Total pages in book: 77
Estimated words: 74390 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 372(@200wpm)___ 298(@250wpm)___ 248(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 74390 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 372(@200wpm)___ 298(@250wpm)___ 248(@300wpm)
She was young and carefree and had the world at her fingertips.
But now, as I stared at my reflection in the mirror, I could no longer see her. Now, I had dark circles under my eyes and frazzled hair—the mark of being a struggling single mother.
But maybe, just maybe, wearing my old clothes might help me remember what it felt like to be young and free. It certainly couldn’t hurt. I toyed with my hair and freshened up my makeup, then stepped out of the bathroom and asked my mother, “Well? What do you think?”
“Oh, Lonny! You look marvelous.”
“Are you sure?”
“Absolutely.” A warm smile swept across her face as she said, “Now, get out of here and go have a good time.”
“I should go say goodbye to Dalton.”
“Dalton is fine. We’re about to pop some popcorn and watch a movie, so stop procrastinating and get going.”
“Okay.” I stepped over and gave her a quick hug. “Thanks, Mom.”
I grabbed my things and slipped out the back door. When I got to the bar, I was disappointed to see that the parking lot was completely packed. I wasn’t exactly surprised. There were only two bars in town—Danvers and Puckett’s. Danvers was more of a sports bar with pool tables and flat screens, whereas Puckett’s was an old-school bar with a juke box and dart boards. Both were usually packed on Friday nights, and tonight was no different.
I opened the door and was immediately hit with the smell of stale cigarettes and alcohol—a scent that reminded you of the frat party you weren’t invited to. The crowd was already in full swing, and the music was blaring so loud that I could feel the bass vibrating in my chest. I was tempted to turn around and dart back to my car, but I forced myself to continue inside.
I’d only taken a couple of steps when I spotted Skylar at a table close to the bar. Carefully weaving through the thick swarm of people, I made my way over to her. As soon as she saw me, she leaped out of her chair and opened her arms, wrapping them tightly around me as she shouted, "You made it!”
“Of course!” I hugged her back as I shouted, “I wouldn’t miss it!”
“You look fabulous!”
“Thanks! You do, too.” I stepped back and gave her a quick once over. “I love the new hair color.”
“Thanks, I thought I’d switch it up a bit.”
“Hey there, stranger.” Lucas, Skylar’s long-time boyfriend and now fiancé, stepped over and gave me a big hug. “Really glad you were able to make it.”
“Me, too.”
Lucas grinned, then motioned for me to sit down next to Skylar. Once I was settled, he looked over to the tall, dark-haired man sitting next to him. “You remember Danny, don’t you?”
“Of course,” I replied, eyeing him up and down. He had a strong jawline and piercing blue eyes that seemed to be staring straight through me. I extended my hand as I told him, “Hi, Danny. It’s good to see you again.”
“Right back at ya,” he said, taking my hand in his and shaking firmly. His touch sent shivers down my spine, and I couldn’t help but feel a little bit intimidated. “It’s been a long time.”
“Yes, it has.”
“So, what have you been up to?” Skylar asked, taking a quick sip of her drink. “Tell me all about your life in the big city. I know it has to be absolutely amazing.”
I didn’t know how to tell her that my life hadn’t been all that spectacular. Everyone thought I’d taken the scholarship and had gotten my degree, and I was too embarrassed to let anyone know that I’d dropped out of my big fancy college and moved closer to home. I’d also failed to mention that I’d had a four-year-old son who was the light of my world.
That wasn’t the kind of thing you just blurted out at a bar, so I shrugged and told her, “If you consider going to work and coming straight home every day amazing, then yes. It’s the best.”
“Please tell me that’s not all you do.”
“I shop a little.”
“Londyn!” she fussed. “Please tell me you’ve...”
Before she could finish her thought, Josie and Tarah, two of our friends from high school, came up behind us and squealed, “The party has arrived!”
Skylar and I jumped up and gave each of them a hug. We were taking a quick moment to catch up when Thomas and Brandon showed up with Kinley and Mark. We each greeted them and claimed our spots at the table. We’d barely had a chance to get settled when Tarah asked, “Who’s ready for a round?”
And that’s all it took for things to get interesting.
Brandon called one of the waitresses over and ordered a round of shots for everyone. As we waited for them to arrive, I looked around the table and felt a mix of gratitude and sadness. While it was great to see my old friends again, it didn’t feel the same without Malcomb being there with us.