Chapter Seven
Kennedy Noelle
Two hours and three courses later, it’s clear from the way we inhaled our food, it was the first decent thing either of us had eaten all day. I was all wrong about Beckett. I have never met and connected with someone so quickly. He’s actually really easy to talk to and super funny once he shook off his bad mood, but who am I to hold that against him? The man walked in on the woman he planned to spend the rest of his life with getting railed by someone else. That’s gonna put anyone in a sour mood, and I know how it feels to have a relationship end suddenly.
We moved back to the bar, where Beckett ordered me a virgin cocktail and a soda for himself. Kate keeps texting to check I’m okay, and I have reassured her over and over again that I am and will get the first available train tomorrow morning. The rail company emailed to say they expect the trains to be up and running before noon, so even though it sucks that I will be waking up on Christmas Day and my birthday alone, it is what it is.
A hiccup escapes my lips, and I cover my mouth and giggle. “Good call on the virgin cocktail. I think I should have stopped at one bottle of champagne,” I say, taking another sip.
Beckett clinks his glass with mine. “I agree, anymore and I’d be carrying you up to bed.”
Feeling buzzed and brave, I lean in, placing my hand on his shoulder while I do my best to steady myself. “Sounds like a plan to me.” We’ve been flirting all night, and it’s the most fun I’ve had in ages.
I pull back, searching his eyes, and for some unknown reason I palm his cheek and brush my thumb over it, loving the way his stubble feels. “You’re really hot, do you know that?”
He gives me an amused smile. “You may have mentioned that, yes.”
“Casey is a fool for cheating on you.” His expression softens my words, and I realize I haven’t moved my hand. I quickly lower it, but his hand snatches mine.
“Thank you for saying that. And for the record. Carson, is a fucking idiot for letting someone as beautiful and smart as you go.”
My breath catches in my throat. My skin tingles under the intensity of his gaze, and for a split second, I think about leaning in and kissing him. I have never done anything bold or brazen, never done anything that colored outside the lines. I am a good girl. A sensible girl. A loyal girl. But tonight, for the first time in my almost twenty-three years of life, I want to be a little reckless.
Our moment is broken when one of the staff speaks into a microphone and announces it’s time for Christmas karaoke.
“Dear god,” Beckett grumbles. “I’m gonna need another drink if I have to listen to this shit.”
I chuckle and signal for the bar staff.
“Can I get two shots of anything please?” I ask when she gets close.
“Anything?” the waitress, who’s been eyeing Beckett all evening asks.
“Yes, surprise us,” I say excitedly.
“What are you doing?” Beckett asks.
“We…” I say, gesturing between us, “are toasting to our new lives as single people and saying fuck them, to our exes.”
“Fuck them?” He asks, his tone confused.
“Yes, fuck them,” I confirm, a slight slur to my voice. Should I be doing a shot? Absolutely not. Will I? Hell, yes.
“It Will Be Lonely This Christmas” begins playing, and the guy from the restaurant earlier we named Ted, begins singing; I use the term singing loosely. It’s more of a depressive wail.
“Looks like Ted's wife finally had enough and dumped him,” I say, pointing.
Beckett and I fall into fits of laughter at the same time just as the waitress slams two shots of something clear rather aggressively on the bar top in front of us and storms off.
Where’s her festive cheer?
Beckett and I raise the glasses.
“To our new single lives, and to our shit head exes,” I say.
Beckett winks, and it has my stomach doing somersaults, and says far too loudly, “Fuck them.” Earning some odd looks from the people around us.
I press my lips together, straighten my spine and shout, “Fuck them.” I clink my glass with Beckett, and we both down the shot, before I cough and clutch my throat. I don’t know what the heck she gave us, but I’m pretty sure it’s pure acid and she’s poisoning us. It burns like a mother trucker and my eyes water.
