Dear Heart, You Screwed Me(11)

Colt handed me a shot glass, then handed one to Connie.

“To new friends,” he called out.

“To new friends,” we chimed, clinking our glasses together and swallowing the sambuca. I winced, gritting my teeth as the burn coated my throat. But it was welcomed. Anything to get rid of the sickly feeling that was deep in my gut.

Connie slammed her glass on the table and done a little dance in her seat.

“They were good!” she shouted as she shuffled up to let Kieran sit down next to her. I done the same letting Colt slide in next to me. I stilled as his cologne filled my nostrils, my skin burning at the closeness of him. Turning my head to the side slightly to look up at him, I could see he was uncomfortable.

Was it time to go home yet?

“So, Reese, what brings you to New York?” Kieran asked as his arm slipped behind Connie.

“New job opportunity.” I smiled, but my smile soon faltered as Kieran started whispering sweet nothings into Connie’s ears making her giggle and blush.

“Where is your new job?” Colt asked, his voice low and soft.

“I’ll be working for a PR company, a little out of my depth but I got head-hunted so I must be doing something right.” I giggled awkwardly.

“You must be.” He smiled.

“You work in stocks I’m assuming?” Even saying the words made my heart drum, the blood thumping in my ears.

He just nodded, sipping his beer from the bottle. “I never wanted to go into stocks, I’m not about this lifestyle.” Now it was his turn to laugh awkwardly. “I wanted to be a teacher, but my father wouldn’t allow it. Told me I had to go out and get a real job.” He sighed, shaking his head and picking the label off of his bottle.

“Oh wow.” I said surprised, my eyes widening as I took a big mouthful of my wine.

“Yup,” he laughed, “but it’s not all bad. I got to meet these jerks.” He nodded his head towards Kieran whose tongue was currently down Connie’s throat. “You must be very brave to come to a new city alone.”

“Or stupid.” I laughed, “I would have been an idiot to turn this job down, so I had to pull up my big girl knickers and get on a plane.”

“Knickers?” he scoffed.

“Yeah?” I furrowed my brow, “oh, you call them panties I think?” I blushed.

“We do.” He laughed “You’re cute when you blush.”

His words only making me blush even more.





CHAPTER 5





I stood in the toilets waiting for Connie. My head was fuzzy, the alcohol was swimming in my veins.

“Come onnnnn,” I drawled out, “I need a wee!” stamping my trainer on the floor.

“Okay! Calm down!” her already thick accent seeming to get thicker the more intoxicated she got.

The cubicle door swung open; a one-eyed and squinting Connie walked towards the sink.

“I can hardly see.” She giggled as she washed her hands.

“Then that means you have had enough.” I nodded over enthusiastically before shutting the door shut.

We hadn’t made it anywhere else; we were still in The Palm Court at the hotel, which to be honest, I was sort of glad about. It meant I was no more than five minutes from my bed.

Stumbling out of the loo, I walked to the sink to see Connie topping her lipstick up.

“I’m surprised you have any lips left after your make out sessions with Kieran,” I raised my eyebrows as I tousled my hair root with my fingers.

“He is a good kisser,” she puckers up and blows me a kiss in the reflection of the mirror. “I am totally going to jump his bones tonight.”

I giggled. I don’t know why but I checked my phone, a subtle ache in my heart reminding me of my life back home.

“You going to take Colt back to your room?” Connie’s words pulled me from my thoughts.

“I don’t think so.” I laughed, all of a sudden, I felt sober.

“Why not? He is hot!” she shouted.

“He is hot, but I don’t know…” I twisted my fingers together.

“Reese?” Now it was her turn to raise her eyebrows at me.

“What?” I stammered as I done anything to avoid eye contact.

“What aren’t you telling me?” her voice was soft now, her head turning so she was looking at me. Her arm reached out, her fingers wrapping round my wrist as she pulled me towards her.

“It’s nothing,” my voice trembled.

The silence was deafening. I could see how concerned she was, her brows furrowed in her forehead, her eyes glassed over as they moved between each of mine.

I inhaled deeply before closing my eyes.

“I haven’t been with anyone in over two years…”

I wasn’t ready to tell her about Elijah yet. That wound was too painful and I didn’t want to get into it while drunk as I have no control over drunk words and a truthful heart. A drunk mind speaks a sober one, telling everyone your deepest and darkest secrets that you would never tell a soul.

“Two years?!” she dropped my wrist and held her hands on her cheeks as she processed my news. “How have you not closed up?” she sniggered, stepping towards me, and pulling me into a tight embrace.

“It’s okay, Connie will help you out.” She whispered in my ear before laughing.