He grabbed the bottle of vodka and poured us each a shot. Jimmy held up his glass.
“To a very talented woman.” He smiled.
“Cheers,” I said as I threw back the vodka.
As I sat on the bar stool, I was feeling really good. Too good, in fact, and there was no way I could drive home. It was now midnight and my phone chimed with a text from Ian.
“Are you coming home or do I have to embarrass you and come get you?”
I couldn’t respond because I couldn’t type, so I dialed his number.
“What the f**k is going on, Rory?” he answered.
“I need you to come get me,” I slurred. “I’m sorry I lied to you, Ian.”
“What are you talking about? Are you drunk?”
“Yeah, and I can’t drive unless you want me to kill me and someone else.”
“Don’t be f**king stupid, Rory. Give me Jordyn’s address.”
“I’m not at Jordyn’s.”
“WHERE THE FUCK ARE YOU?” he screamed into the phone.
My head was already pounding. I started to cry.
“I’m at the Piano Bar.”
“Stay inside. I’m on my way.”
I finished the last of my cosmo and held up my glass for another one. “There’s no way you can drive home, honey.”
“Well, now we don’t have to worry about that, Rosie, because my sexy boyfriend is on his way to pick me up,” I slurred. “Bring on the cosmos.” I smiled.
“One more and only if he’s picking you up,” she said with seriousness.
“He is. I just called him.”
She made another cosmo and set the glass down in front of me. What was I doing? Did I even know? Between Ian being a prick about Mandy coming over and seeing my father for the first time in my life, it was too much. I picked up the glass, brought it to my lips, and drank as much as I could before Ian took it away from me. I turned my head and looked at him. He stared at me and shook his head.
“Rory, why?”
I held up my finger to him. “Don’t ask me questions I can’t answer.”
“You’re drunk off your ass.”
“So what.”
“Can I get you anything?” Rosie asked Ian.
“No, thanks. I’m good.”
I looked up at Rosie. “Rosie, this is my boyfriend, Ian. Ian, this is my new friend, Rosie. She makes the best cosmos in the world.”
Suddenly, Jimmy walked behind the bar. “Excuse me, sir, but you best remove your hand from her.”
Rosie put her hand on his arm. “It’s cool, Jimmy. He’s her boyfriend. He came to pick her up.”
“Oh, I’m sorry about that.”
“Nah, it’s okay. And you are?” Ian asked as he cocked his head.
“Jimmy O’Rourke, the owner,” he said as he stuck out his hand.
Ian turned and looked at me and then back at Jimmy as he shook his hand. “Nice to meet you, Jimmy. I’m Ian Braxton. Thank you for looking out for my girlfriend.”
“No problem. She’s a real talented woman. You should be proud of her.” He smiled.
“I am and I know she is. Come on, sweetheart, let’s go home,” Ian said as he helped me from the chair, picked me up, and carried me outside.
The cool air felt good, but I still felt sick to my stomach. Ian put me in the car and helped me buckle my seat belt. As I laid my head against the window, Ian looked over at me, but didn’t say a word the entire ride home. The only thing I wanted to do was curl up, go to sleep, and forget tonight ever happened. Ian pulled into the driveway and told me not to move. He walked around to the passenger’s side, opened the door, and helped me out of the car. I was really dizzy and I felt like I was going to throw up.
“Ian, I’m not feeling so good,” I said before he picked me up.
“Not feeling good as in you’re going to be sick?”
“Yes. Like right now!” I exclaimed as I ran over to where some bushes were and began vomiting.
“Really, Rory? There?”
Ian walked over to where I was on my knees and pulled back my hair. “This is what happens when you drink too much. It was unnecessary.”
Unnecessary to him, maybe, because nothing seemed to bother him. “This is no time for a lecture,” I said as I threw up again. He softly rubbed my back until I was finished.
“Are you done?” he asked.
“I think so.”
“Come on; let’s get you in the bathtub. You smell, sweetheart.”
Ian picked me up and carried me into the house. He set me down on the bed and told me to wait there while he started the bath. He walked over to me and undressed me, then helped me up and walked me to the tub.
“Be careful. I have you,” he said as he helped me into the tub.
I sat down in the hot water and brought my knees up to my chest. Ian took my chin and lifted it so I was looking at him.
“Look at you. You’re a mess.” He smiled as he took the wet washcloth and wiped the mascara stains from under my eyes. “Why, Rory? Why did you go there without me?”
“I don’t know, Ian.”
I leaned back my head while he wet my hair and then closed my eyes as he shampooed it.
“Why did you lie to me about where you were?”
I took in a deep breath. “I didn’t want you to get mad.”
“But, sweetheart, you were going to tell me eventually, right?”
I nodded my head.
“Then I would have been triple mad because you lied to me, and one thing I will not tolerate in a relationship is lying. Do you understand me?”
I turned my head and gave him a stern look. “Why do you think it’s okay for you to talk to me like that?”
I’d had enough of him and his commands. He was really pissing me off and I didn’t deserve to be talked to like that.
“Excuse me?” he said.
“Sometimes, you talk to me like I’m a child. I’m not a f**king child, Ian.”
“Sometimes, I beg to differ.”
God, why did he have to be such an ass**le right now? Of all times, why when I’m drunk and not feeling good.
“Get the f**k out!” I yelled.
“Rory, stop.”
“Don’t tell me what to do!” I yelled as I raised my hands to him and he grabbed them.
“Rory.”
I couldn’t hold it back anymore. I broke down and sobbed as I stared at him. He took his hand and placed it on my cheek. “Sweetheart,” he said as he looked into my eyes. He wrapped his arms around me and held me while I cried into his shoulder. When I began to calm down, Ian helped me up and out of the tub. He wrapped a large towel around me and walked me over to the bed.