Chapter 0100
After Megan, Rachel, and I took a few more shots, Maria started driving us to wherever it was she was taking us.
I noticed we e were closing in on Chianti, and I relaxed some. I knew the kind of men I’d find at the wine bar, and surely I could find a way to sit in the oversized leather chairs that hid most of my body.
We got closer to Chianti, and I realized Maria wasn’t slowing down. “Um…you’re about to pass the wine bar,” I said, only slightly slurring my words.
“What?” Maria asked,
“Chianti, it’s right there,” I pointed.
The three of them laughed.
“Oh, honey,” Megan said. “You do not dress like this to go to a wine bar. You dress like this to go somewhere trashy, where the boys are desperate and needy.”
“Oh…oh no,” I said, realizing where we were going. “You don’t mean…”
Megan nodded, a huge smile crossing her face. “Yup. We’re going to Chickadee’s.”
I inwardly groaned. Chickadee’s was the trashiest bar in town. It had a reputation for being the bar people go to just to find a quick hookup. I wasn’t really interested in becoming a new host to one of the many STDs that I’m sure ran rampant at that place. But I didn’t want to seem ungrateful for them taking me out, however, so I just responded with a nod.
We pulled into the parking lot a few minutes later and all piled out of the car. Maria grabbed my arm and held me back until we were out of earshot of the other two.
“Look, I know this isn’t really your thing. Don’t let them pressure you into going home with anyone, okay? Let’s just drink a little, maybe flirt a little, do some of the line dances, then I’ll take you home. I just want you to forget about your family and things at work for a little while,” she said.
I nodded and pulled her into a hug. “Thank you,” I said.
We ran to catch up to Megan and Rachel. We walked through the doors to the bar. A country song was bumping and lots of people were on the dance floor. We made our way around them to the bar. Those shots I had earlier were catching up to me, and I grabbed Maria’s hand to help steady myself.
Once
e we reached the other side of the dance floor we found a tall table to sit at.
“Stay H
here,” Rachel said. “We’ll grab you something to drink. But I saw some guys checking you out that I bet want a minute alone with you.”
She winked at me and pointed towards one end of the bar. I gave the area a quick glance but I was very much not interested. I gave her a thumbs up and the three of them walked to the bar. I rested my hand on my chin, praying that no one would approach me while they were gone.
A moment later, Maria came running up to me with a tall, handsome guy in tow.
“Hazel, this is Jonathan,” she said. “I told him you’re just here tonight looking for some fun, no leaving the bar together,” she gave Jonathan a stern look. “Right, Jonathan?”
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Chapter 0100
He nodded. “Yes, ma’am.” He said in a thick country accent.
“Hi,” I said, my face surely turning beet red. “It’s nice to meet you.”
Maria snuck away and gave me a wink.
“My friends dragged me here tonight too,” he gave me a half smile.
“Did your friends also make you go sans underwear so you could get lucky?” The tequila in me said.
“What?” He looked stunned.
“What?” I said.
His eyes flickered briefly downward. I crossed my arms in front of my chest.
“I’m sorry,” he said, blushing and looking down at the beer in his hand. “I didn’t mean to…”
“Hey,” I said suddenly, fully losing control of my mouth apparently. “Do you want to dance?
Logan pulled up to the parking lot of Chickadee’s and looked at the front of the building. It was not his usual type of bar, but maybe that was a good thing, he thought. Maybe he needed to make some changes.
He parked and walked inside. Most of the floor space in the center of the bar was taken up by line dancers. He walked around them, eyeing the crowd. He’d never done a line dance in his life. He never really understood the appeal, getting drunk and trying to do a choreographed dance with other drunk people. It just sounded like a recipe for disaster.
Suddenly, Logan hit something hard.
“Oh!” He heard from in front of him
He stumbled back a couple steps and snapped his head forward. It was a woman he had run into. She was looking down at her dress. Logan noticed a giant wet spot on her chest and a now empty glass in her hand.
“Oh
my god, I am so sor…” he suddenly realized he knew this person. “Maria?”
She snapped her head up. Her mouth dropped open. “Logan! What are you doing here?”
“I just wanted to…get out tonight,” he said. “Did I make you spill your drink? I am so sorry, please, let me buy you a new one.”
“Oh, it’s okay,” Maria shrugged. “It was just water. I’m the DD tonight.” She rolled her eyes and gave him a half smile.
Logan looked around. “Still. Let me find you a towel or a napkin,” he said.
He ran to the bar and grabbed a stack of tiny cocktail napkins to bring back to her.
She smiled and gave a small laugh. “Thank you,” she said and started patting at her chest.
“So uh…” Logan hesitated. “Are you here by yourself tonight?”
“No, I came with a few friends”
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Chapter 0100
“Is um…is…” he stammered. Who was he turning into? He wondered. No other woman in his life had him as nervous as the one he was trying to ask about.
–
Maria struggled and failed to hide a smile. “Yeah, Hazel’s here. But you’ll have to get in line.”
Maria pointed to a group on the opposite side of the dance floor. He looked. All he could see was a striking woman in a skin tight dress that was line dancing and laughing with a couple of men that stood on either side of her..
“I don’t see her?” Logan said.
“She’s the one in the dress, she’s talking to the two blonde guys that she’s in between,” Maria pointed again.
He turned his eyes back to the trio he’d spotted before. He squinted his eyes, then gasped when he finally recognized her. He felt like his jaw was going to fall onto the floor. He had never seen Hazel look like this. Her hair was curled and down, she was wearing a full face of make–up, she was wearing heels. No wonder he hadn’t recognized her. She looked like a completely different person.
And that dress? That dress was so tight it seemed like it could have been painted on her. It left absolutely nothing to the imagination. He’d found her attractive before, but this? This was a damn sexy look on her. “Woah,” he said under his breath.