Page 47 of Notes About Vodka (Happily Ever After Hangover #1)

Chapter Twenty-Five

VAL

“Thankful for family, grateful for friends, blessed with vodka to survive them all.”

Two nights later, Thanksgiving arrives.

Pianissimo is closed, missing out on business, but who the fuck cares when I’m alone.

Last night I was miserable behind the bar without Laura at work. She already took the entire week off for her birthday and apparently also for her family.

We have texted constantly since she left my condo, but I can’t get the uneasy feeling that even though Laura gave me her body, she’s still holding back her heart.

Even though I’ve already started giving her mine.

Me: Hey! So what’s on the fancy Liberty House Thanksgiving menu tonight? Gold-plated mashed potatoes?

Laura: Haha, very funny. Just the usual Thanksgiving spread—turkey, stuffing, way too many sides. Why, jealous?

Me: Me? Nooo. I totally prefer cheap karaoke bar burgers and drinks that probably taste like liquid regret. At least I’ll have some backup with Mads and a few others from Pianissimo at Off Tune. But hey, at least it's festive in its own way.

Laura: Sounds like a five-star experience.

Me: Exactly. But, you know, would be better if you were here to sing badly with me.

Laura: Oh? What song were you going to butcher in my honor?

Me: Total Eclipse of the Heart, obviously. You know, to really drive home the "missing you" vibe.

Laura: Dramatic. I love it. Record it for me?

Me: Only if you promise to send a video of you pretending to enjoy your overpriced dinner. And no edits—raw footage of your best fake smile.

Laura: Deal… Wait...

Laura: Is Roqui going to be there?

I pause, remembering how upset Laura was that I invited Roqui. Sure, Roquelle is a bit touchy feeling, but she was always like that, even before we dated.

Me: I learned that mistake from your birthday. Roqui is not invited. Have fun with your family, though. You deserve a good night.

Laura: As long as dad actually leaves a decent tip and my step-sister Leigha behaves, all will be good.

Me: Ah, a wildcard. I'll be waiting for updates—preferably with dramatic live commentary.

Laura: Cross fingers, I’m going to try and get my dad and step-mom back to the apartment and join y’all.

Me: Keep me posted, I hope you can make it

Pocketing my phone, I step onto the balcony. I dig the metal of my smoking bat into the dugout, pulling out a hit of weed. Lighting it up, I take a long drag, holding the smoke for as long as possible before I exhale .

The immediate high may relax the muscles in my back, but my heart is still tense with longing.

Blet! Dammit, I really miss my Laura.

Hours later, I’m slightly drunk as Mads and I make our way out of the subway tunnel on Canal and Bowery.

Earlier, we grabbed pizza near NYU, sitting in a cramped booth with red-checkered tablecloths. The pizza was greasy and perfect, and one slice turned into two, which turned into several beers and eventually vodka tonics at a nearby bar.

"So," Mads said, swirling the ice in his glass, "what's the deal with you and Laura?"

I’d shrugged, trying to play it cool. "Just friends. I think."

"You think?" Mads laughed. "Come on, Val. You look at her like she hung the stars. And don't think I haven't noticed all the notes you two pass back and forth at work."

I sighed, setting my glass down. "Yeah, okay. I’m falling for her. Hard."

"Knew it," Mads said with a grin. "You two were pretty cozy at her birthday party the other night."

"Yeah, well, it’s...she's...complicated," I'd admitted. "Family stuff. School."

"Val, she's a woman. Of course it’s complicated," Mads replied."What about you? School still good? NYU keeping you busy?"

"Always," I’d replied, thinking about the lab report I still had to finish for chemistry. I wish Laura was in my lab, maybe she can explain the Coulombic Attraction Model better than the TA. "Hopefully I'll be able to afford to keep taking classes full time and actually graduate before I'm 30. "

"You will," Mads said.

"Well, I hope so. Ever since Laura introduced me to Skype, my mom won’t stop asking about graduation and when I’m coming back to Russia."

"So, you still haven't told them that you lost your visa?"

Sighing, I replied, "No. They just think that I don't have the time to travel with school and work."

"They believe that? Even though, you are what, 28 now and still in college?"

"Hey, I'm 26 and doing this in a second language. You go finish a four-year degree in Russia and let me know how long it really takes."

"Classic, but I'll pass," Mads said with a smirk. "Okay, finish your drink. We’ve got karaoke to dominate."

Now, I'm stumbling at little bit as we walk down the sidewalk. I can't help but glance up, admiring how the buildings of Manhattan tower over the smaller, worn-out structures on the lower east side of the city.

