MORGAN

 

A few minutes later, I pulled into one of the carport parking spaces assigned to Kennedy and me. As soon as I walked inside, Kennedy rushed over to me with giddiness suggesting that we have a girl’s night out that included her boyfriend, Craig.

She argued that we both needed to get dolled up, go to our favorite bar, Red Velvet, and get drunk. Anything to get me feeling better. She said I could even use the opportunity to hit on a cute guy and maybe take him home.

I made Kate promise to not force me to hit on men or take them home and if she could keep her promise, I would agree. Reluctantly, but I’d agree nonetheless. I wasn’t ready to deal with men again or anything like that. Men still annoyed me at this point.

An hour later, we were dressed to the nines and on our way to Red Velvet. I was in my sleek, go to black dress and stilettos, and Kennedy opted for her tight, red one that I would never be able to pull off in a million years. It showed more skin than covered it. I admired her body, she looked good in anything she wore, and she had the confidence to match.

We waited for Craig to come and pick us up and despite dreading feeling like a third wheel, I was happy he was joining us. I didn’t particularly feel safe getting drunk in a bar without anyone to look out for us. Craig was probably the only guy I knew that I trusted, and he was always up for a fun time. He was such a nice guy, and I was glad he made Kennedy happy.

“Alright ladies, the first round is on me. What shall I order for the both of you?” Craig wiggled his eyebrows.

“Hmm, how about some tequila shots!” Kennedy suggested.

“Ugh, gross no.” I made a weird face.

“Don’t look at me like that. The whole point was to get bombed as quickly as possible, so we could lift your spirits. How about some Kamikaze shots instead?”

“Ugh, I guess that’ll do. Just as bad but at least somewhat better tasting.” I frowned.

“Girl, you need to get out more and learn to hold your own. I can’t believe after all of these years you are such a lightweight still.” Kennedy playfully slapped my arm as Craig ordered a round of shots from the bartender.

“It’s called, being an elementary school teacher. I can’t go around bar hopping like I used to, I have to be an example to the students. Plus, what if I run into one of the parents here. They’d have a field day with the school.”

“Then I’d ask them what they were doing at the bar when they had children at home. What if we ran into one of the parents and they were here with someone other than their spouse.” Craig winked.

“What if one of the hot dads hit on you, would you go home with him?” Kennedy asked. She had this devilish gleam in her eye.

“Ugh, no. I wouldn’t be some married guy’s mistress. Even if he was a single dad, I don’t believe in mixing my work with my personal life. You two have some weird imaginations.” I laughed.

“You are such a party pooper.” Kennedy laughed along with me.

I glanced over to my right mid-laugh, and I noticed a man that looked awfully like Patrick sitting at the end of the bar, scrolling through something on his phone. It had to be him. I hadn’t even had a drink yet, so it was impossible for me to imagine him being there.

“Hey guys, I’ll be right back.” I announced suddenly.

“Where are you going?” Craig asked downing his first of many shots that evening.

“I just saw someone I know, and I want to say hi,” I said. “I won’t be too long, keep drinking without me.”

“Alright, if you insist but when you get back. You’re going to have to play catch up.” Kennedy laughed before she practically inhaled the light brown liquid.

“Fine.” I shrugged at her and then turned around to walk towards where Patrick was sitting. As I warily approached him, he continued to scroll through his phone and then took a sip of his beer.

Still a beer man.

It took him a minute to notice me standing there before he said a word, “Em, what are you doing here?”

“It’s Morgan.” I corrected him. “I could ask you the same thing too, you know? Day doesn’t end for you does it?” I tried to play it cool.

Patrick scanned me from head to toe before answering, “No, it doesn’t, but it does for you I see.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” I crossed my arms over my chest.

“Nothing, just saying you look good is all. You always did I mean, but it’s just a good contrast from what you have to present when you’re teaching at the academy.”

“Oh, well thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” he smiled back at me. “Care to join me? I could use the company. There’s only so much I can stay in a hotel room, talking to myself. Right?”

There goes the Patrick Mitchell charm.

“Alright, but I can’t stay long. I’m already here with friends.” I nodded towards Kennedy and Craig who I could tell had already one too many shots without me.

“So, what are you three doing here?” Patrick asked as he ordered what used to be my favorite – a cold, bottle of beer.

“Oh, Kennedy and her boyfriend Craig wanted to take me out. It’s been a long time since we’ve had the time to spend with each other and just let loose.”

“On a Monday night?” he asked with raised eyebrows.

“Well, I don’t typically drink especially as much as they do. Someone has to be the designated driver tonight.” I shrugged as the bartender passed me the bottle.

“Hope you still like a cold one.”

“I do occasionally. Thank you.” I took a sip. I didn’t have the heart to tell him that I haven’t had a beer in years, they reminded me too much of him.

“You’re welcome. I figure you couldn’t come to a bar and not have at least one drink.” Patrick laughed. “So, you guys aren’t celebrating anything?”

“No, not really. We don’t do this every day either. So, how’s your trip going so far?” I took another sip, changing the subject.

“It’s been great so far. Haven’t had the chance to explore the area yet, I’ve just been focusing on the job, and when it’s over, I’ll be heading back to Los Angeles right away. Things tend to fall apart when my business partner Sean or I aren’t there.”

