Finding Solace (13 page)

 
"They
are perfect!"

 
"I
know. That's what I'm here for."

 
After I put
them on, I went to the bathroom for one last look in the mirror.

 
I liked what
I saw. It felt like I grew up overnight. The woman staring back at me was not
the girl who woke up this morning. I turned back around and Heather was already
at the door ready to leave. I grabbed my clutch and followed her out. We got in
the cream cruiser and cranked the radio as loud as that bad boy would allow it.
I have heard of tons of bars and clubs around so I didn’t know which one we
were going to. Heather had been texting all day, so I was guessing she was
meeting someone wherever we end up. About five minutes later we pulled into a
parking lot I recognized immediately.

 
"Really, ‘51’?"

 
"Yep, I
am meeting Megan from work. She is crushing on one of the guys that work here.
It’s kind of fucked up because she knows I know almost everybody and she won't
tell me who she's been sleeping with. We don't have to stay if you are not
having fun."

 
"Megan
is a riot. I'm sure we will have a blast wherever we go. It's only going to
suck that for my first beer as a legal, I'm going to be surrounded by like
twenty big brothers. Heaven forbid some
hottie
wants
to dance."

 
"Totally
hear
ya
, sister, but I think all of them will be on
their best behavior."

 
We got out
of the car and headed in. Heather stopped me to assess our appearances. When I
gained approval, I opened the door to, "Surprise!"

 
I looked
around with my jaw dropped. In the center of the group of people, were my
parents! Surrounding them were coworkers and some friends from high school, it
was crazy. I walked over to my parents and gave them a gigantic hug.

 
"So much for your migraine, huh?"
She laughed and
I couldn’t wipe the smile from my face as I took everyone in. I made my rounds
and thanked everybody for coming. Mike snuck up behind me and did what you all
know is coming. Yep, he scooped me up and scared me to death, as always.

 
"Happy birthday, pretty girl!"
He set me down and
gave me a kiss on the cheek.

 
"Thanks,
handsome. Glad you could make it."

 
"Wouldn't have missed it for the world.
And let me tell
you something else, you are smoking hot tonight. I don't know what is different,
but, God, you look great."

 
"
Thanks,
Mike. That means a lot." I got turned into a
different direction and there was Bryan and Dave. "Hey there,
boys,
are you working tonight or did you come up for
this?"

 
Dave spoke
up first. "Both, we might be working but if we weren't, we would still be
here for you."

 
"Wouldn't
have missed it," Bryan said as he leaned in and kissed me on the cheek.
"Thank you both. Has anybody seen Jason?" I looked around as I said
it. This was a big place, much bigger than it looks from the outside.

 
"
You
lookin
’
for me?" I was
spun around and fell into the arms of Jason. It has felt like forever since I
have hugged him.

 
"Sure
was."

 
"Well,
look no further, your knight in shining armor is here."

 
"I
believe that would be my job." I knew he was there before I even heard his
voice. I can always just feel him. When eye contact was made, it was like the
very first time we met all over again. Colt was the definition of gorgeous.

 
"I
don't remember assigning that position to anyone lately." As I said it, I
walked up and kissed his cheek.

 
"I
believe it’s also my job to be kissing the birthday girl" he took my face
in his hands and kissed my cheek. He moved to the center and paused at my lips
but never made contact. He just sucked in a breath and moved to the other side
to kiss that as well. I think I gasped for breath myself. He held onto my face
and looked into my eyes a little longer than I guess my parents deemed
appropriate for a friend, because there they were, introducing themselves. Colt
handled it with the utmost respect. He held his hand out to my father and my dad
took it kindly.

 
"Colt,
these are my parents, Bill and Linda Warren. Mom and Dad, this is my friend,
Colt."

 
"It is
a pleasure to meet you both. You raised an amazing daughter." When my mother
was done checking him out, she finally looked up and said thank you. She was
flushed and apparently my dad picked up on it as well. He just cleared his
throat and excused them from the group. That was too funny for words. When they
moved out of eye sight, I laughed hard.

 
"Looks
like you even have that effect on the elderly."

 
"Ha, ha,
very funny, and I can see where you get your looks from. Your mom was probably
just as stunning when she was your age."

 
"Wow, you
want me to hook you up? My dad might beat your ass, but you could try."

 
"You’re
on a roll tonight aren’t you, funny girl." He leaned down to put his lips
to my ear. “I have never in my life seen an angel. But I'd swear if one walked
the earth, it would be you. Breathtaking doesn't even describe you. I always
feel like I'm spouting all these corny lines, but there just isn't anything I
can think to say that would do you justice."

 
I have never
felt so special. I understood what he was saying though when it came to words,
because thank you doesn't seem to be appropriate enough either, but it is all I
got.

 
"Thank
you, Colt. What you said was just perfect."

 
I leaned
back so I could look up to kiss him but just as I was going to, he turned his
head. What was up with that?

 
Colt excused
himself and walked away.

 
I didn't
want my night to turn into me analyzing him. I was here to have fun.

 
I walked
over to my coworkers next. Liz, Christy, and Susan were working on a round of
shots for us. I loved these girls. Working side by side with them made a day at
work fun. Two shots in, I walked over to the high school group. Three shots
later, I went to find Heather.
Five shots down and sixteen
more to go, according to the boys.
When I found her, she was at the bar
talking to Megan. Well, at least the part of her being here was not a lie. I
walked up between the two of them and wrapped my arms across their shoulders.

