A gloriously real fantasy.
Now it was back to real life.
And business as usual.
Chapter 5
Margot
One day after the most amazing, most earth-shattering night of my life, I had to slink back to Grady’s Bar filled with embarrassment over how I’d thrown myself at him, how wanton I’d been in the throes of passion, to retrieve my keys.
I had headed to The Old Country House after leaving his bed since I always kept a spare change of clothes there. So I showered and prepared for the day ahead quickly. There was too much to do to let a small thing like humiliation stand in the way of checking items off my to-do list. The Old Country House had plenty of bookings, and the consultations usually started with me.
But finally, the last task on my list was unavoidable. So I took a deep breath and let it out slowly before I pulled on the door that led to the dim, blond pine wood bar. It was just after lunch, so the place was packed and filled with the delicious smells that I mostly ignored because they weren’t part of my regular diet, but now the scent of barbecue sauce brought back more memories of last night. I had indulged in greasy bar food as well as the bar man himself.
But those nachos were the best thing I’d had in my mouth, aside from Grady.
I shook that thought off almost as soon as it occurred, straightened my shoulders and headed towards the bar determined to get us both back on normal footing. With my head held high I approached the bar and found Grady smiling and chatting with Carlotta.
“Is this your new de facto office Carlotta? You’re here more than your office at The Old Country House.”
She turned to me with smiling eyes and gave me a playful shove. “Margot you’re such a kidder. All I need is my laptop and a flat surface, and this place has amazing sandwiches.”
Sandwiches. How the woman was able to eat whatever she wanted and still maintained her magnificent curves was beyond me. “I’m sorry to interrupt, but I think I may have left my keys here last night.”
Carlotta laughed. “Tied one on last night, did you?”
“You could say that,” I answered with a smile. “I had a rough day yesterday and when I finally made it home, I couldn’t find my keys.”
Carlotta leaned closer and wiggled her eyebrows. “So where did you stay last night? Or should I ask, with whom?”
I rolled my eyes at my nosy friend and turned back to Grady. “So, my keys? Have you seen them?” My tone was impatient and brusque, but it was only because of my shaky nerves.
Grady’s blue eyes pierced a hole through me. He stared at me as if he could see my thoughts, before finally saying, “Nope.” He turned back to Carlotta, a clear sign I had been dismissed. “So tell me more about these divorce parties. This is really a thing now, huh?”
“Yup.” Carlotta nodded, her wide grin surrounding a bite of sandwich in her mouth. “They have become such a thing now that I need to come up with themes and décor to keep the customers happy, and there’s not much on Pinterest to help a girl out. You ever been married?”
Grady scoffed. “Nope. Parents still married too.”
“Well dammit Grady, how about you tell me what you would want if you were to have a divorce party?”
“Booze,” he snorted with a shrug. “Maybe a hot woman to spend a night or two with. But I’m a guy, and I don’t need streamers or themes to celebrate my freedom.”
Carlotta laughed and opened her mouth to say something else, but my patience had grown thin. “My keys Grady, are you sure you haven’t seen them?” When I had his attention, he fixed me with a bored stare. “You must have a cleaner, or a lost and found?”
He nodded towards the end of the bar. “Check the lost and found box, it’s in my office.”
“And your office is where?”
“Follow me,” he barked.
I nodded even though his back was to me. He didn’t look back once to see if I was following him, which was fine by me. I wasn’t here for friendly conversation or to rehash last night’s events, as incredible as they were.
“So where is this box?”
Grady kicked a box on the floor just inside his office. “If they’re not in there you left them someplace else.”
I nodded and squatted down as best I could in my A-line skirt to rifle through the box. I lifted up discarded scarves, a pair of sneakers and even a pair of jeans, but no keys. “You’re kidding!”
“Listen Margot,” he began and I turned and stood, eager to cut him off before he said something that might embarrass us both.
“Listen Grady,” I said on top of his words. “Last night was great, amazing in fact, but it was a mistake. It shouldn’t have happened and I think we should do ourselves a favor and forget last night ever happened.”