I find myself waking up to an alarm that I don't remember setting. But it's not an alarm, it's my phone vibrating from an incoming call. It reads HILARY.
"Hi sis" I groggily answer.
"Hey! We're you sleeping?"
"No...I was just lying here" I lie.
"Okay, great so I'll meet you at JoJo's in an hour or so."
When she says an hour I quickly remove the phone from my cheek and look at the time. I slept for almost 4 hours?
"Okay... sounds good, can't wait."
I drop the phone on the floor and peel my body away from the couch. I stumble into the bathroom and turn the shower on. I step in and let the warm water wash over my tender and sweaty body. I hate feeling out of place or sync. It hasn't even been a full 24 hours and I feel completely different without focusing 100% on my job.
I slide on some cute designer cut up jeans, a black slimming crew top showing off my broad shoulders, and my favorite black high-heeled boats. I finish curling my long brown hair and grab my cute Kate Spade clutch as I walk out the door. I climb in my luxury rental car and head over to JoJo's.
JoJo's is a new bar with pool tables, plenty of tables and booths to enjoy their mouthwatering burgers, and a dance floor...or so my sister says. It opened up about 5 years ago and it's been successful ever since. I pull into the gravel parking lot and look around for my sister's SUV. I spot it near the front and climb out.
I lock the door behind me and I open the front door, suddenly being struck with a wave of loud, live music from the band that's currently playing on stage. I glance around and spot my sister at the bar. She looks so cute in her dark green button up top, straight blonde hair, and short black heels. She's no fashionista but she's certainly cute. She quickly spots me and I run over to her to embrace her for a huge hug.
We plop down on the bar stools and start ordering drinks. I order my typical vodka and cranberry while she orders a beer. After an hour or two of her filling me in on her new life, bombarding me with pictures of the kids, and the job she likes, she blurts out that she's ready "to get back out there and date." I'm blown away at her honesty and I glance down to see that she's only had 3 or 4 beers. I don't know if the beer has hit her and screwed with her thinking or if it's simply just given her a confidence boost.
"Okay- Go and talk to some guys then."
"Oh, no I don't have it in me to go talk to anybody tonight."
I start laughing "Are you serious. You just said you're ready!"
"I know...but I don't know how to talk to them just yet."
I give her a crooked smile "Okay, Okay, I'm your wing-man. I'll help you out."
I take a quick sip of my drink and look around the room. There's plenty of people here tonight that she could flirt with, but I'm surprised to see a booth filled with about 5 guys who look to be around our age and who are all pretty handsome. But I can't tell if they're married or not. So I decide to put my skills up for good measure.
I get up from my stool and strut over to the booth. I stand in front of the guys who seem to be having an argument over some sort of pre-season football game. Who cares!
"Hey! Excuse me gentlemen, but do you think one or two of you could do me with a favor?" I say with my flirtatious smile.
They all look up from their so called deep sports conversation and seem to all smile at me at once.
"What do you need sweetie?" a husky voice asks.
Gag me, sweetie.
"Do you see that pretty blonde at the bar" I point. A few nod. "Well, she's my sister and she's single but she's new to the dating world again. So would one of you do me a favor and go over and talk with her...ya know, maybe flirt a little and boost her ego a bit?"
A few give me some smiles while a few chuckles are let out. But I don't let it bother me "Really, guys. I'm her wing-man tonight and she needs a confidence boost...I'd make it worth your while...say buy you a round...Hell, I'll even pay the tab?"
A cute brunette immediately stands up. "Yeah, that's worth it. I'll help you out."
I move out of his way and say "Thank you." As he heads in the direction of my sister and takes my seat. I turn around and smile at the guys. "Just give me your tab at the end of the night and I'll cover you." As I'm about to shake the hand of one who has the husky voice to seal the deal, I glance over my shoulder to find a Dolce and Gabana model walking our way.
"Hey, guys sorry I'm late...I-" he stops talking and looks at me.
I pause myself but I quickly recover to finish shaking the guy's hand. "Alright guys, just let me know if you need anything."
I pull away from the handshake and admire the Greek God before me. He's about 6'3, with a muscular frame, sandy blonde hair, and hazel eyes. Damn any woman would drop her panties for his guy.
"Need anything?" he looks up at me as he sits down in the booth.
"Yeah, Peyton she offered to buy us drinks if one of us would hit on her sister. Brandon, took the plunge for us and is sitting at the bar" the same husky voice responds.
He leans around me and stares at the scene. "Why is Brandon hitting on Hilary Palmer?"
We all look a bit confused and I'm a little surprised myself. It's just flirting douche-bag.
I ask without hesitating "What? You think my sister isn't good enough for your friend?"
Now he looks surprised. "Wait, your Hilary's sister? The one that lives in New York?"
I answer with pride "Yes, yes I am."
Apparently a deep sigh is all he can muster as a response. I'll take that as a defeat. "As I said boys bring me the bill when you're done."
I'm about to walk away when one of the guys asks "So honey, are you in need of a confidence boost tonight?" I seriously want to vomit and laugh at the same time at their AMAZING tactics.
"No" I firmly state. "I'm just playing wing-man." I walk away and head to the nearby pool table that's empty.
I end up playing pool by myself for an hour or so. I don't mind the privacy and it's a way for me to be mentally preoccupied while my sister "lives on the edge". Plus I've become an amazing player over the years to in order to impress clients...that and Matt taught me when we were dating so it would be unfair advantage if I played against anyone in this place.
I'm about to sink the final ball the corner left pocket when the model places the bill on the table. I quickly regain my composure as not to screw up my last move.
"So I was told to bring this to you?" he says.
