“Ok Finn, we’re going to go back into that house and I’m going to do my best to pretend I know nothing about their personal lives. I’m going to suggest we have dinner and drinks to get to know each other and see if this will work out. Can you look around the place and check out the security while I talk to them?”
As I walk back inside, I go straight to the kitchen and leave Finn to look around.
“Abbi and Ella, I have a proposition to make. I’m interested in the room and sharing your home. I have no problem with the extra rent and think it’s a great idea to put it towards a house fund. But I realize we know nothing about each other. I think it would be a good idea to have dinner and drinks and get to know each other before we sign anything. What do y’all think?”
Ella speaks up first, “When and where? I think it’s a great idea.”
“How about the Italian place around the corner tonight at seven? I have to swing by Finn’s place and change and then I can meet you there.”
“Sounds good Raven, we’ll be there at seven.” Abbi replies with a smile on her face. She is looking over my shoulder and I turn to see her watching Finn as he bends over the window seals and checks for the latches to catch. I roll my eyes.
“Okay, see you then and you have my cell number if anything changes. Finn, you ready to go?”
As we walk outside, I have a little pep in my step. I hope this can work out.
Chapter 2
Dinner with the Girls
After agreeing with Finn that I would call him after dinner, he drops me off in front of one of my favorite Italian restaurants in the city. It’s a place where you can enjoy the lively atmosphere at a full bar or sit at a booth with authentic Italian cuisine. Since I’m early, I head to the bar to order a drink. I text Abbi, letting her know that I’m waiting here. When the bartender approaches me, I realize I haven’t seen him in here before. His dark hair and smoldering dark eyes scream sexy. What really stands out are the dimples on both of his cheeks. As he grins at me, I swear I feel dizzy.
I order a glass of wine and pick up my phone to keep from staring. As I fiddle with the free apps, a hand appears on the bar in front of me. Hot Bartender is standing there smiling with both dimples on full display. He slides my drink to me and leans against the bar.
“My name’s Damon. I haven’t seen you in here before.”
“I’m Raven, and I was thinking the same thing about you.”
“I guess you could say I’m new. My family owns this place and I just started a few weeks ago. I’ll be bartending a few days a w
eek. I graduated college and recently returned to Nashville. I’m trying to figure out my next step. What about you?”
“Similar story, I graduated in May and returned home. I start the MBA program in a few weeks. Nothing too exciting.”
Out of nowhere, there’s a screeching from behind me. “Ravenel Hayes, is that you?” I turn on my barstool and see her coming to me with her arms over her head.
“Sissy, how are you? You look beautiful as always.” I say to the middle-aged Italian woman that has just announced my name to the entire bar. Even though I’m slightly embarrassed, I smile.
“Ravenel, you are stunning as always. When did you get back into town? I haven’t seen you in forever. How’s your family?”
“I know, Sissy. Things have been crazy. I came back after graduation. Robbie’s doing great and my parents are thrilled we’re both back in the same city. I’m meeting my potential new roommates for dinner here tonight.”
I look back to see Damon watching our exchange with confusion on his face. He shakes his head and seems to snap out of his haze. And that’s when Abbi and Ella show up.
“Hey Raven, sorry we’re late. We had trouble parking so we decided to valet for the night.” Abbi says as she looks around and her eyes land on Damon and Sissy.
“No worries, I just got a drink. Sissy and Damon, these are my friends Abbi and Ella Collins. We’re going to have dinner.” I state as I introduce everyone.
Sissy smiles and leads us to the best booth in the restaurant. We have a full 360 degree view of the room and yet we also have privacy. Not to mention, I can still see Damon at the bar.
After we are seated, Sissy hands us our menus and kisses me on the cheek. “Enjoy, sweet Ravenel.”
“Thank you, Sissy.”
When I look up, both Abbi and Ella are staring at me with wide eyes. Before I can even ask them about ordering drinks, a round of Cosmopolitans is delivered to the table.
