“The way he went about it was pretty douchey. But I think you will meet a guy who will sweep you off your feet and you’ll realize what kind of rut you were in with Scott.”
Lily stood and walked to the window again. Looking out over the lawn that stretched for a few acres before hitting a heavily wooded area with several trails spreading in different directions,she spotted a man riding on a large lawn mower. He stopped it near a concrete path and hopped off to speak with another man. They both wore green polos and blue jeans. The man mowing the lawn pulled up his shirt to wipe his face with the edge, giving Lily a full view of his six-pack abs.
“Earth to Lily.”
Lily pulled the phone back briefly, realizing she was still on a call with Stacy.
“What?”
“What happened? You got quiet.”
“Oh, nothing. Jet lag, I think.”
“It was like a four-hour flight.”
The man glanced up at the building, and his eyes immediately landed on hers. He smiled, and her face flamed at being caught.
Lily stepped away from the window and back to her suitcase. She began unpacking and tucking her stuff into drawers.
“I’m just unpacking and thinking about how hungry I am.”
The lie rolled off her tongue far too easily, and she instantly felt guilty. Why didn’t she just tell Stacy she saw a hot guy mowing the lawn?
“I’ll let you get to it,” Stacy said. “And Lily? Call me if you need to talk. I’m here.”
Lily smiled. “I will. And thank you.”
Lily foundherself at The Range Bar and Grill, a bar on the main strip of town after she unpacked her suitcase. After lying to Stacyso easily, she figured she should go get something to eat to make her story somewhat real.
The hotel restaurant had been an option, but after being caught staring at an employee, she figured she should get out of there for a bit to avoid running into him.
She sat down at the bar countertop and smiled at the bartender.
“What can I get going for you?”
“A bacon burger?” Lily asked before even picking up the menu.
She smiled. “We can do that. How about for a drink?”
Lily sighed. “Surprise me.”
The bartender tilted her head. “One of those days?”
“Unfortunately.”
“I have just the thing.”
The bartender disappeared, and Lily looked around. The bar was rustic, with a jukebox in the corner, and the place was surprisingly busy. Almost every table was taken. Only a few seats at the bar remained.
A drink was set down in front of her.
“This is a Montana Mule. It’s a town favorite,” she said.
Lily picked it up and took a sip. The taste was perfection on her tongue, a perfect mix between the ginger beer, vodka, and lime.
“That’s really good.”
The bartender smiled, and then her eyes flashed to the door. Lily followed her gaze to the two men who entered. They were tall and smiled and greeted everyone they passed before taking a seat at the two empty bar stools beside her. The scent of pine aftershave washed over her and she couldn’t help glancing at the man it belonged to.
