Finally, You (The Finally Book Duo 2)

by Burke, Roseanne

  I was momentarily distracted from my anger by a couple walking toward the front door. For some reason, the girl looked familiar. She had light brown hair and overly tanned skin. She was cute enough and had a petite body. I was trying to place her. Had I met her out before? Did she come in to Johnny's? Then it dawned on me. She was the girlfriend of one of the regulars at the bar, Ben Anderson. And the guy she was with was not Ben. Holy shit.

  I averted my eyes as they walked by, arm in arm. She let out a high pitched giggle as they entered the lobby. You bitch. Ben was so sweet and incredibly hot. What the hell was she doing with this guy? He was a five at best. Gross.

  My attention was diverted back to the moment with my cab arriving. I climbed in, staring out the window. Poor Ben. See, fucking humanity was awful.

  Chapter 5

  My week dragged by. Jamie was gone, and I was still ruffled by the whole "mistaken for a prostitute" incident. I just stayed in all week, drinking alone. I didn't even want to talk to my sister. What was I doing? What kind of path was I on? I seriously needed to evaluate my choices.

  I didn't even pack my Lucky Bag before work on Saturday. My plan was to go to work, have a few free drinks there, and go straight home. I walked into the bar with a slight chip on my shoulder.

  "Hey Shannon, how's it going?" Johnny called to me. I couldn't help but smile. Despite the shitstorm going on in my brain, I could always count on him to cheer me up.

  "Oh, pretty good," I smiled. I settled back behind the bar, joining him.

  "So we have a new girl starting tonight. Her name is Lacey. She just moved here and is looking to make a little extra money. She'll just be part time for the time being."

  Hmm, Lacey. I wondered what she would be like. Would she and I become friends? I didn't think anyone could come close to what Jamie and I had, but at least there was potential.

  "Ok, that sounds good. Anything else you can tell me about her?" Does she seem nice? How old is she? Would she make a good wing woman?

  "Well she moved here for a guy and it didn't work out. Poor thing came in earlier this week to drown her sorrows," he said, putting away clean glasses.

  So we already had something in common: scorned by love and alone in a new city.

  "Aw, that's too bad," I replied, taking over Johnny's duties.

  "And you know, Ben was here the other night when she was here, and they seemed to be making googly eyes at each other. I was thinking maybe we could try to set them up," he said, shrugging his shoulders slightly.

  The memory of Ben's girlfriend with another man came flooding back. Bitch. Now I really wanted to set these two up. "Ooh, I like the way your mind works, Johnny," I laughed.

  He chuckled. "We'll see. I know he's got that girlfriend, but he just seems so miserable with her."

  I nodded, debating whether I should tell him what I had seen. I decided against it; it wasn't for me to tell.

  I got to work, making myself busy. It was still early, and the night rush hadn't started yet. After about thirty minutes, the front door swung open, and in walked a pretty brunette I didn't recognize.

  "Hey Johnny!" she called. This must be Lacey. She looked sweet, had a cute little body, and a nice smile. I got excited thinking about trying to set Ben up with her. Ben had always been such a sweetheart; even though he had a lot of money, he never acted like he was "better" than anyone. He definitely deserved better than that other bitch.

  I watched Johnny walk with her toward me. Despite having a smile on her face, I could sense a sadness about her. She seemed like a baby bird I wanted to take under my wing and make better.

  "And this is the lovely Shannon," Johnny said, gesturing toward me.

  I smiled and curtsied. "Aw, Johnny, you're too kind."

  "This is Lacey," he said.

  Her smile grew as she reached her hand for mine.

  "Nice to meet you," she said. I wasn't sure why, but I instantly liked her.

  "Well I'm gonna head in back and work on paperwork. You're in good hands, Lacey," he said, giving us both a wink.

  I waited for him to step away before I spoke. "I'm so excited to have you here!"

  She smiled. "Me too."

  I wanted to hug her. I was wondering when Ben would be in again; he usually just came during the week after work.

  Business started picking up, so I was showing her the ropes of the place. I could tell she had zero experience bartending. She kept spilling and would forget to add a garnish. Sweet girl. She was trying so hard.

