Chapter 1
Hours had passed since the last time he looked at his watch. Time was no longer of any importance to him. The only thing that mattered was what time the bar opened, and what time it closed. The hours in-between were spent in misery. He'd get in bed, close his eyes, and dream. It was always the same. She was there, in his bed, in his arms, in his life.
He'd wake up and she was gone.
"Another," Shayne whispered gruffly to the bartender as he slid a bill across the smooth surface. He glanced up to
make eye contact for only a second, long enough to catch the look of the pity-the one everyone seemed to be giving him lately-the one he hated more than anything. Even here-even half way across the world it was still the same look.
Pity was the same in any language.
"What?" he spat, the disdain evident in his voice.
The just bartender sighed, sliding another cold bottle towards Shayne. He knew better than to even try. This type was in here every night. People who'd lost people and the last thing they wanted to do was to
talk about it.
Shayne nodded, bringing the bottle to his lips and letting the cool liquid rush down his throat. No matter how many of these he drank, the pain never went away. He just couldn't seem to get drunk enough. As he looked down as his finger, the gold band gleamed back at him. He still wore it though he wasn't sure why. Maybe it was because taking it off meant accepting that she was gone-really gone.
Reaching into his pocket, his fingers quickly found the two golden bands-the same ones she'd left in his room
that day. He never left home without them.
Tonight, though, they seemed heavier, too much like a reminder of everything he'd lost. As he looked around the bar, he wondered why he'd come back here-why he'd come back to a place that held so many memories.
He shook his head, reaching out to take one last drink from the cool bottle. Staring at the shiny gold bands, he
hesitated for just a moment, then turned and walked out.
He heard the bartender yell something out to him in German, but he didn't stop. This was no accident. He had to try to move on.