“Ladies, these martinis are compliments of the bartender. Enjoy.”
I glance over at the bar and see Damon smiling at me as he pours drinks. I smile back and wave.
“Okay Raven, please tell me who the godlike creature behind the bar is and tell me he’s single.” Ella purrs.
“I’m not sure of his relationship status because we just met tonight. He’s related to the owners and works a few shifts a week. His name is Damon.”
“He looks like he wants to devour you. You should give him your number.”
“Ella, shut up.” Abbi breaks in. “So Raven, tell us about you.”
“Well, let’s see. I was born and raised a little south of Nashville. I went away to Emory immediately after graduation and finished in May. My parents still live here and my dad owns his own business. My brother recently came back to Nashville after serving in the Marines for the last seven years. I came back not only for the MBA program, but also for my family. I loved Atlanta, but Nashville is where I need to be right now.”
“Why are you looking for a place off campus to live?” Abbi asks.
“Well, I’ve always lived on campus in either dorms or campus housing. I want to live in a place that feels like a home and has character instead of just an extension of the classroom. All of the other places I’ve lived the last few years lacked personality. I’m ready to change that. I have several girlfriends still in Atlanta that got a place together for their senior year. Since I fast-tracked through school, I never got the opportunity to move-in with them.”
“Well that sounds fine to me. I can understand needing space and character. I’m an Art Major and by definition, an ‘artist’. I cannot even function in a place void of personality,” explains Abbi.
Ella raises her glass, “I say we toast to new opportunities.”
We all raise our glasses, being careful not to spill the contents as we clink and laugh. Even though I know Ella isn’t old enough to legally drink the Cosmo, I don’t let on. Instead, we drink our drinks and talk about living in campus housing. When it comes time to order our dinner, the three of us are at ease with each other. Damon sends another round of drinks over and I turn to toast him. He raises his hand in acceptance. I learn about each of their majors and their school schedules. Even though Abbi attends Belmont, her schedule pretty much mirrors both mine and Ella’s. As an Art Major, Abbi is encouraged to volunteer at the local and national artist events around the city. In return, she’s received extra- credit towards her final grades. As a Nursing Major, Ella volunteers at VMC in any capacity she’s needed. She only spends about ten to fifteen hours a week at the hospital, but she says it’s a way for her to inch closer to deciding on a specialization.
I explain to them that I’ve spent time with diverse charities, but recently decided to focus my time with those groups that provided assistance to veterans returning from war. I don’t have a specific group I stick with, but I’ve attended various events.
As we finish our second round of drinks, the food is served. We continue to get to know each other as we eat.
“Raven, I know it’s none of our business, but are you dating anyone? Do you have a boyfriend?” Ella asks and seems embarrassed.
“Well first, don’t be embarrassed about asking. Almost everyone thinks that Finn and I are a couple, but we aren’t. Finn is a special person to me and he’s like my brother. I know how hot he is and I enjoy looking at him, but it’ll never happen. As for any other boyfriends, the answer
is no.”
“What about the hot bartender that can’t take his eyes off you? He seems interested.”
“Well, he is gorgeous, but not my type.”
“Wow, I’d let him take me home for one night,” whispers Ella. “He could fuck me and leave me and I would probably brag about it to anyone who would listen.”
I laugh so hard that I choke on my water. Sissy runs over and starts hitting me on my back. She is speaking rapidly in Italian and I don’t understand anything she’s saying. As I try to catch my breath, Damon appears and looks concerned. He starts to speak, but I cut him off. “I’m fine; I started to laugh as I drank and the two didn’t mix well. I swear I’m alright.”
He looks at me sideways and hands me a stack of napkins to wipe my mouth. Everyone starts to walk away and I look at Ella and Abbi with a smirk. “Okay ladies, I know you don’t know me too well, but I made an ass out of myself. It’s been a long time since I’ve snorted in a restaurant.”