  I also started filling her in on the regulars that were present. "Brendan and Jenna, they're over there with the Bud Light and the vodka cranberry. They're a fun young couple, good tippers too. And Sam, he always wants a whiskey sour and the Vikings game on during football season." Seriously, that guy had been talking about football season starting for weeks.

  She nodded her head, taking internal notes. "Johnny told me about a regular I saw here the other night. A lawyer I think? I recognized him from his billboard," she said quietly.

  Holy shit! The lawyer she was talking about was Ben. Johnny was right! Oh this was exciting news. I tried to play it off, acting like I was busily stocking a shelf. "Oh Ben! Yeah, he's a doll. Always so nice. Too bad he has a girlfriend, he's so hot!" I watched her reaction out of the corner of my eye. I wanted to tell her about the fact that he may be "girlfriend-less" soon, but I kept my mouth shut.

  She sighed. "Yeah, I guess he was pretty good looking." Oh honey, come on. Ben was gorgeous. He was tall, dark and handsome, with a sexy five o'clock shadow. If I had met him anywhere else besides work, I would've wanted him.

  I turned to face her, popping my hand on my hip. "Um, yeah! Good looking is the understatement of the century."

  I saw her cheeks start to flush. This was going to be fun. Even if I wasn't into dating anyone, I was happy to live vicariously through her.

  "So tell me more about Johnny, what's he like as a boss?" she asked, seeming to want to steer the conversation in a totally different direction.

  "Oh he's the sweetest," I smiled. "I would describe him as everybody's friend." He really always seemed to have everyone else's best interests at heart. I could see why he wanted to hire Lacey. She seemed to have a similar story to mine.

  She glanced around at the pictures on the wall. "Does his family come in at all?"

  Ouch. I knew I should probably fill her in on his story. "His wife passed away from breast cancer two years ago, and his kids live out of state. We're the closest thing to family he has around here."

  She gasped, bringing her hand to her mouth. "Oh god, I'm so sorry to hear that! He seems like such a great guy."

  My lips curled into a slight frown. "Yes he is," I said. I sometimes forgot what he had been through. He was only in his late fifties and already a widower.

  As if on cue, Johnny walked up from the back office. "How's it going, ladies?" he asked, flashing his typical smile.

  "Great!" I answered. "She's catching on so quick!"

  "Good to hear! I knew you would, Lacey."

  "Thanks for everything," she said. "I'm so excited!"

  I beamed. She seemed like a nice girl and we could potentially have a lot in common. She wasn't exactly like Jamie, but maybe that was a good thing. Maybe I didn't need someone who fueled my desire to go out drinking and have random hookups. Maybe she could help me dial it down a bit.

  Our attention was suddenly drawn to someone sitting at the bar. "Ah, Ben. The usual tonight?" asked Johnny.

  Oh my god, how perfect! On the outside, I just stood casually, but I was jumping up and down and clapping my hands in my head. I looked at Lacey, the color was draining from her face. Get it together, girl!

  "Hey Johnny, that sounds good," he said. "Shannon, how are you tonight?"

  I leaned over the bar. "Oh good," I answered. "And how are you? Don't tell me you're working on a Saturday night?"

  "No, I just figured I'd stop in before meeting up with Marissa and her family. And who is this?"


  I shuddered slightly, thinking about him going to dinner with that cheating whore. I wanted to tell him what I had seen, but I didn't feel it was my place. Maybe if I could set him up with Lacey, he'd realize he deserved better than Marissa. Time to get this going.

  "This is Lacey! She's our new girl!" I cried. "Ben, Lacey, Lacey, Ben!" I was too excited. I moved my hand back and forth emphatically between them as I spoke.

  "Nice to meet you, Lacey," he said, extending his hand to her.

  "Nice to meet you as well," she responded. Good girl, keep your cool.

  Johnny walked back with Ben's drink. "Here you go, Ben. Ah Lacey, I see you've met Ben. He always wants a Grey Goose martini, a little dirty, unless he says otherwise."

  I could see her swallow harshly.

  Johnny turned to me, a twinkle in his eye. "Shannon, can I show you something really quick? Excuse us for a second."

  I was trying as hard as I could to contain my smile as we stepped over to the other end of the bar.

