Read Online Autumn Getaway (Seasons of Love) by Jennifer Gracen - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Jennifer Gracen
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grasped Ryan’s hand and her small, silvery handbag with the other. She turned to Lydia, who stood beside her. “Let’s go, darling. Chop chop!” She smiled brightly and let her fiancée lead her away.
Lydia grabbed her handbag too, then went to follow what had become a small group: Ryan and Melanie, Alec and Paige, three of Ryan’s cousins, two of Melanie’s cousins, and Sam. He stood still at the end of the long table, waiting as Lydia came closer. They smiled at each other as the distance between them gradually closed.
“Mind if I walk with you?” he asked her, a disarmingly sweet look on his face.
“Of course not,” she said, feeling a little flip in her midsection. She wondered if it was the three glasses of wine releasing the butterflies in her stomach, or a case of nerves from this appealing man paying attention to her. She knew it was most likely the latter. He fell into step beside her at the back of the group.
The troupe chatted and laughed as they made their way up to the fourth floor. Ryan pushed open two heavy white doors to reveal an elegant, old fashioned looking bar and lounge. The room had the feel of a gentleman’s club of long ago. The lighting was lowered, but not too much; it gave the place a relaxed, more intimate feel. The hardwood floors had been polished until they shone, and the walls were a warm shade of russet. Towards the front, on the left side of the lounge, were a billiard table and a foosball table, side by side. Towards the back were two plush armchairs, two couches, and a loveseat, all circled around a fireplace; a roaring fire crackled and popped in the majestic stone hearth. Three large windows opened up the right wall, showcasing an old, beautifully restored Wurlitzer jukebox. An old Eric Clapton song blared from it as the group entered the room.
In the center of the room stood the bar, separating the game tables and open floor in front from the cozier section that lay behind it. The bar was well built, majestic and sturdy, with lacquered mahogany and chestnut wood, shiny brass rails, six leather covered bar stools, and a display of every alcohol imaginable backlit along the bartender’s counter.
“Good evening, folks!” The bartender greeted the group in a cheery tone. “Welcome. My name’s John. Can I get anyone a drink?”
“Hell yes, John!” Alec replied. He clapped a hand on Ryan’s shoulder and announced, “This man is getting married tomorrow, to this beautiful lady over here. So we’re here to celebrate. We’ll start out with some shots of tequila. One for every person here, just line ‘em up.” He dropped a gold credit card on the bar. “I’m the Best Man, it’s all on me tonight.” Ryan and Melanie tried to protest, and Alec waved them off.
“Okay then.” John, a tall, bald, solidly built man in his late forties, quickly eyed the group. “Eleven shots, coming right up.”
Lydia sidled up to the bar and leaned over the wooden counter to tell John, “Excuse me, but just make it ten. I don’t do shots.”
“Oh, come on!” Alec protested.
“Party pooper,” one of Ryan’s male cousins teased.
“Seriously, I can’t.” Lydia simply looked over at Melanie. “Back me up here, will you?”
Melanie laughed, leaning into Ryan as she said, “It’s true. She can’t. Unless you want to wear it three seconds later. I’ve seen it, and it’s not pretty.”
“Ooof.” Alec shuddered. “Okay, you’re off the hook.”
Sam looked down at Lydia, an amused grin on his face. “Seriously?”
“Seriously.” Lydia smirked ruefully. “We’re talking Linda Blair in the Exorcist. Found that out the hard way back in college.”
Sam laughed. “Okay, okay, I’m sold. Would you like something else, then?”
“Thanks, but I already had about three glasses of wine downstairs,” she replied. “I’m perfect right now. Maybe in a little while. I don’t want to get too drunk tonight, and I certainly don’t want to be hung over for the
Lydia grabbed her handbag too, then went to follow what had become a small group: Ryan and Melanie, Alec and Paige, three of Ryan’s cousins, two of Melanie’s cousins, and Sam. He stood still at the end of the long table, waiting as Lydia came closer. They smiled at each other as the distance between them gradually closed.
“Mind if I walk with you?” he asked her, a disarmingly sweet look on his face.
“Of course not,” she said, feeling a little flip in her midsection. She wondered if it was the three glasses of wine releasing the butterflies in her stomach, or a case of nerves from this appealing man paying attention to her. She knew it was most likely the latter. He fell into step beside her at the back of the group.
The troupe chatted and laughed as they made their way up to the fourth floor. Ryan pushed open two heavy white doors to reveal an elegant, old fashioned looking bar and lounge. The room had the feel of a gentleman’s club of long ago. The lighting was lowered, but not too much; it gave the place a relaxed, more intimate feel. The hardwood floors had been polished until they shone, and the walls were a warm shade of russet. Towards the front, on the left side of the lounge, were a billiard table and a foosball table, side by side. Towards the back were two plush armchairs, two couches, and a loveseat, all circled around a fireplace; a roaring fire crackled and popped in the majestic stone hearth. Three large windows opened up the right wall, showcasing an old, beautifully restored Wurlitzer jukebox. An old Eric Clapton song blared from it as the group entered the room.
In the center of the room stood the bar, separating the game tables and open floor in front from the cozier section that lay behind it. The bar was well built, majestic and sturdy, with lacquered mahogany and chestnut wood, shiny brass rails, six leather covered bar stools, and a display of every alcohol imaginable backlit along the bartender’s counter.
“Good evening, folks!” The bartender greeted the group in a cheery tone. “Welcome. My name’s John. Can I get anyone a drink?”
“Hell yes, John!” Alec replied. He clapped a hand on Ryan’s shoulder and announced, “This man is getting married tomorrow, to this beautiful lady over here. So we’re here to celebrate. We’ll start out with some shots of tequila. One for every person here, just line ‘em up.” He dropped a gold credit card on the bar. “I’m the Best Man, it’s all on me tonight.” Ryan and Melanie tried to protest, and Alec waved them off.
“Okay then.” John, a tall, bald, solidly built man in his late forties, quickly eyed the group. “Eleven shots, coming right up.”
Lydia sidled up to the bar and leaned over the wooden counter to tell John, “Excuse me, but just make it ten. I don’t do shots.”
“Oh, come on!” Alec protested.
“Party pooper,” one of Ryan’s male cousins teased.
“Seriously, I can’t.” Lydia simply looked over at Melanie. “Back me up here, will you?”
Melanie laughed, leaning into Ryan as she said, “It’s true. She can’t. Unless you want to wear it three seconds later. I’ve seen it, and it’s not pretty.”
“Ooof.” Alec shuddered. “Okay, you’re off the hook.”
Sam looked down at Lydia, an amused grin on his face. “Seriously?”
“Seriously.” Lydia smirked ruefully. “We’re talking Linda Blair in the Exorcist. Found that out the hard way back in college.”
Sam laughed. “Okay, okay, I’m sold. Would you like something else, then?”
“Thanks, but I already had about three glasses of wine downstairs,” she replied. “I’m perfect right now. Maybe in a little while. I don’t want to get too drunk tonight, and I certainly don’t want to be hung over for the
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