“Well, brace yourself, Raven. Before you wipe your mouth with that napkin, you may want to read the message underneath the phone number Damon discreetly slipped in your hand. If you aren’t interested, you should introduce me.” Ella says smiling.
“Okay girls, let’s move this to the bar and have another drink. Then we can get to the good stuff.” Abbi speaks up.
“Sounds good to me. Let me tell Sissy where we’ll be and she can bring the bill to us.” I look around for Sissy and wave her over. “Can you please keep our leftovers in the back for a few minutes while we have another drink at the bar? And if you want, you can bring us the bill and we can start a tab so the waiter can close out.”
“Ravenel Hayes, you’re family. You do not pay for your meal. We’re just so glad to have you back and I hope to see your family again. I miss Robbie and I know he’s home for awhile. You accept this meal with your friends as a welcome home and remember to come back soon.”
My eyes swell with tears as I realize she’s heard about Robbie’s accident. She considers us a part of this restaurant family and she wants to see him soon. I clear my throat as I try to conceal my emotions, “Sissy, you’re too good to me and the only reason I’m not arguing with you is because I respect you. I will also promise to try and get Robbie and Finn here with me as soon as possible.”
“I’ll look forward to it.” She hugs me and walks away.
I look up to see Abbi and Ella staring at me. They both look confused, but their eyes are warm and understanding.
As we get up, I drop some money on the table for the tip and make sure that the waiter knows. When we get to the bar, Damon saunters over and asks what we want. I decide to stick with the Cosmopolitan. Ella and Abbi agree. We move to the subject of the house.
“Raven, we didn’t tell you, but our dad actually owns the house. You’d actually be leasing from him. He’s an awesome landlord and rarely comes over unless we have problems. If you move in, you’re welcome to paint your room, move in furniture, anything that will help make the house your home. I know we have our stuff everywhere, but we would welcome your influence. Also, even though it’s a two-car garage, we can alternate turns on who can park in it. What kinds of questions do you have for us?”
“I travel pretty light. Since I’ve been living in on-campus housing, my furniture is limited. My bedroom furniture is all I have except for a ton of kitchen items. Even though I haven’t had a full kitchen, I love accessories. I have a lot of entertainment pieces I’d like to get out of storage. The only reason I have them is because I was convinced I was going to have my own place before now and kept buying things.”
“That’s awesome because our kitchen could use some stuff. We just have the basics.” Ella responds.
“I do have a close-knit group of friends that want to plan a trip this semester for a long weekend. I would love for you girls to join us. Our get-togethers can get pretty rowdy, but they’re a lot of fun. My friends are from here as well but are still in school in Atlanta. ”
I take a deep breath because I know my next statement may break this deal. “I’m not sure how you feel about it, but I have one more thing to discuss. How do you feel about security?”
Abbi and Ella take a sip of their drinks and look at me. Neither of them flinch; they just wait for me to continue.
“My dad owns his own business and a piece of that business is security. He’s going to insist we put some secure measures on the house and I was wondering if you would mind a security system. He’d assume responsibility for the total cost and Finn would most likely install it for us. The whole thing would be simple, but would give us a system in case there was ever any danger. What do you think?”
“Dad is going to love this! Raven, our dad has been after us for years to get security in the house, but we haven’t done it. Our brother even rides by the house several times a week after his gigs to see if there are any problems in the neighborhood. If your dad can get a security system in our house, then the answer is yes!!!” Ella practically screams. Damon glances over and smiles at her enthusiasm.
Abbi finally speaks up, “Your girls’ weekends sound fun. Would you want to have the next one at our house since it will be your first ever place? We could help set up.”
“That would be excellent! Now that we have covered almost everything, what do I need to do? Do you need a lease agreement or a credit history? I could get started on these for you tomorrow.”
“I can email you the lease agreement tomorrow morning and I think the credit history is unnecessary since your dad runs a security company and will be installing an alarm. When do you want to move in?”
“As soon as possible, Finn’s house is a little crowded with me staying there.”
“Why are you staying with Finn? Isn’t your parents’ house close by?” Abbi asks.
