Gin, Tonic, & Trouble - Part 1
A fun night of cocktails and celebration takes a sharp turn when I have an unexpected run-in with the guy who ghosted me
Hi! Welcome to Brandy’s Breakthroughs! I’m Brandy, the protagonist from ‘Brandy,’ the first book in the “Bliss Bay Romance” series. While I’m happily boo-ed up now, before I met my boyfriend, I had some struggles. And I got stories for days! But through all the situations - and situationships - I learned a lot and grew into the woman that was ready to be in the healthy and happy relationship I’m in now. These are my reflections about life and love with my amazing squad of lady friends. Because breakdowns and breakthroughs happen in the group chat.
Loving what you’re reading? Please subscribe!
“Thank you!” I shouted over my shoulder to the bartender as I walked away from the bar. Double fisted, I held my gin and tonic and the bride-to-be’s rum and Coke as I carefully walked toward where Asia’s bachelorette crew had assembled. I was so focused on my destination that I didn’t notice the figure in front of me until I was inches away from smacking into him!
I looked up.
My heart thumped as loud as the bass of the music.
My eyes widened like saucers.
“Cam…?” I inquired, bewildered that it was actually him.
“Oh…hey…How are you, Brandy?” he asked, equally astonished.
“Uh, good…I’m good!” I stammered. “You?” I asked, unsure why. All I wanted to do was escape this conversation.
“Hanging in there.”
“Cool cool. Well, I need to get this drink over there.” I nodded my head in the direction of my friends. “Nice seeing you.”
I continued walking, picking up the pace, not waiting for his response.
Now why would I say that? It wasn’t nice seeing him! A few weeks ago it would have been a dream, but tonight…
When I approached the group, I plastered on a smile and passed the rum and Coke to Asia. Then, I sat down on the plush velvet couch. I took a big swig of my drink before grabbing my phone out of my clutch. The other partygoers were so occupied with drinking, dancing, and daring Asia to check things off her bingo card that they didn’t really notice me.
“Well,” I typed frantically to my best friend, Danielle. “You won’t believe the night I’ve had already…”
Danielle quickly responded to my text, “Aren’t you at a bachelorette party?”
“Yes! Night was going well and then I LITERALLY ran smack into Cam!”
“No! Are you for real?! What are the odds?! In all of New York?! I can’t even.”
“That part! I don’t even usually hang out in this part of town either. I would have never come to this bar if it wasn’t for the party.”
…
“Are you okay, B?”
My bestie knew me too well. I wasn’t sure if I was okay or not, but for now, I needed to get off my phone and power through for Asia. I sent one last text.
“I will be! Let me get back to this party. I will text you tomorrow.”
“Okay. Love you, B.”
“Love you, too, D.”
I chugged the rest of my drink, put on a happy face, and jumped back up to dance with the other women. I was determined to not let the run-in ruin my night. I had almost made it until I caught a glimpse of Cam cozied up with another woman across the lounge. It was then I knew I had to get out of there!
The bachelorette party was still in full swing. The good thing about a group of this size, and only really knowing the bachelorette, was that I could easily slip out without stopping the party. I made an excuse about a headache and then hightailed it out of the bar to hail a cab and head home.
It was only in the comfort of the back seat of the cab that I let quiet, hot tears fall.
I allowed myself to transport back to Labor Day weekend when I was on top of the world. It was my first Labor Day Weekend in Bliss Bay. According to my housemate, Melissa, it was the “best weekend all summer” and I was excited for the festivities!
That Saturday evening at the shrimp boil, Cam and I had reached for the same beer in the cooler, which led to us striking up a conversation that lasted until the wee hours of the morning. He walked me back to my house around 1 a.m. leaving only after we exchanged numbers, and had a juicy make out session! I was on cloud 9.
After a series of flirty texts throughout the next day, we decided to meet up that evening at one of the local bars, The Sand Dollar, where we shut down the dance floor. We sauntered our sweaty selves down to the beach where we cooled off with a naked dip in the cool, calm, salty water.
He needed to leave early that Monday, but agreed we would do the thing I had been warned to not do — meet up back in the city. On the ferry ride back that afternoon, Melissa warned me, “I mean, do what you want to do, girl, but I haven’t seen a case of ‘bringing the sand back from the beach’ ever working…”
Well, this is gonna be the exception not the rule!
Subscribe and stay tuned for Part 2 of Gin, Tonic, & Trouble!
 | A guest post by
|