Out of the Blue

Chapter 20

I'd become more familiar with the bar scene over recent weeks, but this establishment was nothing like the one at the edge of campus. I sat with a small group of employees from the hotel, taking up two of the high tables near the long, white marble bar running through the centre of the room. For now, it was a good place for a few after-work drinks, but in thirty minutes the lights would dim further and the music would start pumping, turning the casual atmosphere into a high-energy one.

I was usually gone by the time that happened.

I was usually walking out the door arm-in arm with Sawyer.

I was usually excited to go back to his place.

That wouldn't be happening tonight.

"Down in the dumps?" Tony, one of our night security guards, asked as he pulled up a stool beside me. I shuffled over to accommodate his muscular stature, my shoulder touching the wall.

"I don't know what you mean," I said, my words sounding more sarcastic than intended.

Tony hummed, following my gaze to the bar where Sawyer waited to order another drink. The crowd was growing as more and more patrons arrived for the change into a nightclub, taking advantage of happy hour before the DJ arrived.

"She's nowhere near as pretty as you," he continued slyly.

I rolled my eyes. "I don't know what you mean," I repeated, hoping he would let it go. But I did know what he was talking about. The woman outright flirting with Sawyer a mere few metres away, in her short-cut dress and ridiculous heels.

Sawyer was a nice guy, so he engaged politely. The way he was smiling at her, though, was completely unnecessary, especially when he kept glancing towards our table. Towards me.

It certainly didn't help when he made his way back, sat at the other end, and then smiled at the girl who decided to follow him two minutes later.

Tony picked up on the tension. "Did you two have a fight or something?" he asked quietly.

"What?" I squeaked.

He shrugged. "You're usually joined at the hip."

Did he know about me and Sawyer? "I don't know what you're talking about."

My response made him laugh. "Come on, Boss, you two aren't exactly subtle."

I thought that we'd been careful. We barely touched at work, and when anything did happen, I took control of the situation quickly so we wouldn't get caught. "Who else knows?" I asked, glancing around at our colleagues. They chatted happily amongst each other and I hoped no one was listening in on our conversation.

"Almost everyone," he admitted, amused by my reaction.

Great.

"So did you two have a fight?" he asked again.

I shook my head, glancing over at Sawyer. He was still smiling, and the front of his new friend's dress was as low cut as the skirt was short.

I stepped down from my stool. "Not exactly. I'm going to get some fresh air," I told Tony before shuffling out of my corner. He didn't try to stop me.

When outside, I dawdled a few metres down the path, wrestling with my own thoughts. I could feel a migraine coming on.

I was outside for only a minute when Sawyer approached, weaving his way through a crowd of guys hyping themselves up for the night.

"Hey," he said, shoving his hands in his pockets.

I gave him a curt smile. "Hey."

Sawyer wasn't one for awkward silences, usually making jokes when something felt uncomfortable. But there were no jokes tonight. "You want to talk about whatever's been on your mind today?"