Oh, I’m so very intrigued now.
“Which one is it?” I asked as I gave this girl my best smile. The one where both dimples pop out and my green eyes light up. At least, that’s what I’ve been told anyway. I was certainly blessed with my Greek heritage and I knew when to use it.
Dropping her shoulders, she looked at me. Her eyes moved to my dimples, then on to my lips, and finally they settled on my eyes. “Excuse me?” she asked just above a whisper.
“You said I was really cute, and then you said I was overly gorgeous. I’m curious which one I am. Cute? Or gorgeous?”
Her mouth dropped open as she let out a gruff laugh. “Seriously?”
I finished off my drink and set it down. “Yeah. Seriously. And by the way, I’m not trying to pick you up. You’re not my type.”
Narrowing her eyes at me, she smiled slightly. Slipping off the bar stool, she grabbed her drink and finished it off. Her green eyes pinned me to where I couldn’t move even if I wanted to. “Gorgeous.”
I gave her a quick nod of my head as I smiled bigger. Tilting her head, she said, “But your eyes are sad.”
My smile faded as we stood there staring at each other. Looking away, she quickly said, “Enjoy your evening.”
I stood there frozen in place as I watched her make her way through the crowd. Stopping at a couple on the dance floor, who I assumed was the best friend, she said something and then made her way out of the bar.
Turning back toward the bar, I stared at my empty drink. Pulling out my phone, I sent Gus and Nicholaus a text.
Me: Catching a cab. Don’t stay out late, Gus. Cooking class 9am.
Making my way toward the entrance to the bar, I was stopped three times by women looking either for a dance or to share a drink. Politely turning them each down, I pushed the door open and stepped outside into the cool fall air.
I let out a sigh of relief as I dropped my head back and took in a few deep breaths. Something about the air here in Colorado felt so clean. I moved to Houston, Texas for a year after Savannah had passed away. I needed to be away from anything that reminded me of her. Gus had a friend who needed some help on an oil rig. Needless to say, my parents weren’t too happy when I said I was leaving my job as a marketing manager and heading to Texas. I hated every single minute of it and couldn’t wait to get back to Colorado Springs. The mountains, the fresh air, the snow-covered slopes. The only thing good about that year was that I was busy working. If I was busy, I didn’t think about Savannah.
The day I realized I couldn’t keep ignoring the fact that she was gone, was the day I packed up my stuff and headed home. Life moved on everyone kept telling me. The problem was I didn’t want to move on without her.
A honking horn pulled me out of my thoughts as I waved down a cab. Jumping in, I said, “Eleven-eleven Summit Road.”
“Manitou Springs?” the cab driver asked.
“Yeah,” I said as I dropped my head back against the seat. The moment I closed my eyes, green eyes invaded my thoughts. Snapping my eyes open, I shook my head and whispered, “What the fuck?” Sighing, I dragged my hands down my face. For the first time in four years, another woman besides Savannah occupied my thoughts, and I wasn’t sure how I should be feeling.
My phone buzzed in my pocket. Taking it out, I saw Gus’s name scroll across the screen. Swiping across my phone, I read his text.
Gus: Tell me you’ve got a girl with you. Please tell me you’re gonna get fucked tonight. You need to get laid!
Rolling my eyes, I pushed my phone back into my pocket. I’d been with a few women since Savannah passed away. Most of them had been one-night stands. I had tried to date two of them more than one time. I couldn’t get past the fact that they weren’t Savannah. No one would ever be Savannah.
No. One.
GUS PULLED UP and parked next to me as I leaned against my door. Grinning from ear to ear, I took a sip of my coffee as I pushed off my car and made my way over to him.
The door to his Toyota Tundra flew open as he stumbled out. “Who in the fuck decided we needed to cook at nine in the damn morning?”
Giving him a slap on the back, I said, “You did.”
With a dramatic sigh, Gus rubbed his hands down his scruff-covered face. “Fucking hell. I never imagined when I went to college to get my degree in marketing I’d be going to a damn cooking class.”