for one thing in particular. But what if he wasn't? I was so caught up in my own head that I almost didn't realize the taxi was stopped outside our hotel. While we were walking inside, the other girls were talking about how tired they were, but I was still pretty wired. I slowed my pace, and my friends turned around realizing. 

"Char, are you okay?" Ashley asked, stepping towards me. 

"Yeah, I'm great! I'm just not really tired. I think I may go sit at the bar for a little while before I head up." 

They all looked at one another, as if debating something. "Well, I'll come with you! You shouldn't be by yourself." Sarah said, even though she had small bags under her eyes. 

"No no. You guys go ahead and go up. I'll be fine, really! You guys have my location, and if I'm not back in 45 minutes, feel free to come looking. It's really fine, I promise." 

They all looked at me skeptically, before muttering, "Yeah", "Okay", and "Be careful!" They made their way to the elevator, and as for me, I made my way to the bar.

Sitting down at a barstool, there were only three other people in the bar besides me, and one of them was the bartender. He walked over to me, and gave me a small smile, saying "Happy Birthday! What can I get you?" 

I looked at the middle-aged man, asking, "How did you know it was my birthday?" I hadn't given him my ID, and this was the first time we had ever talked. He laughed and pointed at me, and that's when I realized I still had my sash on. 

"Well that's embarrassing," I laughed. "I'll just take a Bud Light please." 

He nodded at me and headed to the cooler to get the beer. I set my phone up on the table, and grabbed my debit card out of the cardholder to give to the bartender. He brought my beer over and set it on the coaster, and when I went to hand him the card, he waved it away, telling me that it was a birthday gift. I gave him a smile and thanked him.

For a while, I just stared at my beer before taking a sip. You're probably wondering why I switched from mixed drinks to beer at the end of the night, and trust me, there's a reason. I sighed picking up my phone. 

While I was looking at my phone I heard some commotion in the lobby, but I was too busy replying to my family's happy birthday messages to be concerned about the noise. I wish they could be here, but they just couldn't afford to use the vacation time, and I understand that. What I really wanted was for my dad to be here, but that wasn't possible. 

That's why I ordered a Bud Light, because that was his favorite. You probably noticed the past tense. My dad died of cancer when I was seven, and my life has never been the same since. Don't get me wrong, I have a good family, and I'm really blessed to be surrounded by some of the best people. 

But my dad was my best friend. He was one of the most important people in my life, and suddenly he was gone. It was the worst thing that has ever happened to me, and ever since, it's hard to believe that anyone who comes into my life isn't going to just be temporary. 

After drinking my dad's favorite beer, and thinking about how much I miss him, I decided I was finally ready to head up to the room and get some sleep. I thanked the bartender again while tipping him, grabbed my phone, and I started heading towards the elevator. Thinking about my dad not only made me sad, I was suddenly exhausted too. I pressed the third floor, ready to get to my room and just go to sleep.