Where Forever Lies by Tara Neideffer

was having a blast.
    Paige
threw her head back, letting herself get lost in the music, and
wondered why she had been so worried about this place to begin with.
Why would she even have cared if everyone was wearing cowboy hats &
boots? She knew it was just her anxiety taking its toll on her,
making her feel uncomfortable about new situations.
    She looked
over at Kyleigh and Brooke who were laughing and carrying on with
each other as they danced. Kyleigh was slinging her hips around as
she danced side by side with Brooke, both facing opposite directions.
For once, Paige felt no insecurities about being in a new place and
dancing by herself.
    After a
half hour straight of dancing, Paige felt her legs beginning to burn.
She couldn’t remember the last time she’d had so much
exercise. Working and being a single mom didn’t leave much time
to take care of herself. She tapped Kyleigh on the arm and told her
she was heading to the bar, “Do you guys want anything else?”
she asked, before she left.
    “No,
I have to cut myself off if you want a safe ride home,” Kyleigh
said, breathlessly.
    “A
beer,” Brooke yelled over the noise.
    She made
her way over to the bar and eased into an open spot between a younger
dark haired guy and an older blonde woman. Paige waved at the
bartender hoping to grab his attention and not have to wait long. She
tapped her nails on the bar while she waited and noticed that she’d
forgotten to touch up her red nail polish before she left. She rarely
let that happen and was aggravated with herself for letting it slip
her mind tonight. It was chipped in spots and it looked horrible.
    “What
can I get ya?” The bartender leaned in to her so she could hear
him and her first thought was that he looked pretty young but she
assumed it was his baby face and dimples that made him look younger
than he was.
    “I’ll
have two beers,” Paige said, and then turned her gaze towards
the dance floor. It was too crowded to see Kyleigh or Brooke so she
just scanned the crowd and people watched for a few minutes until a
second later the bartender was back with her drinks. He set a beer
down in front of the guy next to her first and then slid her drinks
down to her. Paige handed him her money and as she turned to leave
she felt pain shoot through her toes.
    “Ouch!”
she yelped, as she jerked her foot out from under a brown cowboy
boot. She turned her irritated gaze up and her eyes fell on a
familiar face. She frowned not believing who she was staring at.
    “Well,
hello,” he said, his husky voice sounding amused.
    Paige drew
in a breath and then took a swig of her beer, eyeing Tyler over the
bottle. She couldn’t believe the coincidence. She couldn’t
get away from this guy. She began to wonder if he was stalking her or
something.
    “What
are you doing here?” she asked, somewhat defensively. She
didn’t mean for it to come out that way but she was dumbfounded
to see him again and he had yet to call and ask her out.
    “It’s
a bar and I’m hanging out with a couple of friends. Probably
same as you,” he said, as he gave her a smug look.
    She huffed
at his arrogance coming out again. She had pegged him right from the
beginning. He did come across as audacious. “Yes, I am out with
my friends.”
    “Sorry
for stepping on your foot. It seems to me that you’re just
always in my way,” Tyler said, as he leaned his elbow on the
bar, eyeing her up and down.
    “Maybe
you’re in my way,” she said knowing it sounded childish
as soon as it left her mouth. But she was feeling the alcohol a
little and her mind wasn’t completely cooperating with her. She
debated on saying anything about him not calling but decided against
it. She didn’t want to come across as needy. Instead, she said,
“Why do I keep seeing you everywhere lately, anyway?”
    Tyler took
a sip of his beer and then shrugged. “Well, this place isn’t
far from my house, which is why I like to come here, and neither is
the park, where I