“How long have you lived there?” I asked with mild curiosity. I wanted to find out if his timeline matched mine, indicating he ran away just like I did.

“Just a couple of years. My buddy, Sean, who moved there previously asked if I wanted to start a marketing firm with him and that’s what we’ve been doing ever since.”

“So, you just uprooted yourself just like that?”

“Just like that,” Patrick confirmed with a wide grin.

“Well, I’m glad you guys are doing well.”

“We are thankfully. When we started the company, we hoped things would turn out well, but we never imagined things would be going as well as they have. The company practically skyrocketed right from the jump, and we’ve been so busy ever since. We have twenty employees, and we’ll probably have to hire more if things keep growing at the speed it’s currently going.”

“That’s quite the accomplishment. Congrats again.” I found myself saying as I raised my bottle to him.

“Thank you, I appreciate it.” Patrick clinked my bottle with his. “How about you? How have things been for you?”

“Well, back in Chicago, I taught English lecture as you know and then I received a call about a substitute teaching position for John Hill, and eventually it turned into a permanent position, and I decided to accept it and I moved here.”

“So, you just took off huh?”

“Not exactly. I thought about it long and hard before I applied for the substitute position because it was only for a couple of weeks but when I received the job offer for the permanency, I took it, and that’s when I ‘took off’” I explained using air quotes.

“Do you find yourself satisfied with the decision you’ve made to move here?”

“Yes, I do. I wasn’t happy at first, I was extremely homesick for a while but staying was what I needed to do. I really needed a change of pace at the time despite what I wanted. I needed to be around new things and new people.” I explained.

“Did I play a part in influencing you to make that decision?” Patrick looked at me with interest mixed with curiousity.

“Look, Patrick…”

Patrick held his hands up to stop me from answering, “Sorry, you’re right. I shouldn’t be trudging up the past. It’s obvious we’ve both moved past this, so there’s no use in bringing it up.”

“That isn’t it at all. It’s just, I still have a lot of anger and resentment I’m holding in because of you, and I’d like nothing more than to just yell at you, but I’m not going to. It’s taking me a lot of self-control not to.”

“Don’t let me stop you, I deserve it. I deserve to hear everything you have to say, just don’t try and stab me with a fork again, please. I like my hands.”

“Yeah, sorry about that.” I laughed nervously.

“It’s alright. Let’s hear it. I’d really like to know what you have to say to me. Far be it from me to prevent you from doing so.”

“No, thanks. I’d rather not.” I waved him off.

“Why not?”

“I just don’t want to get to that place of anger. It’s taken me a long time to not think about it every day. In fact, before you arrived, I hadn’t thought about it for months.” I explained before finishing off the bottle.

“Wow, looks like you can really hold it down still. Would you like another, it’s still on me. My treat.”

“Oh, what the hell why not? Besides, looks like Kennedy and Craig are having so much fun, I’m not ready to deal with their inebriation and try to get them home.” I answered as I glanced over to Kennedy’s side of the bar.

“Tell you what, have one more drink with me, and I’ll help you get them home safely.”

“You don’t have to.” I shook my head.

“I know I don’t but I’m really enjoying catching up with you, and I’d really like to hear from you how much of a dirtbag I was.” Patrick offered.

“Fine, you’ve got a deal.” I gave in, and Patrick grinned before ordering a pitcher of beer.

“So, as you were saying? I really want to hear what you have to say. Isn’t talking things out and resolving them the only true way to move on?”

“I’d like to not go there otherwise it’ll take me a hell of a lot of time to move past it again.”

“Are you sure?” he asked. “It’s supposed to be healthy for you.”

“I’m positive. How about we just let bygones be bygones while you are here, and I promise, one day when I’m not so angry…I’ll give you a piece of my mind.”

“You’ve got a deal.” Patrick cheered as he raised his mug.

“Okay, I’ll go along with that. Cheers!” I raised my glass and tapped his before we each took a sip. I glanced at Craig and Kennedy one last time. They were laughing uncontrollably and having so much fun, they forgot I was even there.

“They’re going to be a handful, but since you’re going to help me, it won’t be so bad.” I laughed nodding in their direction.

“Anything I can do to help.” Patrick chuckled.

An hour and a pitcher of beer later, I found myself a little more buzzed than I intended to be, and I was sitting in the passenger side of my car while Patrick drove it for me. I couldn’t quite recall, but I think I suggested to him in the bar that he take me home that very instant.

If I were sober and thinking with a level head, I wouldn’t have suggested he take me home, and I would have noticed Kennedy and Craig leaving in a cab thirty minutes prior.

“Looks like they didn’t need you anymore, Ms. Designated Driver. Besides, what good is a designated driver if you can’t even do the driving?” I barely understood what he said considering the state I was currently in.

“I guess not.” I let out a sigh and started to laugh uncontrollably.

“Yep, you’re out of it. I’ll just take you home and make sure you get inside safe. Then I’m taking a cab back to my hotel.” I heard him say.

“Sure, take me home.” I giggled again.

“Yep, definitely had too much to drink.”