"Yes, thank you." I reach for the bill the same time he grabs for it.
"You really don't have to pay for the bill. I know your sister."
I slip the bill from underneath him and turn and reach for my Kate Spade clutch. "Really, it's okay. I told them I would. Plus look at her, it's totally worth it." He glances over to see my sister really enjoying herself.
I reach in my clutch and pull out my American Express. "So how do you know my sister?"
"Oh, um I work with her at the high school. I teach English and coach Varsity football. I'm Peyton Simms by the way." He reaches over with an open hand to me.
I remain stoic trying to read him then something clicks. He's Peyton Simms. That cocky all-star football player and quarter back who was a grade above me. Everyone knew Peyton in high school, but I'm surprising myself right now that I even remember that after all these years. And now he resides here, in Bridgeport? Okay?
I shake his hand in return "Hey Peyton. I'm Hannah Duvall. You were a year older than me in high school, but back then my last name was Blecker."
He smirks for a moment then releases my hand. "Well it's great to meet you...see you...meet you again?" he stutters.
I immediately burst into laughter at his inability to know what phrases to stick with. "Alright Peyton. Good luck with football season."
I walk around him and head to the counter to pay. My sister and Brandon are wrapped up in some flirtatious conversation, but I know he's only pretending. I read people for a living "Hey sis, it's late."
Brandon turns to me "Hey! I can take her home if you want?"
Yeah, like that's going to happen. "No thank you. I got her." She's not completely hammered but enough where I wouldn't let her drive. I'm sure I can leave her car here for the night and we can come back tomorrow.
I stumble a bit to lay her in the back seat of my rental but I'm able to maneuver her on her side and close the door.
"Hey! Is she okay?" Peyton appears out of nowhere.
"Yeah she's fine. I'll grab her car tomorrow." And wave him off.
"Actually, I can drive it to her place if you want. Then you can drive me back here. Otherwise, JoJo might have her car towed"
"Do you know where my sister lives because I certainly don't?" I realize.
He chuckles for a second "Yeah, I coach little kids during the summer so I've dropped Auden off myself a few times."
I look at him a little suspiciously but make my decision out of necessity. I throw him my sister's keys climb in my car.
We soon pull out of the gravel parking lot and I follow Peyton towards my sister's place. We pull into a long driveway filled with a community of cute townhouses. We stop in front of a redbrick two story and I turn off my ignition. I'm impressed with how gentlemen like Peyton is, carrying my now passed out sister into her house like a drunken bride and helps me tuck her into bed on her left side.
I lock the door behind me and take her keys and throw them into her mailbox. I don't believe it's the smartest thing to do but Peyton assures me that there's hardly any crime here.
I peal away from her driveway with Peyton in the passenger seat and head back to JoJo's. I haven't been this close to guy without talking business in over a year that I'm suddenly uncomfortable at the silence so I turn the radio on and let the soft music fill the car.
After a few minutes he reaches for the radio and turns it down a bit "So Hilary told me that you live in New York."
I glance over at him "You already said that at the bar. But yes, I do."
He looks a little uncomfortable at my remark "Oh, well how did you end up there?"
I just love it when people try to use filler conversation. And there's only 2 reasons why you do it- to either fill an awkward void or use it to find a connection with someone so you can get something out of the other person. And trust me there's no connection between me and him. So I give him the basics.
"Well, I got accepted to Columbia...So I just stayed after I graduated." He doesn't seem pleased with my short answer.
"What was your major?" he proceeds.
"Business" I say simply. He again does not seem to like my short answer again.
"Your sister says you graduated top of your class and you also got your MBA from there too?"
I'm annoyed and a little taken back that this gorgeous creature knows too many things about me. "Well, you already seem to know to everything about me. What about you? Where did you go?"
"After graduation, I went to Oregon State. I played football for all four years and graduated in English. I knew I wasn't good enough to go pro but I wanted to coach. So I thought teaching and coaching made sense."
"When did you come back here?"
He looks out the window for a second or two "I moved back here about 3 years ago...after my wife died."
Shit! And shit... we do have a connection.
"I'm sorry to hear that Peyton" I whisper.
"Yeah me too. But its' been pretty good here since I got back."
"Well, I am glad that is has for you" I glance over and smile.
We arrive at JoJo's much quicker than I thought but I'm also relieved. He makes his way around my car and bends to my eye level as I'm still sitting in the driver seat.
"You wouldn't be interested in a grabbing a beer or two with me sometime next weekend would you?"
I remain stoic as his question sinks into my chest. Grab a beer with you? "Um...I don't know about that. I'm going to be pretty busy with volunteer stuff while I'm visiting?"
This sparks his interest. "Really what volunteer stuff?" I seriously let that wide open.
"Well I'm helping with the senior home, offered my services to the planning and development meetings to improve the business around here, and I'm helping with the kid's sports day...thing?" This information makes his eyes light up but I'm not sure what he's thinking which makes me incredibly uneasy because I'm paid to read people.
"Okay, well then I'll see you around Hannah." He waves me off and climbs into his black RAV4.
I shake my head quickly and drive back to my cottage. Its past 2am now and I'm feeling actually tired. I close my bedroom door behind me, pull out another silk pajama set and perform my nightly routine. I'm fighting the urge to check my email but I know Jake would seriously fire me so I push it away and climb into bed.
I stare up at the ceiling fan and think back to what Peyton said to me. His wife died and he moved back here almost 3 years ago. I wonder how it happened. I rub my tennis bracelet located on my left wrist as I fall asleep. It was the last item Matt bought for me before he died and I haven't taken it off since. The ring maybe gone, but then again so is my heart. I close my eyes falling asleep to the humming noise of the fan above me.