Page 58 of Angels & Whiskey

“Kinda feels like that to me too.” I laughed.

As soon as we stopped at the stop sign down my street, I got a text from Rich.

Rich:Where are you going?

I rolled my eyes and responded.

Me:Out with Brandi.

Rich:To where?

“Rich is texting me. He knows I left,” I grumbled.

“How?”

“I’m assuming from the cameras in my house.”

Me:To have a drink. You’re not home and we wanted to have a girl’s night.

“Does he watch those twenty-four-seven or something?” she asked, scrunching her eyebrows.

I groaned. “Probably.”

Rich:The mayor’s wife is NOT to be seen whoring it up in a club!

Mayor’s wife? He hadn’t even announced he was going to run and no one would know who I was.

“Look what he just texted me.” I read her the text.

Grunting she said, “Whoring it up in a club? Whatever.”

Me:I’m not. It’s just a drink. I’ll see you when we both get home.

I knew I was really pressing my luck, but I was determined to show him he could trust me so I could have more leeway when it came to doing things. Then I’d be able to make my escape when he least expected it.

“Where do you want to go?”

“Blue Martini? I haven’t been there in forever.”

“Perfect.” She nodded. “It’s been a while since I’ve been there too.”

Rich:11:00 No later!

Me:Will do. Love you!

I shuddered at my words of endearment. Of course I still loved him; he was my husband, and at one time we had something special. But with each passing day, the more he abused me, controlled me and yelled at me, the more I wanted to give my heart to someone who deserved it.

We arrived at the packed bar. There were no free seats, so we walked toward the wood bar to wait in the crowd so we could order a drink once the bartender noticed us.

I hadn’t been at a bar like this since before I met Rich. I felt as if it was my twenty-first birthday all over again. I was excited, nervous, and anxious all rolled into one. I was used to staying home, making dinner for Rich, watching TV and enjoying a quiet night—after the wrath. I wasn’t used to being in a packed bar where I was being checked out by every guy on the prowl.

Part of me wanted to hide my princess cut diamond ring and see what else was out there. I wasn’t looking for a relationship. I just wanted to see what the single men looked like these days. I thought better of it though—until my gaze landed on the familiar green eyes I daydreamed about by the front door.

I grinned like a fool and he smiled back as he started walking toward us. He was dressed in jeans that hugged his hips and a button down light blue long-sleeved shirt.

“Gabe’s here,” I whispered into Brandi’s ear even though the music was loud enough in the background that Gabe wouldn’t have heard. “And Paul,” I said when I noticed he was walking with Gabe.

“I told them we would be here.”