Chapter 3
Beside the inn stood a cozy tavern, small on the outside but buzzing with life within.
Warm golden light spilled through wooden lattice windows, mingling with the twang of a three-stringed lute and the laughter of the crowd.
I pushed the door open and stepped inside.
The lady boss was mixing drinks behind the bar. When she spotted me, she called out warmly, "Hey, gorgeous, grab a seat! What can I get you?"
"Just spaghetti for me, thanks," I said.
"Coming right up!" she replied with a cheerful grin.
I took a seat in the corner of the bar, waiting for my spaghetti.
The tavern was buzzing with energy. A group of Dordorian guys was playing three-stringed lutes and singing in the corner.
The guests clapped along to the rhythm. The vibe was so lively it was almost unreal.
It suddenly hit me that I hadn't set foot in a place like this in ages.
Back when I was with Leopold, he always complained that places like this were just too loud for his taste.
Later, when his life became all about business dinners at upscale restaurants and exclusive clubs, there was no way he'd ever set foot in a little spot like this.
I looked around at the walls plastered with sticky notes and Polaroid snapshots, and it hit me. This down-to-earth, lived-in atmosphere was what real life was supposed to feel like.
When my spaghetti arrived, the lady boss poured me a cup of highland barley wine. "On the house. Give it a try."
"Thanks," I replied.
I picked up some spaghetti with my fork and took a bite.
The warmth from the spaghetti spread through me, making me feel cozy all over.
For some reason, as I ate, I found myself tearing up.
It wasn't because I was sad.
It just hit me that I could enjoy a meal and live my life just fine on my own.
No more waiting for someone, no more trying to please anyone, and no more tiptoeing around anyone's mood.
The lady boss saw me tearing up, but didn't ask anything. She just quietly poured me another glass of barley wine.
I lifted the glass and knocked it back in one shot.
The barley wine tasted sweet, but it really had a kick.
After a few glasses, I was definitely feeling tipsy.
The lady boss was swamped, so I offered to help her serve the drinks.
"You sure you can handle it?" she asked, a little worried.
"Relax, I used to run my own company. Compared to that, serving drinks is a walk in the park," I said with a grin.
I grabbed the tray and started making the rounds, dropping off drinks at each table.
When I reached the table in the corner, one of the bottles on my tray wobbled dangerously. I managed to steady it, but then my foot suddenly slipped.
A steady hand grabbed my wrist, keeping me from falling.
"Careful," someone said.
His voice was low and husky, like he'd just woken up.
I looked up and met a pair of deep, dark eyes.
For a moment, I just froze.
He had straight brows, piercing eyes, a high-bridged nose, and thin lips slightly pursed, all wrapped up in a youthful energy.
He was strikingly handsome.
It was the kind of good looks that made it impossible to tear my eyes away.
The craziest part was that I had seen that face before in a bar back in Port City a week ago.
That night, after Leopold humiliated me, I went to a bar alone and drank myself stupid.
I lost track of how many drinks I had, got completely wasted, stumbled into the wrong booth, grabbed a guy's hand, and just broke down crying.
"I can't accept this. No, wait, it's not that I'm bitter. This ending doesn't fit the heart I had, knowing it was hopeless but still going for it...
"For you, I almost had a huge fight with my family, and I put every dollar I had into your business.
"And now that you got successful, you just tossed me aside.
"So if anyone should feel regret, it sure as hell shouldn't be me.
"Leopold, you're not good enough for me anymore. Do you get that? It's not that you don't want me. It's that you can't measure up to me now. Are you listening?"
I got more and more fired up, and before I knew it, I grabbed the guy by the collar and planted a kiss right on his mouth.
I wasn't totally out of it when I kissed him.
I caught a glimpse of his eyes.
His eyes were so bright, like they held a whole galaxy inside.
After the kiss, I pulled a wad of cash from my bag and tossed it onto the couch. "Thanks for putting up with me tonight," I said.
Then I staggered out of the bar.
*****
Just remembering all that made me want to crawl into a hole and die.
Right now, at this very second, I wanted to disappear for good.
"Well, lady, flirting and then running off? That's not really cool, is it?" he teased.
He was still holding my wrist, a smirk on his lips and a playful glint in his eyes.
I instinctively tried to pull my hand back. "Wait, maybe you've got the wrong person?"
"Wrong person?" He laughed, let go of my wrist, and pointed to the spot under my eye.
"Girl, not many girls out there look like you, especially with that beauty mark under your eye."
I was stunned.
"That was my first kiss, you know. So, you gotta take responsibility for me," he teased.
I stared at him, my eyes wide. "Wait, you're not..."
"Not what?" he replied, still teasing.
"An escort?" I blurted out.
His expression shifted in an instant, from teasing to a mix of amusement and disbelief. "Did you seriously think I was an escort?"
"That night, you were at the bar..." I stammered, struggling to explain.