 
"What
are we drinking, ladies?"

 
 
Megan noticed me first. "Well, there's
the birthday girl."

 
Heather
signaled Bryan over, who was bartending. He didn't even ask. He just came over
with three shots for each of us. We determined that for each count, we would
take a shot.

 
"One,"
we slammed it.

 
"Two,"
went the next one.

 
"Three,"
the last shot went down. And then I gagged. I didn’t throw up, but I certainly
felt like I could. Then my dad’s head pops up in front of mine.

 
"With
that, I believe it's our time to go. We understand why you are doing this, but neither
your mom nor I want to bear witness. We love you, Sadie girl. Happy birthday,
be careful and call us in the morning or whenever it is you wake up."

 
My mom came
over next. "Please be careful and I love you."

 
"I love
you two so much. Thank you for everything. I know you helped plan this. I truly
was surprised. You guys did awesome. Thank you... "

 
"Sadie.
Shh
, you’re drunk and rambling. Have a happy birthday,
girl. But be careful, you hear me?" She kissed my cheek and then her and
my dad left.

 
I came back
to the conversation between Megan and Heather. Heather could not let the topic
drop.

 
"Who is
he? Is it Bryan, the bartender? Jake? Geoff? Dave?
Who?"

 
"It’s
not a big deal, Heather. Leave it alone."

 
"Okay,
I'm done. Sadie, what are you ready for? Another shot, or the dance
floor?"

 
"I pick
dancing for now. Let’s go show them how it’s done!" Megan led the group.
Heather and I just followed. I love to dance. I closed my eyes and just let the
music move my body. It started to get uncomfortably hot so I lifted my hair up
off my neck. But then I felt someone wrap one arm around my waist and the other
looped through my arm. I can't see who it is because they are behind me, but
this felt good. I closed my eyes again and leaned back against him. His hand
started to move lower and then, he was gone. Gone! I turned to see where
whoever it was went, but there is no one. That's some crazy shit. I'm not so
drunk I make people up, that I do know. So I just started to dance again. Men
sure do like to grind when they dance, that is for sure. I got so hot at one
point,
I told Heather I needed a break. Her and Megan came
off the dance floor with me and walked back over to the bar for a drink. We
slammed four more shots of I don't know what, when it hits me. I know who Megan
likes. I grab her by the elbow and spin her in my direction.

 
"It's
Colt, isn't it?"

 
Heather’s
eye brows shot up.
"Holy shit!
It is!
Holy shit!"

 
“Are you
both fucking crazy? I would never let him touch me! Look around. He's been with
over half of the chicks here tonight. If you don't believe me, wait until he
comes out of the office and see how many fall at his feet."

This information sobered me. Well, maybe some. There
is no way I am even close to sober. Sure enough, just as I am processing all
this, here comes Colt from his office and he does not look happy. But I don’t
care what is up his ass. I just had to watch bitch after bigger bitch jump to
hang all over him, just like Megan said. So I walked in to the bathroom where I
knew he couldn’t follow me. It was there that I got the chance to overhear two
girls talking in the bathroom about his dick! I was done. I walked out of the
bathroom and ran smack into a chest, of a man, a sexy man, that smelled good,
so damn good and I could feel an 8 pack on his stomach. I looked up and saw
yummy. He was tall, tan, dark brown hair, with the
most
sultry
blue eyes. I put my hand in his and led him to the dance floor
without saying a word. It was my turn to have fun. It is
my
birthday after all. I had no idea what this dude’s name was,
even though he had told me more than once. He even looked kind of familiar. He
started dancing behind me and as I began to feel the music, I got lost in it
again. My hips moved, while my arms went up. I grabbed the back of his neck and
could feel him becoming aroused. This did even more for my esteem. I am her
again, Sadie. The girl who loves what she can do to a man. I hold the power in
this moment. I control what happens and I will not feel broken again. He wanted
me, I could feel how much. That meant I was worth something. But then Colt’s
words crept in my head. "You’re better than you think you are,
Sadie". Wow! How does he affect me even now? I realized then that sleeping
with this guy was not going to make me feel better about the fact Colt is
fucking half the bar. I started to lose my balance and felt nausea setting in,
so I excused myself from the guy and stumbled over to a bar stool. He followed
me to make sure I got there okay. He even ordered water for me to drink. Dave
came over to see how I was holding up and the mystery guy introduced himself as
Ash. He told Dave that he was helping me out. The more he talked, the more
familiar he seemed, and then it clicked. He graduated three years ahead of me,
but Ash was Asher. Asher Williams was a stud in school. He dated a cheerleader
named Tina all four years, so no girl ever got a chance with him. He graduated
when I was a freshman, so I have no idea if he even knows who I am. I was too
drunk to even care really. Dave was acting a little territorial towards me but
this is the very reason I love these guys. They will always make sure I am
taken care of.

 
Heather came
off the dance floor and then was at my side talking about Jeff. Apparently, she
cracked Megan's code after all. At first I thought it was Geoff she was talking
about, but then she points to the other Jeff and I know which one he is.

 
"
Eeewwww
!
Really?
I know Colt is probably carrying a thousand diseases from the pool of skanks in
here, but I'd fuck him over that dude any day."