The Love of Lies

Coincidences

Ashton’s POV

I was not expecting to see Cori ever again, but there she was sitting at the bar. I had another shitty day at the company, and if it weren’t for my father’s declining health, I would have waited another few years before taking over for the man.

I’m only twenty-five, and my age has been a major factor in my inability to reign in the board. Fortunately, my father has more friends than enemies within the company, and they know that he is still grooming me, making me the face of his decisions while he focuses on his health.

I greet the woman, and she looks put off by me, which I don’t mind. I’m saved the trouble of having to explain because the bartender recognizes me, well, he recognizes my get up.

I take extra precautions to travel far distances to find hole-in-the-wall bars that will let me drink in peace. So far, this place without a name has been good to me, and I’m good to it.

I know the bartender has read the name on my card, so he must have an idea of who I am, just like Cori must know, but neither of them have said anything, which I appreciate.

I ask the girl if she is celebrating again; my brother is a little older than she is, and when he was her age, he celebrated twenty-one the entire month. He, however, had friends and family surrounding him, Cori has... me?

She answers my question with a bit of an attitude that I completely understand. She had a difficult day, presumably at school, and she still has to work. I have never had to juggle both tasks, and I can’t even imagine doing what I do now while still studying.

After a bit more back and forth, I order a drink for the girl, and she takes on a look of disgust. It's a lady’s drink and I only know of it because my brother's long-term girlfriend is a lightweight. It's the only thing she drinks when we go out as a group, and when I see Cori’s pleased reaction to its taste, I smile, but then I remember Julia getting so drunk once that my brother had to carry her.

“Be careful, some places add a bit of vodka into their fuzzy navels, so always drink slowly.” She nods, still sipping the drink with a satisfied expression.

It does not take long for me to realize that she is tipsy and after confirming with the bartender, I find myself enjoying her drunken company, yet again. She is leaning toward me as she speaks, rambling on about her clinicals and how rude people can be, a conversation I never thought I would have or be interested in.

“Some people are born to antagonize,” I say, and she starts rambling off names of individuals who fit my claim. I laugh at her antics, and she stops talking abruptly, making me turn to face her fully.

“Are you okay?” I ask, thinking she is about to be sick.

“Your smile is so beautiful. Did you wear braces?” I chuckle to play off the fact that her compliment made me flustered.

I order her a glass of water, which the bartender brings with lightning speed. I haven’t forgotten that the girl has to work tonight, and I hope she can still manage.

After a while, she stands to start cleaning, and I notice the other patrons filing out of the bar.

I’m the last to leave because I feel guilty about leaving the girl alone, but she looks fine. The bartender locks the door, and I find myself staring at Cori as she slowly mops the dirty floors, oblivious to the fact that I’m standing outside.

I sigh, wishing that my entire life could be as simple as it feels when I’m listening to that girl speak, but as she once said; I can’t change the cards I’m dealt because I don’t like them.

Cori’s POV

It's been months and clinicals are still horrible. I cannot wait to graduate and, as helpful as working for Syd’s has been, I cannot wait to quit.

“You're early again,” Syd says. I rest my head on the bar and he chuckles at me. “Long day?” I stick up my thumb letting him know that he's spot on, and he slides me a fuzzy navel, with half of the alcohol. “Look who it is?” he says, and I turn to see Ashton walking into the place.

He and I have been meeting by chance, and if it were not for the fact that Syd told me he comes in randomly I would have thought he was stalking me.

Don’t get me wrong; I'm not full of myself to think that I’m a catch. I'm a pretty basic woman, I don’t wear makeup, and the only thing I really have going for me is my curly hair and my eyes, which are like a cross between brown and hazel.

Still, a creep is a creep, and being on my own since I was sixteen; I have encountered my fair share of them.

“Bad day?” I ask, and Ashton releases a deep breath as he sits. I don’t have to press any further; I may not be able to see his expression clearly, but his body language is telling.

