Andante, Andante: Please Don't Let Me Down

Chapter Fourteen

I glance down at my phone once again, that's laying on the bar top in front of me and shake my head at my mother in law's tardiness. I debate with myself if I should call the older woman, thinking maybe she forgot, but then again that woman is as sharp as a tack and I highly doubt she forgot about me.

I strum my fingers against the shiny wooden surface as the bartender passes by once again. My eyes flick up to meet her questioning gaze and for a moment I find myself staring inquisitively into her sparkling crystal blue eyes.

"Would you like another? I'm sure your date is just running late," she kindly suggests as she places another wine glass in front of me. She pulls a bottle out from under the counter causing the ice to clink against each other.

"Not a date," I firmly declare as she pours the chilled white wine elegantly. She smiles to herself and slowly slides the drink in front of me. "Thank you," I smile brightly because I can already feel the fuzzy buzz swimming around in my brain from my first glass. Damn Sicilian wine.

"Not a date?" She laughs lightly and leans down on her forearms. "Well then who on Earth is standing you up?" She sweetly questions and for a moment I truly notice how thick her Sicilian accent is.

"My mother in law," I reply flatly as my eyes dart toward my phone once again.

"Maybe she's upset with you because you took off her son's ring," she teasingly insinuates as her eyes flick pointedly toward my naked finger.

I subconsciously reach for that finger and slowly rub the area like I can still feel the weight of the white gold band and heavy diamond that I carried around for seventeen years.

"Well first of all, it's her daughter, not son. And second, we are separated...almost divorced," I mumble self-consciously under my breath because I absolutely hate speaking on the subject.

"Well, I mean I don't know you, but I would definitely have a hard time kicking someone as gorgeous as you out of my bed," she laughs to herself and slowly rises from the bar top. My cheeks instantly flush crimson as I watch this pretty blonde strut away with nothing but self assurance.

"I'm looking for an older gentleman, my father," the rich sultry voice rings loudly in my ears, causing me to spin around so quickly on my stool that I almost land my buzzed ass on the floor.

"Regina?" I blurt out and watch with great interest as my ex's head snaps in my direction.

"Emma?" Her faces contorts painfully into bewildered as her heels click viciously against the marble floors below. "What are you doing here? I thought you were shopping?"

"That was a lie," I bluntly reply as my eyes inspect her flawless smokey makeup. "Your mother told me to tell you that so she could surprise you with an evening alone with the kids."

"Did she?" Regina inquires in an untrusting high squawk as her painted ruby lips purse out dramatically, and there goes my heart, fluttering away.

"What are you doing here?" I mutter as I reach for my glass of wine to calm my twitchy nerves.

"My mother told me that my father wanted to treat me this evening at a wine tasting and that he was already here waiting for me."

"Well it seems your mother just played us." I lift my glass high in the air and smirk. "Congrats Cora, you sure fooled us," I cheers to absolutely nobody and slam back the rest of my wine. "Alright, shall we go and give her a good scolding like we do with our children?"

I reach into my pocket and pull out some cash to pay for my drinks, but Regina's delicate fingers are gently resting against my hand to still my actions. My eyes flick to hers in wonderment as she holds up a plastic gift card.