Off Tune is hidden down an alley with a nondescript, steel door. You wouldn't know there was a karaoke bar inside if you were just passing.

When we arrive, I’m surprised to see Laura is already there, on the stage, singing with another girl who is about the same height as Laura.

The girl has light blonde, curly hair that hangs all the way down to her lower back.

Laura is wearing a dark blue dress with red and gold stripes that shimmer when she moves, the colors catching the light like ribbons on a wrapped gift.

The dress falls just to her knees, and she pairs it with gray ankle boots.

The spotlight reflects off the gold threads, making her look like a present come to life.

I barely even notice the other girl in jeans and a white sweater.

Swaying back and forth, the two girls have their arms wrapped around each other as they perform the classic Shania Twain's Man, I Feel Like a Woman .

Bathed in the warm glow of the spotlight, Laura's voice is like honey, smooth and captivating.

The other girl has a decent voice, but it's Laura who I hear. I can’t take my eyes off her.

She spots me in the crowd, and our eyes meet briefly before she and the other girl sing the chorus with a shimmy and hip bump.

Spotting Dante and Isabella from Pianissimo at a long, tall table, Mads and I go over to join them while I wait for Laura to finish the song.

“Hey, boss! Where is everyone?" Mads asks as we sit across from the piano bar's owner and the hostess.

"You two guys are the first here besides Laura and her friends," Isabella excitedly supplies.

Dante leans over, whispering in Isabella's ear. She turns bright red before looking into his dark blue, almost black eyes and says softly.

"My apologies."

Dante grunts.

"My apologies, sir ."

Dante nods, then grabs Isabella by the back of her neck before he kisses the hostess. His tongue diving into her mouth as he holds her possessively.

I glance a Mads who just shrugs his shoulders.

Okay, then.

I look back to the stage when I hear the claps of the crowd.

Damn that attention span, I missed the rest of Laura's song.

As she steps off the stage, Laura makes her way over to our table. I stand up, pulling her into a hug. It feels good to hold her.

“You are late, Valerie,” Laura teases as she squeezes me back.

“Fuck, I've missed you. I can't believe you made it, and before me. I was afraid I'd have to wait for you all night long," I say as I tuck a piece of Laura's red hair behind her ear.

"Well, here I am!"

"Here you are," I agree with her. I want to kiss her, so I do.

When our lips meet, she's hesitant at first, but then she opens for me and I kiss her like my life depends on it.

"How was Thanksgiving?” I ask as I release Laura and she sits down next to me.

“It was okay.”

"Just okay?" I ask.I can see the strain in her eyes as tear well up in the corners. "What's wrong Laura? What happened?"

Skipper, ever the blunt one, comes through the crowd, jumps in. Rhea closely behind him as they both take the remaining seats at our table.

“It sucked,” he says, not bothering to sugarcoat it. “Her stepmom is a control freak who blows money they don’t have, and her dad got drunk and fussed at Leigha the entire way back to the apartment. I can't believe you didn't just get them a hotel room.”

I raise an eyebrow, concerned. “That sounds rough. Is Leigha your step-mom?”

Laura shakes her head, sighing. “No, Leigha is my stepsister. She's the blonde that was singing with me when you walked in.She's somewhere, not sure where at the moment."

Rhea interjects, "Yeah, somewhere probably doing coke with a rando in the back.”

I wince. “I’m sorry, Laura. That sounds like a nightmare.”

“It’s alright,” she says, trying to brush it off. “At least it’s over. And now I’m here with you guys.”

Laura leans into my side and I wrap my arm around her.

"Damn straight," Mads agrees, "Now, who's up for some shots?"

"Me!" A high pitch voice cries out as cold fingers pull my arm away from Laura. "Get your hands off, this is myyyyyyyyyyyyyyy siiiiisteeeeeeeerrrrrr!"

"Leigha, good grief," the blonde from the stage wraps herself around my girl, "can you just sit down? And please, stop hanging all over me. You know that hurts my spine."

Leigha looks high and like she's had way too much to drink. I can't say anything though because I probably look the same way.

She grumbles, "You are the worst big sister ever," before slinking into a stool next to Laura. Crossing her arms in front of her Leigha sticks her tongue out at Laura before she turns to face Dante and Isabella.

"So you two are an item. Cute. What's the story there?" Leigha asks.

Dante just growls at the girl and Isabella giggles.

Before Leigha can continue her interrogation of my boss, Mads comes back with a tray of tequila shots.

"Shots, shots, shots," Skipper and Laura start chanting.

"You know, we are going to be hungover for months after this week," Rhea states.

"Who cares!" Leigha hops out of her seat, grabbing the first glass and tossing it back.