Someone Like Me

Chapter 5

"Tell Hailee that I'm okay, I promise." I finally finish with my hair and start on my mascara.

"I would if I actually believed it was true." She sits down on the edge of my bed as I continue coating my lashes, hoping to make my brown eyes stand out more. "Look, I know I wasn't there, but from what you and Hailee have told me, it doesn't seem like a good idea to see someone who caused you that much pain."

"I really am okay, I swear." I finish with my eyes and slip on a pair of turquoise heels that add a splash of colour to my black knee length dress.

"You look lovely by the way."

"Thanks Lex." I have chosen this dress purposefully, because I feel like out of all my clothes, it is the most flattering on me. Even though I have lost weight now, I still feel self-conscious about my figure.

Thanks for that Mason.

I look in the mirror and hope that I do look okay. I've curled my dirty blonde hair so that at least it has some volume in it, instead of just hanging limply past my shoulders. My eyes are rimmed with black and my dress fits me perfectly, strapless and flaring out from under the bust.

"What have you got on tonight?" I ask her, doing a slight twirl as I examine myself critically from all angles.

"Rehearsal dinner for the wedding tomorrow," she mutters, seeming less than impressed about it. "In fact I have to go now." She checks her watch and starts walking towards the door.

"Yeah I'm off too," I say, checking my phone to see that my taxi has arrived. "See you later Lex." I blow her a kiss and she mutters something that sounds suspiciously like, 'I had better see you later, young lady.'

Once I reach the taxi I give the driver the address that Mason had texted me earlier, then lean back in my seat and look at the window as the city lights flash past.

About fifteen minutes later, the driver announces that we have reached our destination. I pay him and exit the vehicle, looking at the sign above the bar; Tall-oaks.

It seems nice enough. There's tables outside littered with people all having a good time, their faces illuminated by fairy lights hanging on the walls. Feeling butterflies fill up my stomach, I step inside the double glass door and make my way over to the bar, searching for any sign of Mason. But I can't see him anywhere so I'm guessing that he's late.

How surprising. Not.

The bartender smiles at me as I pull up a stool and take a seat. In any other circumstances I would have paid more attention to the fact that he is incredibly gorgeous. His blonde hair hangs to his shoulders, his dark blue eyes seem to be filled with merriment, or maybe tequila.

But I am too nervous and so I cannot appreciate the eye candy behind the bar as I order a glass of wine.

"Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc?" he asks me.

"Oh," to be honest I hadn't expected to be offered a choice. "Chardonnay please."

"What's a gorgeous woman like yourself doing, sitting alone?" he asks as he pours my glass.

If I hadn't been so anxious I might have wondered if he was actually flirting with me or if he was being nice in the hopes of receiving a bigger tip.

"Oh, I am meeting someone. They are just running a little bit late."

"Someone like you should never be kept waiting." He hands me my glass, the ice clinking softly against the sides. "I hope he realises what he has." And with that he shuffles off to help another customer, not even telling me how much I owe him for the drink.