“What about you? Instructor still riding you?” I let out a loud ‘ugh’ sound in response to his question.

My clinical instructor is a jerk; I wouldn’t feel that way if she treated everyone the same, but she literally hounds me like I’m the only student. Even when one of my classmates made a mistake, she stared at me the entire time she was correcting the girl, something that did not go unnoticed by the other students in the rotation, so now, everyone stays away from me.

“It will be worth it when I graduate. Nursing is a high stress career, so I’m grateful for the battle experience in advance.” Ashton laughs, drawing my eyes to the smile I have grown to appreciate.

I feel weird having a crush on a baseball cap and sunglasses, but the man's looks aren’t important to me. He is respectful, hasn’t flirted with me once in months, and every time I have sampled a drink around him, he has made sure to sober me up before leaving.

I used to think it was because he had sisters, and while he could have been lying, he said he didn’t when I asked him. He told me that he only has one younger brother, which again, might be a lie, but I see no reason why he would.

Ashton’s POV

I know it's terrible, but every time I have a difficult day, I hope that Cori had one too. She’s the only reason I keep coming to the same place instead of putting it in a rotation like I usually do. Some days I get lucky and get to talk to her for a few hours before her shift starts, others, we just have a few minutes, but nonetheless, I like to see her.

She’s unassuming, and even though I still haven’t removed my hat and glasses, she respects my privacy enough not to ask about it. I have already introduced myself, so I’m sure she knows who I am, she just doesn’t seem to care, which is refreshing.

I have begun to tell her things about my day, and she listens quietly, only chiming in with small pieces of advice that I swear are exactly what I need at the time they come.

Once, I told her about a client who was threatening to pull out of a deal because he was unhappy with my tone. I didn’t know what to do, and I certainly didn’t want to apologize because then the man would have thought he owned me.

Cori jokingly told me that people like that need personal handlers, and while I know she was half joking, I tried it, and it worked. She doesn’t know, but there are now fifteen personal account handlers within the company, and they only come to me when a situation is beyond their ability.

Cori didn’t drink with me tonight. She has another round of clinicals at 5AM and to be honest, I feel for the girl. I hope she has it easier when she graduates, but I know that her entire career will be clinicals, only there won't be an instructor.

Cori’s POV

Syd called me this morning and told me that the owner of the bar is short staffed at his other location. He told me that they need a spotter, which is basically a girl who walks around the club looking for spills, vomit, passed out people, and drug use.

He also told me that the owner was going to pay me triple the rate I’m paid to clean the bar and an extra two hundred dollars to cover any expense I incur.

Because a spotter has to blend in, I have to look like I’m there to have fun, so I will have to dress up. I’m not much of a make-up and dresses type of girl, but I know how to make myself look good.

After my clinicals I went straight to the mall, bought a dress that was sexy, but not cheap looking, paired it with a nice set of heels, and went home to get ready.

I took a nice long nap because I know I will be exhausted by the end of the night, but since it’s a Saturday and I don't have clinicals on Sunday, I will be able to sleep it off in the morning.

After getting ready, I check my reflection in the mirror, and I have to say that I’m pleased with the way I look. I’ve parted my hair at the side, and accentuated my curls, allowing them to fall freely down my back. I had some jewelry that was left to me by my mother, so I put that on, and the pale pink dress I chose makes my golden skin pop.

I check my eyes one last time, making sure my liner and mascara don’t look drug store, even though they are, and after a quick touch up, I add some lip gloss and order a taxi.

I get to the club and flash the barcode that was sent to me in a picture message. The bouncer looks me up and down lustfully before scanning it and sending me to the second floor. I roll my eyes because I was hoping that I'd be on the ground level.

I have never been to the place, but I know from Syd that the top floor is where the private party is. If those people want to interact with me, I cannot be rude or they may kick me out, and I won't get paid. I can’t afford that.