Page 17 of Forbidden Romeo
They got the hint and didn't press me further. We sat in silence for a few minutes, sipping our drinks. The booze was starting to hit me hard and the bar swam before my eyes.
Suddenly a familiar face appeared in my wavering vision. Katherine. Her wavy blond hair fell softly around her shoulders as she leaned against the bar only a couple people down from Duncan, waiting to order. And the way the lights from above bounced off the bright blonde of her hair created a halo effect that made her look even more like the angel she was.
She was breathtaking as always.
I’m dreaming. I must be hallucinating… Katherine doesn’t go to bars. She doesn’t drink.
And Mulsey’s certainly wasn’t her scene.
“Holden?”
She was leaning against the bar and Jill was standing beside her. A giant black X was drawn on the back of her hand, indicating that she was underage.
The bartender handed her a soda and a glass of ice water.
Reading my mind, Duncan scooted over to make room for her.
Katherine slid onto the barstool next to me, her blue eyes immediately drawn to my bloodied knuckles. "Oh my god, Holden. You’re bleeding! What happened to you?"
Her voice was filled with concern as she gently took my hand in hers to examine it closer. I winced, the cuts stinging under her delicate touch.
"It's nothing," I mumbled, pulling my hand back and taking another swig of beer. I could feel her gaze burning into the side of my face, but I stubbornly kept my eyes forward.
"That doesn't look like nothing," she said softly. "Please, tell me what's going on."
I shook my head, my throat tight. I didn't want to drag her into this mess. This was my grief to bear alone.
But Katherine didn't back down easily. She moved closer, placing a hand on my arm. "You know you can talk to me, right? I'm here for you, no matter what."
Her voice was so gentle, so full of warmth and compassion. If I closed my eyes, she almost sounded like my mother.
I felt my resolve weakening.
"I...I got in a fight," I said reluctantly, my eyes downcast.
"A fight?” she gasped. “With who?"
I winced, hesitating for a moment. “With the liquor cabinet.”
“Aw, come on, man! You punched my dad’s liquor cabinet?” Duncan shouted.
“I’ll pay for a new one.”
“Damn right you will. And that shit was from Ethan Allen.”
Ethan Allen furniture? Not exactly how I wanted to spend my trust fund.
Katherine threw Duncan a look over her shoulder as she gathered a handful of napkins from the bar. “I’m sure the cabinet will be replaced one way or another. Just tell your Daddy that the football team broke it celebrating a win.”
“Hm,” Duncan said, looking thoughtful. “That could actually work.”
Katherine unsuccessfully tried to repress a roll of her eyes as she pulled some ice cubes out of her water glass and wrapped them with her napkins. Then, gently taking my hand, she pressed the cold, damp ice napkin to my knuckles. “Here,” she said quietly. “Looks like the liquor cabinet did a number on you.”
“Nah,” I said, “You should see the other guy.”
That earned me a little smile. “I didn’t think you’d be back for finals,” she said.
“The show must go on, right?”