Silicon Valley to run it.
“I think he’s interested,” Tyler smirked.
Audrey lifted her glass, nodded at Gary, and dropped her head, feeling the burning in her throat and the heat crawling up her chest. It was exactly what she needed to forget what was happening to her. Happened to her. Stupid Penny Lane. She gulped the rest of her beer. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.
“Wanna dance?” She asked Matt.
“Dance?” He stiffened.
“I’ll go with you.” Kevin quickly offered. Audrey glanced at Kevin, then back at Matt.
“Go. I’ll take the next one,” Matt smiled shyly.
Audrey shrugged. “Come on, Kevin.” They walked toward the empty dance floor — a small area in front of the tiny stage.
The band performing had an upbeat sound that reminded her of Maroon 5. The lead singer let out a little cheer when he saw them approaching, moving with the beat of the drums. The music transformed her body into a malleable material that bended and flailed, as sinuously as a dangerous road. She raised her arms and Kevin placed his hands on her waist. For a moment, she had the urge to look at the bar to see if John was watching, but he wasn’t there. Gary, though, was behind the bar and couldn’t take his eyes off her. She looked at the table where she’d come from, John was sitting with the guys. His name vibrated in her head along with the stirring music. John, John, John. She threw herself into it and danced until her hair felt heavy and damp, clinging to her back and neck. When the music stopped, Kevin gave her a celebratory hug and led her toward the table.
“I’m going to get something to drink.” She veered toward the bar.
The reality was, she didn’t want to be in John’s vicinity just yet. Her last relationship had ended very badly and, in the two years she’d spent with that boyfriend, she had not once felt the throbbing of wild horses crushing her chest like she did when John was around. Strangely enough, she also experienced an incredible serenity, as if she was riding up a mountain in a ski-lift, watching the smooth white carpet below her while cool snowflakes flickered and melted on her face.
“What can I get you, gorgeous?” Gary placed a napkin in front of her.
“Jack and water.” Audrey sat on a vacant stool at the edge of the bar and he turned to mix it. He placed the drink in front of her, and she pulled a twenty from her pocket.
“No, on the house.” Gary dismissed the money with a wave of his hand.
“Thanks.” Audrey knew there was no point on insisting. Every other round the band consumed was on the house. Gary wouldn’t allow her to pay, considering his obvious interest. She felt a pang of devilish shame about the situation, because his tanned Californian looks didn’t do anything for her. Even if the thoughts of John weren’t constantly pulsing in her head, like the first signs of a massive migraine, Gary’s ‘what’s-up-dude’ attitude appeared to be that of someone trying very hard to live in a decade that had long bid farewell.
“You looked pretty good on the dance floor,” Gary said.
“Oh.” Audrey wasn’t sure how to respond to being complimented on something as frivolous as dancing. She hadn’t somersaulted backwards, for goodness sake. “Thanks.” While she couldn’t think of a single reason to stay there and endure Gary’s foundering attempts to charm her, sitting by John was not a better prospect. She wanted to. Oh, hell. She wanted it to be near him so bad, she’d started to daydream about it, but being unemployed, living with her parents, and absolutely clueless as to what to do with her life kept any hopes of a relationship at bay.
“Come sit with us.” Matt leaned on the bar. “Can I have four Budweisers, please?” He asked a young bartender. Gary was at the opposite side of the bar talking to other patrons.
“Matt, have you ever been afraid?” Audrey said, without looking at him.
“What have you been drinking?” Matt reached for her glass,
“I think he’s interested,” Tyler smirked.
Audrey lifted her glass, nodded at Gary, and dropped her head, feeling the burning in her throat and the heat crawling up her chest. It was exactly what she needed to forget what was happening to her. Happened to her. Stupid Penny Lane. She gulped the rest of her beer. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.
“Wanna dance?” She asked Matt.
“Dance?” He stiffened.
“I’ll go with you.” Kevin quickly offered. Audrey glanced at Kevin, then back at Matt.
“Go. I’ll take the next one,” Matt smiled shyly.
Audrey shrugged. “Come on, Kevin.” They walked toward the empty dance floor — a small area in front of the tiny stage.
The band performing had an upbeat sound that reminded her of Maroon 5. The lead singer let out a little cheer when he saw them approaching, moving with the beat of the drums. The music transformed her body into a malleable material that bended and flailed, as sinuously as a dangerous road. She raised her arms and Kevin placed his hands on her waist. For a moment, she had the urge to look at the bar to see if John was watching, but he wasn’t there. Gary, though, was behind the bar and couldn’t take his eyes off her. She looked at the table where she’d come from, John was sitting with the guys. His name vibrated in her head along with the stirring music. John, John, John. She threw herself into it and danced until her hair felt heavy and damp, clinging to her back and neck. When the music stopped, Kevin gave her a celebratory hug and led her toward the table.
“I’m going to get something to drink.” She veered toward the bar.
The reality was, she didn’t want to be in John’s vicinity just yet. Her last relationship had ended very badly and, in the two years she’d spent with that boyfriend, she had not once felt the throbbing of wild horses crushing her chest like she did when John was around. Strangely enough, she also experienced an incredible serenity, as if she was riding up a mountain in a ski-lift, watching the smooth white carpet below her while cool snowflakes flickered and melted on her face.
“What can I get you, gorgeous?” Gary placed a napkin in front of her.
“Jack and water.” Audrey sat on a vacant stool at the edge of the bar and he turned to mix it. He placed the drink in front of her, and she pulled a twenty from her pocket.
“No, on the house.” Gary dismissed the money with a wave of his hand.
“Thanks.” Audrey knew there was no point on insisting. Every other round the band consumed was on the house. Gary wouldn’t allow her to pay, considering his obvious interest. She felt a pang of devilish shame about the situation, because his tanned Californian looks didn’t do anything for her. Even if the thoughts of John weren’t constantly pulsing in her head, like the first signs of a massive migraine, Gary’s ‘what’s-up-dude’ attitude appeared to be that of someone trying very hard to live in a decade that had long bid farewell.
“You looked pretty good on the dance floor,” Gary said.
“Oh.” Audrey wasn’t sure how to respond to being complimented on something as frivolous as dancing. She hadn’t somersaulted backwards, for goodness sake. “Thanks.” While she couldn’t think of a single reason to stay there and endure Gary’s foundering attempts to charm her, sitting by John was not a better prospect. She wanted to. Oh, hell. She wanted it to be near him so bad, she’d started to daydream about it, but being unemployed, living with her parents, and absolutely clueless as to what to do with her life kept any hopes of a relationship at bay.
“Come sit with us.” Matt leaned on the bar. “Can I have four Budweisers, please?” He asked a young bartender. Gary was at the opposite side of the bar talking to other patrons.
“Matt, have you ever been afraid?” Audrey said, without looking at him.
“What have you been drinking?” Matt reached for her glass,
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