Page 2 of Dandelions and Smoke

“I’m the perfect amount of protective!” he gasps through the phone.

“Dude, you’ve called me every hour on the hour,” I point out. “Not that I’m complaining.”

“Yeah, well…” His words die off, and I get it.

We’ve both lost enough. Now that we’ve found each other, we’re both a little scared of losing that. Except now it’s my turn to find the missing pieces of the rest of my family on my own.

“I know. I love you, too,” I say warmly. “But I just pulled off the exit, and I’m going to stop at this bar and see if they have any food. It’s called The Boozy Bear in case you want to send out a search party later if I don’t pick up the phone.”

“Ha. Ha,” he mocks. “Just text me once you’re settled, okay? I’m here if you need me.”

“Thank you,” I breathe, knowing he means it.

“No need to thank me. Love you, cuz.”

“How you doin’ on that burger?” Remy, the owner of The Boozy Bear, asks me as I shove the last bite into my mouth.

I’m not sure I ate breakfast today, so given that it’s now dinner time, that may be why this tastes like the best burger of my life. Instead of answering, a groan escapes me, causing Remy to laugh and tilt her head.

“I’ll take that as it was good?” She chuckles.

“Delicious! Thank you,” I say between chewing and holding up my glass. “Can I have another?”

“Of course,” she says, walking past the large shelves of liquor bottles to grab me another seltzer with lime.

Since my mother was a raging alcoholic, I’ve never had a drop of alcohol in my life. I don’t care if others drink, but I happily choose to live without it. Besides, I find that it’s way more fun being the only sober person in a crowd full of those indulging. People-watching is especially entertaining. It’s why I always pick a seat off to the side, away from everyone but with the perfect line of sight to see the room, and since I already notice everything, it’s my favorite form of amusement.

Take the two guys on the other side of the bar, for example. They think they’re so smooth, but they’ve used the same pick-up lines on the last three groups of girls to come and go. Although I do believe I saw the tall strawberry-blond playboy swipe a number or two that I’m sure he’ll use later. The other guy doesn’t seem to be having as much luck, but it might have something to do with the way his eyes drift over to Remy whenever she’s not paying attention. But what do I know?

“Remy, I’ll be right back. I’m running to the ladies’ room.”

I make my way through the crowd while admiring the rustic charm of the bar. To me, deep wood and stainless steel have always looked good together. By the time I get out of the bathroom, someone has taken a seat on the stool away from the crowd, beside mine. Odd, since usually people are all about socializing when they come to a bar… Well, everyone but me.

As I move closer, I start to notice little things about him, like how his brown hair looks messy, as though he’s been pulling at it all day. His sideburns give away that he’s a bit older than me, with a sprinkle of salt and pepper spread throughout them, but his muscular build draws my eyes to the way his shirt is pulling across his back. Even sitting down, he looks tall, though at four feet nine, everyone is tall to me. Finally, as I take my seat beside him, I notice the fireman’s jacket hanging from the back of his chair that reads Chief.

I smile in his direction, but he doesn’t even look up to notice. He seems focused on the bottom of his glass, like it has some answers he’s searching for inside it, but I recognize that look in his eye, and it calls out to something deep inside me. A heaviness settles in my chest as though I can feel the weight of whatever it is he’s carrying. By the time Remy walks over with my drink, I’ve already decided to make it my mission to see him smile.

“So, are you a friend of Fred’s or is he Sir Frederick to you?” I ask him, turning my body to face him, my lopsided grin on full blast.

His brows furrow, and he looks around.

“Yes, I’m talking to you, Chief,” I say when his gaze finally meets mine.

And wow… Okay, I have blue eyes, too, but his? They’re as baby blue as the sky after a storm clears.

My stomach does a small flip, and I sip on my seltzer, using it as a distraction to recover from whatever the hell that was.

“Do I know you?” he asks gently, his head tilting like he’s trying to remember, as if he’s worried that he might offend me if he does and can’t.

Fighting back a smile, my lips pinch together on one side. He’s sweet, and for some reason that’s not at all surprising. I narrow my eyes at him while he looks me over, like he wouldn’t remember a girl with pink hair. Adorable.

“Not yet,” I say with a grin. “But that wasn’t the question. I’m inquiring about Fred.”

This time, I point to the bear on the wall, and his gaze follows until he realizes who I’m talking about. Just like I hoped, a wide smile spreads across his face, lighting it up and sending warmth to my cheeks. My smile grows just looking at his, and when he meets my gaze, I’m all but done for.

“Who told you about Fred?” he asks, his tone more playful now.

His willingness to play along has me bouncing in my seat, a fluttery, fizzy feeling blooming in my chest.