  "Oh my god, how exciting!" I squealed.

  He laughed. "Shh! We can't let them hear us. Pretend to be busy."

  Sneaky Johnny. I decided this was my new mission, to get these two together. It seemed like a healthy distraction from my own sad life.

  I tried to keep my eye on them as I helped other customers. I could see lots of smiling and laughing. There was an obvious attraction on both ends. How could I talk to her about it afterward without being too transparent about our plan?

  Their conversation carried on for a bit longer, then I watched as she rang him up and he left out the door. She smiled down at his receipt in her hand. I walked up to her.

  "So, what did you think of Ben?" I asked innocently. I knew what she thought.

  "Oh, he seemed nice," she smiled.

  Uh-huh, nice. I didn't want to embarrass her, so I tried to change the subject. "Here, let me show you how to make a Sweet Tart shot. It's one of my favorites."

  She grinned. "Ok."

  I grabbed the bottles, showing her the steps. "So what do you usually drink?" I asked.

  "Well, I like wine. And apple martinis lately," she answered.

  I liked the sound of that. Too bad apple martinis had so many calories. That's why I usually stuck to shots or vodka and club soda. There weren't any calories in club soda.

  "Ooh that sounds yummy. Here, try this," I said, handing her the shot.

  Her eyes widened. "We can drink while we work?"

  Sweet little innocent baby bird. "Yes, it's all part of being a bartender! Sometimes customers will buy them for you, but Johnny's ok with us just having a few, regardless. But watch out for Eddie. He will probably offer to buy you a drink every time you work. He's nice, but a little creepy."

  "Ok, no drinks from Eddie," she laughed.

  I lifted up the glass, motioning for her to take it. "Here."

  "Well, I would, but I'm a little hung over from last night," she whispered.

  I burst out laughing. We were going to get along just fine. "Ok, I'll do it then."

  The bar was slowing down as we got closer to closing.

  "So you're only part time?" I asked.

  "Yeah, I'm actually a nurse at St. Mary's hospital," she replied.

  I felt a slight shock run through my body. Hmm, I fucked your CFO, I thought.

  "And what brought you here to Forrester?" I asked. "New job?" I had a vague idea, but I wanted to be nosy.

  She grimaced. "Ugh, I moved here for a guy." She scrunched her face, looking up at me.

  "I know how that goes. What happened?" I asked.

  "Well to be honest, I shouldn't have been with him for as long as I was. But I was in denial. I was on vacation recently and somehow woke up, realizing how stupid I was being. I decided to end things with him, only to find out he had cheated on me while I was away." She rubbed a speck on the bar absent-mindedly.

  Poor thing. "What a fucking asshole," I said. This meant she and Ben had even more in common.

  She grinned at me. "Thanks. And thanks for being so nice tonight. It's been hard."

  "You're so welcome!" I smiled. I wanted to tell her, I know how you feel.

  Johnny stepped out of his office. "Ok ladies, I'll close up tonight. I'll see you tomorrow," he said.

  Lacey and I glanced at each other, smiling. "Ok, see you guys tomorrow," I said.

  "See ya. It was really nice meeting you."

  "You too, Lacey," I grinned.

  I walked out to my car, and drove to my apartment, excited at the prospect of having a new friend.

  Chapter 6

  The Previous March

  With all the adrenaline coursing through my veins, I couldn't exactly remember how I had arrived at Lucky's. How ironic that I would end up there, considering I felt like the unluckiest person in the world. I stared down at my Cosmo; this one looked significantly paler than the last. How many was this? Three? Fuck it, I thought, gulping the rest. I'm sure I'll pay for this later, I mused. Who knew these would be so delicious? I ordered it because I knew that's what they drank in Sex and the City. Otherwise, I would've been completely stumped on what to try. Not to say I didn't ever drink, I just didn't drink that often. A glass of wine with dinner was my usual.

  My phone was continuously buzzing in my purse. I grabbed it, looking at the screen. "Carrie," it said. I sighed, pressing ignore. Holy shit, thirteen missed calls. I had a slight twinge of guilt that was quickly replaced with anger. Whatever. I could not fathom talking to anyone right now. I knew my sister was worried, but I honestly didn't care at the moment. I powered down my phone, sliding it back in my purse.

