I thought of Will. He could make an adventure out of even the most trivial things. A trip to the gas station with Will always provided a memory that was worth holding onto. He was spontaneous, sure, but he was more than that—he really fucking lived his life.
I couldn’t say the same for myself.
Hell, the most exciting thing to happen to me in recent months was that all too brief interlude in the hallway outside of this bar with Tori two days before. Something about her had wiped whatever melancholy I’d been holding onto. It was like she’d known just how to pull me out of the funk I’d felt after listening to Will’s final voicemail on my phone. And I’d be a fucking liar if I pretended that I hadn’t looked at the doors each time they opened, hoping she’d walk in again. It was stupid, idiotic, that I hadn’t gotten her number. But I’d truly been so stunned by our interaction that it hadn’t occurred to me I might not see her again.
“Man, you just need to loosen up,” Vince said, placing his hands on my shoulders and shaking me hard enough that my skeleton rattled beneath my muscles. “Get out there, get laid. You haven’t forgotten how to do that, have you?”
“It’s like riding a bike,” I said with humor I didn’t completely feel.
“Yeah, exactly. Riding a bike. Once you take the training wheels off, it’s a little dicey, but then you get the hang of it and that shit works smoothly.”
“Sure,” I said, but my attention had turned to the other end of the bar where a group of familiar faces sat.
Had Tori been there for a while and I hadn’t noticed? Or had I conjured her? No, that was stupid. She wasn’t made of magic; she was wholly human, and she looked fucking phenomenal. One thing was for sure, I wasn’t going to let her leave this bar without trying to get her number, at the very least. I’d need to figure out how to prevent Vince from ordering another beer first.
“I’m beat,” I said, faking a yawn. “You beat, Vinny?”
“God, you’re such a grandpa.”
“I know,” I replied, because it was easier to agree with him than to argue. “How about this—I’ll pay your bill if we can get out of here sooner than later. What do you think?”
“I guess I can’t argue with that,” Vince said, slurring his words. He raised his hand for the check and from behind him, I motioned for the bartender to combine them onto one. I turned my head, looking across the bar for Tori, but she had vacated her group. Strangely though, her friends were staring at me.
“Liam?”
Her voice.
I turned around, coming face to face with Tori. Jesus, I knew she was beautiful but up close like this, she was spectacular. The tiniest birth mark disappeared into her lone dimple as she smiled up at me.
“Tori,” I said like she was more familiar to me than she actually was.
“You remember my name.”
“It’s not every day that someone confesses their love for me,” I said, smiling back. It felt so easy to smile again.
“Who’s this?” Vince asked, turning, losing his balance, and falling back onto his stool.
“Tori, this is my friend Vince.”
“Vinny,” he said, giving her the wrong hand and then limply shaking her hand. “Who are you?”
“Tori,” I repeated to Vince and handed my credit card to the bartender.
“So, I am the victim of another dare,” Tori began, barely glancing at Vince.
“Ah.” I ran my tongue over my teeth.
“Which makes you a victim too. For a second time.”
“I didn’t feel so much like a victim the last time.” I leaned back against the bar, still grinning at her.
“You might change your mind,” she said, causing me to narrow my eyes in contemplation. Before I could ask what she meant, she stepped forward, her hands on the bar on either side of me—pinning me in place. She raised up on her tiptoes until we were inches apart. Her breath fluttered over my face and I lost all thought as her perfume hit me like a tidal wave. She smelled like warm roses, something vanilla-y. But I couldn’t think too much about that because before I could prepare myself, one soft hand slid behind my neck and then, most extraordinarily, her lips landed on mine.
Turns out I lied about her not being made of magic.