“It was only for a little while. I wanted to get to know the campus and learn my way around so he offered for me to stay. My parents thought it was a great idea and they are out of town right now. Plus my brother is glad to have me out of the house, he likes the privacy.”
They nod their heads in understanding.
Ella raises her glass again, “One more toast… to new roommates!”
We all cheer and slam back the rest of the Cosmos. I’m so glad Finn is picking me up tonight.
Abbi speaks up, “One more round and then we need to go home. I’m going to call my brother to come get us and come back tomorrow for my car.”
“Okay, one more round. Hey, Damon, can we please get another round? None of us are driving tonight.” He winks and starts to make our drinks.
As Damon comes down the bar to serve us, Ella asks, “Damon, since we valet parked and we’re getting a ride home, how should we handle the car situation?”
“Well, give me your ticket and I’ll go get your keys. I’ll let them know you’re being picked up and will be back tomorrow. Since Sissy met you, she’ll make sure it’s not towed overnight.”
Abbi rummages through her purse for the valet ticket and money for a tip. When she hands them over to him, he winks at me again and takes off around the bar to take care of their car.
“Honestly, you have no interest in that man? You have to give him your number tonight. I’ll give it to him for you.” Ella’s getting feisty now.
“Okay, yes, he’s gorgeous. His body, his eyes, his dimples- all of it. But I’m kind of jaded. With that kind of appeal, he’s intimidating. I’m a relationship girl; I don’t really do casual hook-ups. I think I should probably play the lotto though, this is twice in one day.”
“Wait. What do you mean by ‘twice in one day’?”
I look around to make sure we’re still alone. “Well, on my way back from yoga this morning, I was plowed down in the park by a guy that was running backwards. He wasn’t paying attention and I ended up on my ass. I was so embarrassed. He was HOT! I nicknamed him Holy Hotness. He seemed sincere in his apology and even helped me up. Then he made some crass comment about ‘someone as beautiful as you und
erneath me.’ It was a total player comment, but he was so F-I-N-E. I haven’t stopped thinking about him all day. He said he’s in the same area on Saturdays if I ever want to come back.”
Abbi and Ella stare at me and then start laughing. “Ok, Raven, I’m soooo sorry about your bad luck. Two good-looking guys in one day. One gives you his number and the other practically tells you his whereabouts so you can meet back up,” Abbi says. “You just have the worst luck in the world. As a matter of fact, I think we should go to that park next Saturday to see exactly what this guy looks like.”
“Ha, ha, ha.”
“You know, you shouldn’t be so judgmental; Damon may be really nice. He sure is easy on the eyes.”
“You’re right; maybe I’ll call him once I get settled.”
“That’s what I’m talking about!” Says Ella as she high-fives me. All of us are laughing now.
Damon returns with Abbi’s keys and he smiles over at us before getting back to work.
Once we get our bar bill and pay, we each make our calls to our designated drivers to come get us. Finn will be here within five minutes. I say my goodbyes and promise to get the lease agreement signed as soon as I receive it tomorrow. I also tell them I’d know about the alarm by Friday. We hug goodnight. I wave good-bye to Damon and he grins. He licks his lips as I walk away. Oh well, at least I’m going to have good dreams tonight.
Chapter 3
Moving Day
To say I’m excited is an understatement. I’m positively giddy! It only took a week for me to get my moving arrangements made. After I talked to my dad and we discussed the rent and the security, I signed a year lease. Finn explained to my dad that a general security system would be sufficient and ordered the necessary equipment. He’ll install the system tomorrow.
I have a small rental truck filled with all my personal things from my parents’ storage. Finn, Robbie, and I loaded the truck last night. Finn’s going to drive it to the house and I’m going to meet him there. Two of Finn’s roommates, Tripp and Gabe, agreed to help us move my stuff into the house today. Tripp and Gabe are meeting me there too. I’m rushing to get there first so Ella and Abbi won’t have to be alone with them.
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