“I'm Laura.”
“Nice to meet you, Laura,” Chad replied. “What do you like to drink?”
“Here? I like their Moscow mules,” she told him. “Best in the state.”
“Sounds good.” He grinned and held up his hand to catch the bartender's attention. “Moscow mules for the two of us. Put it on my tab.”
It only took a moment for the bartender to come back with two shiny copper mugs filled with delicious ginger beer and vodka.
“Well, your ex-boyfriend is an idiot,” Laura announced holding up her cup. Chad clinked his against hers and smiled.
“Tell me about it,” he agreed. “Cheers.”
And they both drank. It tasted delicious. Laura wasn't sure what the secret ingredient was that Sandy's used to make theirs taste better than anyone else's, and Elena refused to tell her.
“So, why are you here drinking alone and looking like someone kicked your dog?” Chad asked.
Laura sighed. “I told my boyfriend we needed a break. He hasn't spoken to me since.”
Chad winced. “That's rough.”
“Yeah. In this case, I'm the idiot,” she admitted, taking another sip of her drink.
“We're all idiots in love,” Chad replied. He held up his glass, and she happily toasted again
“To idiots,” she agreed, drinking deeply.
She went to set her cup on the counter and nearly missed, sloshing some of her drink onto her hand. She frowned at the cup, surprised at how strong the alcohol was. It certainly didn't taste that strong. Either that, or she was turning into a complete lightweight.
“So, do you think you'll ever find love again?” she asked. She made sure not to take another sip of her drink. When the bartender came back, she was going to order some food. It was probably hitting her harder than she thought because she had an empty stomach.
“I don't know,” Chad said with a shrug. “I hate relationships at the moment. What about you?”
“I'm afraid I might have really screwed things up,” she admitted. She turned the copper cup, so it caught the light. It was pretty. “This was our second chance. Do I really deserve a third?”
“We all deserve love,” Chad told her. “I hope it works out for you.”
“Thanks,” she replied. “I hope so, too.”
He took a deep sip of his drink and set the empty cup on the counter. “I need to use the restroom. You okay by yourself?”
“Of course,” she told him. She frowned as she looked past him and saw a familiar face. Craig, Ethan’s security guard, sitting in a booth by the end of the bar. What was he doing here? “Actually, I think I see a friend of mine.”
She went to stand up from the bar stool, and the whole world spun. She couldn't seem to get her legs to respond to her commands. It was like she was swimming through jello.
“I think... I think...” she stuttered. She looked over at her drink sitting on the bar. She picked it up and nearly sloshed the remainder all over her front. “How strong were these?”
“Are you okay?” Chad asked, looking concerned as she nearly knocked her drink over.
“I think you need to go home now, Laura,” Craig said, suddenly beside her. “I think you've had a little too much to drink.”
“But I didn't,” Laura protested, but no one heard her.
“Do you know this guy?” Chad asked her, motioning to Craig.
“Yeah,” she said with a smile that felt way too big. She nodded, and her head felt like a bobble-head doll. “He's my boyfriend's bodyguard. He's good.”
“Bodyguard, huh,” Chad said, looking skeptical. He looked like he might have been sizing up Craig, like he might try to defend her honor in a moment. “You're sure?”