ROMAN

I find myself in yet another bar, and no, I didn't have time to change.

Then again, it's just Laura, and I'm not necessarily trying to impress her though that was the case a few years ago, when I met her during my last year of college.

"Wow," Laura remarks for the hundredth time this evening, "you truly have changed your appearance a lot. I'm digging the beard, Hayes."

I raise my brows to acknowledge what she said, but I don't really care what she thinks. Not anymore.

Laura was the ...