Chapter 1
"Well, this night just keeps getting better."
"You haven't even heard the best part yet."
Scarlett Monroe lifted her glass and winced as the bitter wine slid down her throat. She forced it down, then motioned to the bartender with a weary flick of her hand.
"Another. Make it a double this time."
Soft jazz drifted through the bar, blending with the low buzz of voices around her. Scarlett shut her eyes for a moment, letting the music cover her, though it did little to dull the sting.
"This is exactly what I needed," she muttered, her tone sharp with sarcasm. "Fiancé in bed with my best friend. Perfect fairytale ending."
The bartender raised an eyebrow but didn't comment, only kept polishing a glass before giving a quiet nod.
Scarlett gave a hollow laugh. "You know what? Screw him. And her. They deserve each other."
She took a longer sip, lips parting at the sting of the wine, then forced it down.
The bar door creaked open, cutting through her self-pity like a sharp edge.
Jace Carter stepped inside, eyes sweeping the room for a free seat. Most were taken, but his gaze settled on Scarlett—alone at the counter, heartbreak spilling into a half-empty glass.
He moved to a stool a few seats away and ordered, voice low and steady. "Whiskey. Straight."
Scarlett glanced over, lips curving into a dry smile. "Rough day?"
Jace smirked. "You could say that."
She let out a low chuckle and lifted her glass again. "Yeah, I figured. What's your drink?"
"Whiskey," he answered, taking a slow pull. "Straight. Cuts through the noise."
She nodded, swirling the red in her glass. "Mine's wine. Bitter enough to remind me why I'm drinking it."
They sat in silence, not awkward—just heavy, like both carried stories they weren't ready to tell.
Jace met her eyes. "Another round? My treat."
Scarlett hesitated, then gave a crooked grin. "You're kind. But I'm warning you—I don't hold much."
"Noted," he said, signaling the bartender. "Two more. On me."
When the drinks landed, Scarlett gave him a sidelong glance. "So… what brings a Marine to a bar like this?"
Jace exhaled, voice low. "Lost trust. Same as you."
She lifted her glass in a mock toast. "To broken trust—and maybe finding something worth it."
He touched his glass to hers. "I'll drink to that."
They drank again, and for the first time that night, the burn felt less sharp, replaced by something warmer
Scarlett exhaled, her voice low. "My fiancé… he was with my best friend. And the worst part? They didn't even try to hide it."
Jace nodded slowly. "That's rough. I caught my girlfriend with my boss. Both of them. Like getting punched in the gut by your own trust."
Her eyes showed understanding. "No signs? Nothing at all?"
"Not a single clue." He ran a hand through his hair. "Makes you question everything—who you are, who you trusted."
Scarlett stared into her glass, then looked up again. "I keep asking myself—was I blind? How could I not see it?"
"Pain does that," Jace said quietly. "It blinds you. Then forces you to see things clearer than before."
She let out a soft breath. "You're pretty philosophical for a guy drowning in whiskey."
He gave a small smile. "Guess I still think something better is waiting—after all this."
They shared a short, quiet laugh, the distance between them shrinking.
Scarlett leaned back, the chair creaking under her. "I used to think I was strong. The kind who saw lies before they happened."
Jace studied her. "Sometimes being strong means breaking. Letting it all fall apart so you can figure out how to put it back together."
She looked away, biting her lower lip. "Put it back together… yeah, that's a language I forgot how to speak."
He reached out, fingers brushing hers on the bar. "You're not the only one learning it again."
The bartender brought their next round. Jace lifted his glass. "To breaking and rebuilding."
Scarlett tapped her glass to his, eyes glimmering with tears she refused to shed. "To second chances, even if we don't know what that looks like yet."
They drank again, the alcohol warming them, along with something else—an unspoken connection.
Jace's voice softened. "I keep thinking about that night. Trying to figure out if I missed the signs. If I ever really knew her."
Scarlett nodded. "Same. But maybe it's not about what we missed. Maybe it's about what we choose now."
He smiled—real, a little raw, but hopeful. "Then what do you choose, Scarlett?"
She met his gaze, defiance in her eyes. "To not be defined by the past. To take one step toward whatever's next. Even if I'm scared out of my mind."
Jace held her stare, steady. "Good. Because I'm tired of being alone."
The music shifted—a slow, soft tune filling the room. Neither of them moved to change it.
Scarlett lifted her glass one last time. "To unexpected nights."
Jace matched her toast with a slow grin. "And to waking up to surprises."
The noise around them seemed to fade—the chatter, the clinking, even the music—as their eyes held. Their breathing synced, steady but charged.
Jace leaned closer, his voice low. "Funny thing… the best stuff shows up when you're not looking for it."
Scarlett's breath caught. She saw the same cracks in him that she carried herself.
Their faces drew in, the moment tightening—until Scarlett pulled back with a small, nervous laugh. "Not tonight," she said softly, her smile gentle but sure.
Jace's grin widened, half amused, half relieved. "Yeah. Not tonight."
They laughed together, the heavy tension loosening into something lighter.
Scarlett pushed her hair back and stood. "So… what now? We can't sit here forever."
Jace rose too. "No. But we can walk out together. Just for now."
She paused, then slipped her hand into his. His palm was warm, steady, grounding in a way she hadn't expected.
Jace pushed the door open, cool air rushing in like a fresh start. He shot her a sideways grin. "I could take you somewhere special."
Scarlett blinked, then let out a surprised laugh. "Somewhere special? You barely know me."
He shrugged, grin holding. "Doesn't have to be fancy to matter."
She shook her head, smiling despite herself. "Alright then… okay, let's go."
They stepped into the night together, laughing, leaving the past behind—and heading toward something new.