Prologue: The Bar

Timothy Regio’s POV

I was wiping down the glasses as I was looking outside the window. It was early evening and there were not many customers in the bar right now. I sighed as I was looking at the glasses. I was supposed to be doing some research for my graduate schools but I guess I will be stuck with what I know.

Rome, Italy.

Or maybe I would go back to Verona to do some of that stuff again. I think my old professor will be glad if I were to join her research group for the economic growth of Italy. I sighed before I was pouring some whiskey for the maiden that was sitting at the bar. She drank it in one go. 

I might think that she had a tough night.

“Well, that was something. Anything happened?” I said as I was making some conversation with her. I was speaking in English as she looked like she was a tourist. She smirked weakly before she was playing with the glass.

“Yeah, something like that,” she said before she sighed again as I was refilling her cup. I think she needs something strong tonight.

“Here you go. I hope you can get it through,” I said before I was filling up some new customers that just walked inside the bar. I was pouring them as the maiden was asking me something.

“Hey, Tim! Was the crowd always like this in Lacul Rosu?” She asked before I was wiping the glasses and put them away. I shrugged at her. That was a strange question to ask.

“They are but when the doctors from the facility came to the party, they will have a blast,” I said before I was getting something in the backdoor. The liquor was getting out their usual portion, I might restock later. I wiped my forehead before I was taking some of the liquor and I went out of the storage room.

The maiden was gone before I was sighing. Well, I guess this will be a very long night as I was pouring some wine that the newcomers were ordering. They were chatting away before someone was bursting through the door as I was looking at it. It was a young woman.

A very attractive young woman.

She was looking around the bar before she sighed. She went inside and the patrons were chatting again. She sat at the bar before she was shrugging off her coat and turned to look at me.

“Hi, umm, do you serve tequila?” She asked as I was stunned for a moment. Her eyes were shining under the dim light like amber that was being trapped inside her eyes. I cleared my throat before I nodded at her, unable to form words.

“I will take that one, thank you,” she said before I was pulling out the tequila and I was putting the small glass in front of her before I was pouring the liquor into the glass. She took and drank it in one go. I poured it again and she drank that again. Then, I just leave the liquor before I went to the other patrons that need drinks.

I was looking at her from time to time before she was playing with the rim of the small glass. I don’t know why but I was wondering what she was thinking right now.

Isabella Rodriguez’s POV

Shit!

I don’t know if my decision to run away to Lacul Rosu would be like this. I thought this plan will be great and that I will be finding some guy that was willing to marry me.

Only I was not ready to give up my freedom.

I sighed before I was drinking the nth glass of tequila. I don’t know what I should do right now. Should I ask someone to be my pretend husband that was real? Should I be hunting for someone that will be okay with the set up that I did not marry him for love?

What about the bartender? He seems kind of cute and he had been eyeing me ever since I was in the bar when I was crashing through the door.

I smiled before I was looking at his side profile. He was okay, I guess, in terms of attractiveness. His tan skin with brown hair and I think his eyes were green but I don’t have a closer look with him just yet.

And then I locked eyes with him.

I blushed before I was breaking the eye contact when I was twirling the glass again. I did not think that he would catch me staring at him just now. 

Keep it cool, Sabel, you can do this!

I was clearing my throat before a figure was standing in front of me. I turned to look at the handsome bartender before he was arching his eyebrows.

“Will you be staying here all night? I have to close up. It’s time for the closing,” he said as I was looking around. The patrons were out and I was the last one inside the bar.

“Oh, sorry. I don’t notice the time,” I said as I was putting some notes for my drinks. The bartender took it before he was furrowing his eyebrows.

“This is 20 euros of the tip,”

“Keep the change,” I said before I was biting my lower lips. I turned to look at the door before I turned to look at the bartender again.

“Um, can I see you again after this?” I asked as the bartender looked into my eyes. My heartbeat stopped when I was catching the golden flecks inside his green orbs.

“What do you mean?”

“All I want to say is that I want to see you again, outside the bar. If you would have me,” I said before I was looking at the glass. I heard that he sucked in a breath before he left me a number that was written on the napkin. I was amazed before I turned to look at him.

He was gone as his ear tips were red. I smiled before I was taking the napkin and I got off from the stool.

“Thank you,” I said before I was out of the bar and I was walking into the night. I was smiling before I went to the hotel that I have rented for a week. I don’t think that I would be having a number from a guy, much less a person like him.

He looked like Ares but I will not be comparing him to the Greek Goddess.

I was smiling as I was walking to the hotel. I felt spring in my steps before I was taking a deep breath as I was staring at the night sky. It was gorgeous.

I think Fate was finally on my side before I was opening the door of the hotel and I was walking to my room. I unlocked it before I was walking to the window as I was watching the bartender that was locking up the premise. I was smiling as I was leaning against the window before I was taking a deep breath when I saw that he was making his way to his apartment. 

I would love to go but I don’t think I would stop attacking him. I barely have any control.