Witch of Two Hearts

6. Tipsy Tornado

Vivan POV

When Fawn and I were done enjoying lunch I headed to the Tipsy Tornado Tavern to start my bartending shift. It’s only a couple of blocks away from the Triple T.

While I walked, I thought about what Fawn said. Yes, I did actually tell her everything. Gosh how absolutely horrible I felt telling her about Keelan and the way I felt when she just watched me get engaged last night!

Fawn is perfect. She’s silly, witty, fun, beautiful, smart, and well grounded. Then there’s me. Loaded with sarcasm, irresponsible, horrible at thinking before I act or speak.

Fawn is very matter of fact. She’s a book nerd, always has been. No part of her is sitting there thinking of the word the way I do. I believe in love at first sight, fairy tales, magic, auras, fate, and superstitions. Fawn thinks that Hollywood created all of those things as a way to sell movie tickets.

When I explained to her the way I felt drawn to Keelan, my dream, what he said to me at the party and in the dream, she brushed it all off as me getting nervous after what my mother said at the party. Since it all happened after she asked me how well I know Alaric she thinks that subconsciously I am creating a “love at first sight” scenario.

I really need to speak with Alaric. I don’t understand why he kept this from me. When I know then maybe I can move past it. If Fawn is right and it’s just my nerves creating these feelings then maybe it will all go away.

I don’t actually believe this, not for one minute. I felt what I felt. I know I’m not crazy or making this up in my head. This isn’t something that just happens because I’m nervous about something I didn’t even know I was nervous about. However, if there’s even the slightest chance that I am not in some weird love triangle with my fiancé and his twin brother then I’d prefer that scenario.

Arriving at the Tipsy Tornado Tavern felt good. I have my regular customers there, they’re absolutely wonderful. They sure know how to make a bartender feel good. Yeah I know, I’m only a bartender. I’m a bartender engaged to a freaking doctor! I know, I hear it from my mother constantly.

You should find something else you’re good at. You can’t be a bartender forever Vivian. You need to be more ambitious. You could be making much more money doing almost anything else.

I know all these things, but I enjoy being a bartender. I enjoy the music, the vibes, the people, and they absolutely love my drinks.

I have no clue why, but everyone says that my cocktails are like potions. I always reply, “If they were potions, I’d use them for something much better than getting people drunk.”

A couple of hours into my shift, in walks the last person I want to speak to at this particular moment, Alaric. Yes, I love him and yes, I need to speak to him about this twin brother crap. But, during my shift and ruining the vibe I have going on right now is not the time.

“You’ve been ignoring me.” He said right away.

I had my back turned to him, but I could tell just by the sound of his voice he had a worried look on his face. He’s not aware that I’ve met his twin brother, so I’m sure he thinks that I freaked out about him proposing.

“Yes, I am.” I turned toward him, “But I was planning on stopping by after work today I just forgot my phone at home so I couldn’t text that to you.”

“Well, I’m here now.” He said as he smacked his hand on the bar in front of me in a playful manner as if to tell me to serve him up a drink so we could talk.

“Okay.” I said as I turned and started making him his favorite cocktail, an old fashioned. It’s just bourbon, simple syrup, Angostura, water and ice. I apparently make it better than anyone else though, which is actually something I hear pretty regularly. As I was adding in the ingredients I couldn’t help but think to myself, “If this was a potion, I’d use it to make him tell me the entire truth and not leave anything out.”

I put the lid on the shaker, closed my eyes and took a deep breath. When I opened my eyes and exhaled, I poured the drink over a couple cubes of ice and topped it off with a cherry. Most people do it with an orange peel which I also add, but I prefer the cherry too. It gives it a nice little twist.

I set it in front of him with a little more attitude than I normally would given that I want him to really understand that I’m quite upset with him.

“Look.” He started as he took a drink of his Old Fashioned, “I’m sorry I proposed in front of all of those people. I thought it would be romantic, I didn’t realize it would upset you.”

He sounded genuine, but that’s not the issue. I knew he’d think it was though.

“It was romantic, and I loved it very much. That is not my problem.” I said as I moved around behind the bar making other people’s drinks. I still have to work after all.

“Then what is it?” He asked, drinking more of his drink. “Wow Viv, you did something different to this. It’s good.

“I didn’t do anything to it I don’t normally do, Alaric.” I stopped what I was doing and walked over right in front of him. “I met Keelan.”

I watched his face change, “Keelan. As in…”

“Your twin brother you forgot to tell me about!” I said, louder than I meant to. We’re in a bar talking about this, a small bar at that, but I still wasn’t trying to air our laundry out for everyone to see.