“I’m sorry too.” He said humbly.
We both reached for a glass and finished it.
“I can’t stay much longer since it’s the opening.” I lied but the space between us was too much for me to bare any longer. I waved down Audrey and told her to cork it.
“Wine spoils pretty quickly, so at least come once in a while to drink your bottle.” I whispered trying hard to keep it together. He nodded not saying one more word.
“Good bye Lukas.”
I stood up and walked away, leaving my heart and soul behind with him. I finally grasped that it was finally over between us.
It was January now and the bar was a hit, local foodies and wine aficionados came from all over the city to drink here. Not to mention all the rich ones too. I was even voted the top five places to come when visiting Montréal. I was happy with the success and even happier that I kept my head in the game. There was no way I was going to lose ground. I was only going to go up from here.
I sat in my office and looked at the calendar. It was one week till Lukas birthday. He was born on the 16th, a true Capricorn. I turned my head to see the bottle of whiskey that I had found. It was vintage and just up his alley. Lukas never came back after that day. I would drink a glass of wine from what I dubbed as ‘his bottle’. I guess it was a sad way of letting him go. With every glass I drank I felt like Lukas was slipping away from me. There wasn’t much I could do but let it happen.
I took the card I had picked for him and was about to sign it love Alexia, when I stopped. I held the pen and looked at the white background of the card, the blank space crying out to me. I finally signed it Alexia and sealed it. The FedEx guy came and picked it and off it went. I sat wondering if getting a gift from me would be awkward but so much had happened between us that not sending one would seem wrong.
The 16th came and went and no word from Lukas. I shrugged it off knowing that I probably wouldn’t get a response from him. I sat at the bar and the last of his bottle was poured out. I watched it with such care, knowing once I finish this glass Lukas would no longer exist and I would be free of him, for good. DJ Wally’s remix of Nina Simone’s My Man Is Gone had begun to play, how poignant.
I slowly began to drink the wine when a gust of cold air came into the store. It was a true winter wonderland as the city was silenced by the large snow fall we had lately. I could see from outside my windows as the snow gently fell covering up the city with a fresh blanket of white untouched snow. The door must have opened but it was before our opening hours.
“I’m sorry were closed.” I said bluntly.
“Even for me?” I turned to see Lukas standing at the door with a long wool coat. He took off his leather gloves and smiled at me.
“So I hear you’re the talk of the town? Can’t I rich guy like me buy a drink?” He smirked.
Your money is no good here.” I grinned. Damn you Lukas just when I was going to let you go you had to walk into my god damn bar. I slipped off my stool and walked over to the other side of the bar.
“Come sit.” I pointed to the stool I was sitting on.
He moved over taking off his coat, he wore a perfect black suit with a crisp white shirt and a solid black tie. Fuck me.
“What’s your poison?” I asked looking away from him.
“You seem to know what I like, you choose.” I reached and found a nice scotch and poured it for him.
“Double scotch neat.” I breathed. He took his scotch glass and drank it all.
“You shouldn’t drink it that quickly Lukas.” I noted “Especially this scotch. It’s meant to be enjoyed.” He put his glass down and looked at me through his hooded eyes.
“Do you remember the first time we met?” He asked.
“Yes. Why?” I asked wondering where he was going with this.
“Why not?” He answered.
“I remember you in the little bistro, god you were so fucken beautiful it nearly hurt my eyes to look at you.” He admitted. I laughed almost blushing.
“It hurt me not to look at you.” I confessed.
“It was good between us wasn’t?” He asked in a serious tone.
“It was.” I breathed.
“Um I’m sorry Ms. Lexi?” My bartender Daniel came close and lowered his head in an apologetic way, whatever Lukas was trying to do was dashed the moment my employee appeared. Part of me was thankful.
“I need you to take this call it’s the supplier something about not getting all the wines you ordered.” He reached out the phone and handed it to me.
“Sorry Lukas, I have to take this.” I took the phone and began to calmly yelling at the supplier telling him he better get my stuff in. I then hung up and shook my head.