I made it easy on him by pretending to believe his lame excuse and left a simple note behind because we’rejust friends.Except friends who have slept together don’t do things like buy spices and a very specific kind of sugar for their morning coffee. So I did what I do best: I ran and am living in blissful ignorance.
Instead of overthinking or questioning his intentions and feelings, I’m going to focus on work and my classes. The important things I came to this school for and what will help me accomplish my future plans come first. Therefore, as nice and trustworthy as Abe is, the last thing I want to talk about is Cam or mix my personal life with my work life.
“You’re off the clock, Kamila. I’m just a bartender servin’ you a drink.” He chuckles. “You can wipe that panicked look off your face.”
Jeez, I didn’t realize how stiff my body had gone until now.
Abe sets the drink in front of me. It’s a chilled martini glass filled with a light pink fizzy liquid. The edge of the glass is rimmed with white sugar and topped with a spear of cranberries and a rosemary garnish. I take a sip.
“Like it?” Abe lifts his chin.
I nod. “I love it. It’s so different.” I take another sip, trying to identify the different ingredients. “There’s definitely club soda, lemon, grenadine and…” I trail off as I try to identify what I believe to be the last ingredient.
“And…” Abe taps his fingers on the wooden bar.
My eyes widen with recognition. “Rosemary! How the hell did you put rosemary in a drink?”
He claps his hands together. “My mom’s homemade rosemary simple syrup.” He points at a notepad he has next to him. “It’s one of the new drinks for the winter menu. I’m havin’ some trouble comin’ up with the name, though.”
Only one thing comes to mind when looking at the drink and its decor. “It’s a unique tasting drink. At first, it’s refreshing and familiar, then the aftertaste catches you by surprise, but in a sweet and delicate way.” He stands there looking at me in anticipation. “Mistletoe’s kiss.”
“Perfect.”
Smiling, I take another sip and get excited when I see some Christmas decorations hidden behind the bar. Tara had told me that they’ll be putting them up this weekend.
“Abe, can you make me another one, please, and pass me that small tree? I want to start taking some pictures for our socials.”
He wipes the counter and takes my now empty glass. “Even off the clock, you’re still hard at work.”
“You know it.”
He hands me the mini, plastic, pre-decorated tree and gets to work on the next drink.
“You never answered my question about that Cameron kid.”
I let out a deep sigh, knowing mocktails and work weren’t enough of a detour. “You sure you can’t sneak in something a little stronger than club soda in that martini glass? It’d make this conversation a hell of a lot easier.”
“You know I can’t, Kami.” He cuts into a lemon. “I’m sure you can tell me whatever you want to sober.”
Taking another deep breath, I decide to let the words tumble out.
“We’ve known each other since high school. He dated my sister, they broke up, and we stopped talking for a little over two years until he transferred here.” He hands me the drink and I begin to set it up alongside the small plastic tree. “Our entire dynamic was messed up, and confusing things happened, but we agreed to be friends.” There, that wasn’t too bad.
“Why’d you stop talkin’? Was their breakup that bad?”
And we’re back to that part. “Yeah, my sister was really hurt; it was her first and only heartbreak, as far as I know.” I pause and decide to open up a little more. “I was also hurt a lot, as selfish as that sounds.”
“It’s not selfish; he was your friend,” Abe says.
“Anyways, the rest is a long story, but in short, he broke promises to my sister and promises he made to me.” I slump in the stool. “It’s been hard to try and trust him again. Especially since he was my best friend at the time this all went down. He knew me better than anyone, including my sister.”
Wow, I’m real chatty today.
Abe wipes some newly washed glasses. “I sense there are a lot of details missin’ from that story because I have a lot of questions.” He turns to me. “Now, whether you want to tell me or not is your decision.”
“Thanks, Abe, I’d rather not?—”
“Just sayin’ it feels better once you get it off your chest.”
