All Around the Myrtle Tree

Name and Number

Every single person on the patio stared at the debacle that was our table. There was a quiet hum of conversation that picked up after Jes stormed off. The girls grabbed for their napkins but I waved them off, not wanting to ruin any more fabric.

Gathering the little amount of dignity I had left, I stood and asked the bartender where the bathroom was. Unlike all the other onlookers, his face was full of concern as he gave me directions.

There was no saving the overpriced shift dress. There was no amount of scrubbing that was going to make the massive deep red stain disappear.

Jana entered the bathroom and stood a couple feet behind me, also assessing the damage. "The girls and I got our food to go and Sabrina and Natalie already left. I covered your bill. The table is a disaster and everyone was still staring."

"I'm sorry." I sighed, turning around and resting against the counter. "She just pushed every button I have and I couldn't hold it back."

Before answering, Jana sucked in a deep, thoughtful breath. "Honestly, I wouldn't have been able to either. She said some pretty harsh things."

"I don't understand why Natalie did that. There was literally no point."

"Long story short, Jes slept with Natalie's boyfriend before Jes new he was Natalie's boyfriend but Natalie doesn't care that Jes didn't know so now she has a grudge against Jes and does just about whatever she can to make her feel some type of way." The explanation came out in one big burst and it took me a couple seconds to untangle the web.

"Sounds like some drama I don't want to be involved in," I mumbled. "But looks like it's too late for that."

Jana's phone dinged, saving me from the slightly uncomfortable silence that had fallen over us after an older woman came in to dab some powder on her face.

"My Uber's here but I'll text you later!" Jana's breezy attitude traveled along behind her and I was painfully aware that my attempt at making friends here was not going so well.

I weighed my options after texting Robert to come pick me up. Either I could stay in the cramped bathroom or I could walk back out to the patio and get a drink. I needed something a bit stronger than a mimosa at this point.

My decision was made for me when a group of girls I recognized from the table next to ours stormed in and crowded around the mirror, reapplying too much lip product and gossiping about their latest B-list hookups.

Everything was back to normal outside. The table looked as though no one had just made it rain pomegranate and champagne and no one bothered to look in my direction when I stepped back out into the mid morning air, the free show already forgotten.

The bartender was busy making a line of drinks when I plopped down on a stool at the end of the bar. I watched the fluidity of his movements and the easy conversation he made with the customers he was serving. It was impossible not to notice his bewitching good looks and the way his shirt hugged his muscular frame, his rolled up sleeves revealing a cluster of tattoos on his caramel skin that I was arguably too curious to see up close.

"She could have at least let you taste it first," he said as he glided over, leaving the other guests to pointedly whisper about him, dreamy expressions glazing over their features.
I met his joke with a half-hearted laugh and crossed my arms like it was going to make the stain disappear. With silent understanding, he pulled out a glass, whipped up some sort of cocktail, and sat it in front of me. I didn't even ask what it was before downing it in three gulps.

I wiped my mouth, remembering my manners at the last acceptable second. "Thank you."

The charming smile that settled on his mouth had my insides feeling like melted ice cream. "I couldn't let you just sit there looking all sad about your dress."

"I appreciate that but I kind of deserved it."

"What'd you do?" Curiosity danced in his eyes and he leaned closer to me, ready to take it all in.

"I told those other girls that she lost her job because she tried to sleep with her boss who is now my boss."

"Well, did she?"

"You think I would lie about something like that?" My question came out with more attitude than I intended but he didn't bat an eye. Instead, he cocked his head and studied me for a few seconds.

"Where you from?"

"The Midwest."

"You have a sweet, slight southern accent. It's cute."
Not only did his comment make my cheeks grow warm but the longer we made eye contact, the more I noticed the electric current zipping between us.

The buzzing from my phone startled me, ripping me away from the intense gaze of the man behind the counter. Robert's arrival was bittersweet but I thanked the bartender for his company and asked how much I owed for the drink.

"Don't worry about it, boo. I gotchu." He gave me another suave smile. "I didn't catch your name though."

"Carrington," I revealed.

"Well, Carrington, I hope life gets better. You'll have to come back and let me know."

In this moment, a battle formed in my mind. I could leave without another word or I could hand over my number to a stranger. An internal tug was leading me to the latter decision, pummeling the first choice until it was gone.
Without another thought, I scribbled my number on a napkin and left in on the bartop.