Page 1 of Happily Evan After

chapter

one

Marley

Six months ago…

“There comes a time in every woman’s life when she has to grab the bull by the dick.”

I burst out laughing. “That is not how the saying goes.” I stare at my closest friend as she stands behind the bar where she works, slinging drinks, making quips, and probably earning more in tips than I do as a veterinarian. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that her family owns the bar. She has more bravado and confidence in her little toe than I have in my entire body. “How are we even friends?”

“Because, sugar tits, every super smart, neurospicy girl needs a crazy friend with no filter.”

I shrug and smile at Lana. “I suppose that’s true.”

“Let’s get back to the conversation we were having.”

“What conversation? You were trying to ply me with liquor.” I swirl my wine glass.

“Chardonnay is a lonely woman’s drink.”

I shrug again. “Goes with all the cat hair on my pants.”

“Marley! You have something to celebrate! You are about to own your own veterinary practice. That’s huge,” Lana says. She leans forward, bracing her elbows on the heavily polished wood in front of her.

“I think it might be a little less impressive than this bar. It’s swanky.”

She lifts a shoulder, causing her shirt to fall off said shoulder, revealing the colorful tattoos that cover most of her right arm.

“Stop avoiding the conversation,” she says.

I blow out a breath. “I’m fully aware that you think I need to get laid.”

“I know you need to. If it’s been as long as I’m thinking it has, then I’m pretty sure there might be cobwebs in your lady garden.”

That makes me snicker. “You are mixing your metaphors again. And yes, it’s been that long.”

“Jason? Junior year?” she asks.

“Yes. He kept his socks on the whole time. It was weird.”

“Pre-med students are weird.” She tops off my Chardonnay. “Not that you vets are much different.”

“Oh, I’d much rather deal with animals all day than people.”

“Same. But a bar for dogs hasn’t caught on,” Lana says with a grin. She leans a little closer to me. “All I’m saying is that you could have your pick of some very attractive men who have been checking you out since you walked in.”

I scoff. “As if. I’ve never had to pick because there hasn’t ever been enough for a choice. Which is fine because I’m picky.” Still, my curiosity niggles at the back of my brain. “But just because I’m nosy, who are we talking about, hypothetically?”

“Hypothetically, there’s a total bro-man at one of the back tables. He’s cute enough, but I’d be willing to bet he wears loafers ironically.”

I snort-laugh. “I don’t even know what that means.” I don’t even bother turning around to look. “Why don’t you just tell me which one you think I should go home with?”

Lana’s eyes flash. “That’s the spirit, sugar tits.” She leans forward over the bar as if to give me a hug, but instead she whispers in my ear. “At the far end of the bar, sitting by himself is a hot young thing who hasn’t been able to take his eyes off of you.”

Before I can ask what she means, a customer comes up to the bar and Lana excuses herself for a moment to get their drink, but not before waggling her eyebrows suggestively.

Hot young thing? What does that mean? This is a bar; whoever she’s seen can’t be that young.