Reclaiming Read Online Free

to the vacant seats. As they arrived, Candi said, “I am going to the ladies’ room. Anyone want to come with me?”
    “I’ll go,” Victoria replied but before she left she motioned to the bartender.
    He nodded in their direction and raised his index finger. “One sec, Vic.” He replied.
    She smiled at him and leaned in towards Daniella. “When he comes over, tell him that Candi and I want our usual.”
    “Alright,” Daniella replied.
    A few seconds after the women disappeared to the restroom, the bartender approached. As he walked over, Daniella realized she had to get out more often if the guys around Pine Hill looked like him. Tall and muscular, he sported deep dimples and ocean blue eyes to match.
    “What’ll it be?” He said as he leaned in towards her.
    “Oh, um,” Daniella began as she fidgeted with the cocktail menu. “Well, my friends said they want their usual and I’ll have a glass of Merlot.”
    “You got it.” He said as he wiped the bar with a towel. “Anything to eat?”
    “Um, not for me right now.” She said. “I don’t know if they are hungry or not.”
    “No problem, I’ll bring menus over for you.” He said with a smile.
    As he turned to walk away, she peered over the edge of the bar to get a peek at him from behind.
    It was worth it.
    A couple of minutes later, he returned with the cocktails and menus.
    “Here you go.”
    “Thanks,” Daniella replied. She turned in the direction of the bathroom and said, “I don’t know what they are doing in there. I’m sure they’ll be back any second.”
    “No worries. Do you want to start a tab or…”
    “Oh,” Daniella said. “Yes, that sounds good.”
    She reached down into her purse and grabbed a credit card.
    “Here,” she said, “put it on this.”
    “Great,” he replied as he looked at the card. “Daniella Tanner, eh?”
    She took an awkward sip of wine from the glass. “Yep.”
    “Funny, I don’t remember seeing you in here before. You friends with those two troublemakers?”
    “Yes, well, sort of. We work together.”
    “Oh yeah?”
    “Yeah, they’ve been asking me to come out and have drinks with them for a while now.” She began. “Victoria also told me that there’s someone she’d like for me to meet.” Daniella paused and scanned the room to see if anyone happened to be staring in her direction. The bartender opened his mouth to reply but before he uttered a single syllable, she picked up where she left a moment earlier.
    “I mean, I don’t normally do like, blind dates or whatever, but she says there’s this guy Marlon that’s really great. But it seems like everyone is trying to set me up right now. I don’t know why. It’s not like I’m desperate or anything. It’s okay to be single. Right? I mean, what’s the big deal? Besides, with my luck, he’s probably a playboy bar fly that…”
    As she babbled, she noticed his eyebrows narrow into confusion.
    Oh God … Shut up, Daniella. Shut up, shut up, shut up!!!!
    Daniella fell silent. “Sorry.” She said with a sheepish grin.
    The bartender shrugged. “Hey that’s okay, that’s what I’m here for,” he replied. “What makes you say that about this Marlon guy? Being a playboy bar fly and such…”
    “I don’t know. Nothing I guess. I was rambling really.” She said. “In truth, he’s probably a sweet guy with glasses and an under bite. With my luck, he’s a coffee filter salesman with five kids and two moms to support.”
    “Wow, sounds like Victoria can pick ‘em, eh?” He said as he leaned away from her.
    Daniella shrugged, “I…”
    But before she could get another word out, Victoria ’s voice called out from behind her. “Marlon, sweetie!”
    Daniella ’s head moved on a swivel. She looked left, then right but as Victoria approached, her friend leaned across the bar and hugged the very man Daniella confessed to moments earlier. She lowered her head into her hand and massaged her temple. Daniella wasn’t certain if