“Add to my bag?”
“Income. Money. Dinero,” she clarified. I felt old.
“Ughh,” I sighed. “I hate when you do that.”
“What?” she laughed good-naturedly as she wiped the counter in front of me.
“When you say things that make me feel like I need to search stuff on Urban Dictionary. I'm getting too old. I can’t keep up with my cool sister.”
“Shut up. You’re not old. You’re only thirty.” She rolled her eyes. “Plus, now you know some fresh slang to share with your students.”
“Karm—"
“But back to you and your pen pal!”
“There is no me and my—”
“Yes, there is,” she noted with a cocky smile. “I know you, Joy. I’ve known you my entire life. You like this soldier.”
“Seal,” I corrected and watched her brighten in front of me.
“Ooo, shut up! A Navy Seal?” She whispered loudly, “Be still my palpitating heart.” She winked. “Imagine some guy like that hottie from An Officer and a Gentleman! Ooo!” She fanned herself as she kept going with her crazy story, “Walking into your school all confident and dashing with the big d energy—"
“Karm—"
“And carrying you out!”
“Does he have a forklift?” I teased and watched my sister’s teasing demeanor disappear into thin air.
“Don’t do that. You’re beautiful. Curves are sexy,” Karma reminded me confidently. But she didn’t get it. Out of the three of us, she was the thin one. Thin and beautiful and badass.
“Whatever.” I finished my drink. I was perfectly fine in my own skin. It wasn’t my problem if someone else wasn’t.
“Joy—"
“Don’t,” I muttered under my breath. Five years ago, I’d felt even more confident with the curves I held. No matter how much dieting and exercising, I’d always have an hourglass shape; it was how my body was built. I’d met someone who I’d thought liked them. Appreciated me.
But it’d all been a cruel joke.
“He didn’t deserve you. He shouldn’t have—"
“I said don’t.” I never wanted to talk about my ex. Heartache was inevitable. I knew this.
Everyone had a story of when they’d been shattered into bits and pieces. Mine was no worse. I just hated talking about him. I’d felt like an idiot with how I had been played and then ghosted.
“Can I buy you another?” a deep voice offered behind me, and the hairs on the back of my neck prickled.
I turned to look at a beautiful man standing right behind me. His deep moss-green eyes felt like they studied me closely. He was tall, well, taller than me, but who wasn’t? Almost six feet, but probably more like five ten. Broad-shouldered. He was wearing a black button-up with navy slacks. There was no denying the muscular form beneath. His dirty blonde hair was cut close and short. But it was the way he was looking at me that, for a moment, felt like I knew him. But I had never laid eyes on him. He was the kind of man you remembered.
“Oh, I’m, umm,” I stuttered. Thankfully, my sister always had my back.
“She’d love one,” Karma jumped in. “What can I get you?” she asked him, and I didn’t miss the slight twitch to his lips as he took the barstool next to mine.
“Whatever you have on tap.”
“Got it.” Karma got to work, and I glanced over at him. His eyes were already on me.
“Umm, thank you.” I was finally able to string two words together.