  Suddenly, all the drinks seemed to catch up to my bladder. I slid off the stool, stumbling slightly as my pink heels met the wooden floor. I straightened myself up and calmly made my way to the bathroom. I pushed open the damp painted stall door. Gross. I knew it was just condensation, but I couldn't help but think it was pee. Luckily, no one was in there but me. I wasn't in the mood for random bathroom chit chat.

  After using the restroom, I stepped up to the sink to wash my hands. That meant having to look at myself in the mirror. I braced myself for the puffy-eyed mascara-stained face that undoubtedly awaited me. I held my breath, and looked up. Interesting, I didn't look like as much of a hot mess as I had expected. Just a few stray hairs and a little pale in the face. I smoothed my hair down and pinched my cheeks. I grabbed my lip gloss from my purse, and applied a new coat. I didn't look half bad, actually.

  With a renewed confidence, I walked back out into the bar. I was confused to see a full glass sitting in front of my stool. Was I in the right spot? I scanned my eyes down the rest of the bar, looking for my seat. No, that was definitely my jacket hanging over it.

  "No, you're right. It's for you," said a man, sitting two stools down. He was wearing a dark blue polo shirt and jeans, which made his light blue eyes stand out. He gave me a confident smile.

  I approached my seat tentatively. "You got this for me?" I asked, pointing at the drink. "Why?"

  He chuckled as I slid back onto my stool. "Because you're a beautiful girl, and I wanted to buy you a drink."

  His words gave me instant tingles up my spine. Beautiful. A smile started to creep onto my face. Is this how it works? How people meet at bars? "I don't know what to say."

  "Usually just thank you is enough," he grinned.

  Duh, Shannon. I shook my head slightly, closing my eyes. "Yes, of course. I'm sorry. Thank you."

  He held up his glass, indicating I should bring mine up too. "Cheers," he said.

  "Cheers," I smiled, clinking my glass with his.

  I took a sip, trying to contain my grin. What now? Do I talk to him? Or did he really just want to buy me a drink and that's it?

  He abruptly pulled me from my thoughts by saying, "I'm Quinn."

  I grabbed his outstretched hand. Geez, it felt warm and strong. It was weird feeling the touch of another man, even if it was just his hand. "I'm Shannon," I replied.

  "Do you mind
if I move one seat over, Shannon?" he asked, gesturing at the empty stool between us.

  I shook my head. "Not at all," I smiled.

  Oh my god. This was happening. I was being picked up in a bar. I felt excitement bubbling in my chest. What a strange new experience this was. But I guess that's what happens when you get engaged to the person you've been dating since you were eighteen. No chance to sow the wild oats.

  He shifted smoothly over. I inhaled his cologne; it smelled heavenly. I brought my drink to my lips, unsure of what to do next. This was... fun.

  "So Shannon, what do you do?" he asked, locking his eyes with mine. They really were the prettiest shade of blue.

  I nervously pushed my hair behind my ears. "I'm a server at Randy's Diner." I braced myself for the impending judgment. That's all you do, I expected him to say.

  "I've never been there before. I'll have to check it out."

  I allowed his words to sink in. No judgment. What a refreshing concept.

  "Now this is where you could ask what I do," he teased.

  I giggled. I knew I was probably coming across as completely socially awkward. "Yes, again I'm sorry. I've just never done this before."

  "Done what?"

  "Met someone at a bar. Actually, I've only really dated one person, and that relationship ended very recently." Today, as a matter of fact. "But that's not what we are going to talk about. What do you do for a living, Quinn?"

  A sexy smile crossed his lips. "I'm a trainer at Gym Express."

  My eyes instantly zeroed in on his biceps. Holy shit. How had I not noticed them before? He was sexy. Damn, it's been a while since I intentionally noticed another man.

  "That's very cool. I bet you meet a lot of interesting people," I said. I was becoming increasingly aware of my lusty feelings developing for him. And I was surprised how quickly they were building.

  He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Yeah, you could say that. But I bet you do too, working at a restaurant."

  "Well, it's a diner mostly for old folks," I smiled. "It's usually the same regulars each day, but they're all pretty sweet for the most part."