Chapter 7
The Third Friday
It was more nerve-racking than I expected to walk up to someone who had told me they wanted to kiss me. Sean’s smile widened when he saw me, which made it a little easier.
“Hey, honey. Glad to see you here tonight.”
“Hi.” I shifted my feet, wondering if there was a good way to say it. “Um, about what you said last time.”
“You decided against it?” he asked, his smile not dropping at all.
“Yeah. I’m sorry.”
“Won’t lie and say I’m not disappointed.” He ran a hand over his beard. “Did you at least enjoy thinking about it?”
I flushed, trying not to make it worse by remembering how hard I’d come while using my vibrator and imagining more than kissing him.
He chuckled. “Looks like you did.”
“It’s not that I don’t want to.” When he stared, the heat inside me spread across my chest, making me second-guess the hint of cleavage I’d managed to display.
“Are you saying you want to kiss me but won’t?” Sean asked, stepping closer.
My gaze dropped, but I forced myself to nod. “I like it here. I don’t want to lose that if, well if it’s, you know…” My eyes squeezed shut, and I whispered the last word. “Bad.”
“Oh, honey. There’s no way I’ll ever believe it could be bad.”
I shrugged, though it was easier to lift my head.
“But I can respect what you’re saying. You don’t want to muddy the waters here so you can keep coming. And I want you here, so if that’s what you need to decide, I’m good with that.”
“Okay.” I searched his face. Sean really did seem to accept my decision without being hurt.
He grinned again. “Just know, the offer is always open if you change your mind.” He leaned in closer. “And I’d be even happier if you think about it more and enjoy the thoughts.” He winked as he pulled away.
I was suddenly sure he knew I’d touched myself while thinking about him. I had no idea what to do with that.
Sean waved me in. “Go sit on your barstool and let Jack know you’re here.”
Tingles spread along my back as I crossed to what I already thought of as my place at the bar. Jack’s eyes lit up when he saw me. His smile wasn’t quite as large as Sean’s grin, but I really liked his smile.
“Hey, you. Glad you came. I have a new drink idea I want to make for you,” he said, already reaching for a glass.
The idea that he’d been thinking about me during the week set up a glow inside me.
I watched his hands while he mixed the drink.
He had big hands, with long fingers, and I could easily picture them on a guitar.
When I started to picture them on my body instead, I cut off the thought, knowing I wouldn’t be able to look him in the eye if it went too far.
“What band will be coming tonight?” I didn’t have to ask since I’d already looked it up and listened to a few songs, but I enjoyed watching him talk about music, so I settled my chin on my hand while he warned me that tonight’s music was different from the last two nights I’d been there.
When he set the drink he’d made in front of me, it was in a taller glass than usual, and it was purple. My eyes widened as I sat straighter, watching the fizz wavering off the top under the matching purple umbrella that speared a slice of lime. “That’s so neat!”
Jack laughed. “Hopefully, you like the taste, too.”
I lifted the tapered glass to my lips, feeling the fizz against them as I took a sip. It wasn’t grape-flavored like I expected, but something sweeter and light, with a hint of lime. “I love it!”
He set his hands on the bar, crinkles forming at his eyes. “Good.” His gaze shifted to the empty seat next to me, and his smile fell a little. “Is he joining you tonight?”
“Um, no,” I admitted. Neil had already made his own plans for the evening, and so had I. “I’m actually meeting someone else here.”
“Yeah?” Jack asked, lifting his eyebrows in surprise. “A date?”
I nodded, flushing. “I thought I’d try the online thing.
” The suggestion had come from Natasha. She’d asked Neil for my number.
The way he said it made me think she hadn’t asked for his, but I didn’t know for sure.
She’d sent me the name of an app that was originally set up for people looking for a third but had broadened to include most sexual types of hookups, including sharing.
She’d also texted that she understood why I was doing what I was doing and that she hoped her tips would help him get better.
I hadn’t shared that text with Neil, but it had made me feel less broken.
I really wanted to know whether she’d gotten off, but I didn’t ask.
I’d texted her a “thank you” for the app suggestion, realized she probably thought I meant thank you for trying to help my boyfriend, and then I hadn’t known how to fix it.
She’d just returned a wink emoji. Neither of us had texted again, but I figured that was for the best. As much as I liked her, I wasn’t sure we could be friends now that she’d slept with Neil.
“I’m glad you’re meeting the guy here,” Jack said. “We can have your back if he turns out to be an asshole.”
My eyes grew warm, and I blinked hard. “Thanks. That’s what I was thinking, too.” I glanced back at Sean, and he gave me a nod.
“We got you,” he called out.
If these guys weren’t careful, I was going to cry. I took a sip of my drink instead, letting my emotions settle.
Jack had started working his way around the bar when I heard my name from next to me. “Hailey?”
I turned toward my date, who looked like his pictures, to my relief. He had close cropped hair, a slightly too large nose, which is what had made me pause on his profile in the first place, and eyes that I couldn’t tell the color of in the photos, but that appeared gray in the soft bar lighting.
“Yes, hi, Caleb.” I smiled at him, holding out my hand.
He gave it a quick squeeze before perching on the seat next to me. “Wow, you’re even prettier in person.”
My eyes dipped to my drink. “Thanks.”
“I’m glad we could do this.” His gaze scanned the bar, and there was a soft smile on his lips. “I’ve never been here before, but it looked interesting online. I like getting to hear new bands.”
I smiled at him. “Me too.”
“What can I get you?” Jack asked him.
“Oh, hey.” Caleb nodded at Jack. “I’d like your top flight. There were a few top-shelf whiskies on there that I’ve never tried.”
Jack nodded. “Coming right up.” He glanced at me, nodding at my drink. “You good?”
I glanced down at it, but I still had more than half a glass. “Yes.”
When Jack moved away, Caleb turned toward me again. “Is this your first time here, too?”
“I’ve come here a few times.” I took my time looking around at the pictures and over at the stage where the band was already setting up. “I really like it here.”
“Something we’re always glad to hear,” Jack said, setting down a wooden tray that had six glasses with differing shades of whiskey in each.
He slid a small plastic card toward Caleb, matching up the different types to each glass and telling him where each was from.
I had no idea so many places made whiskey.
“Thanks, man, that helps,” Caleb said, pulling out his wallet and handing Jack his credit card. “Can you put hers on my tab, too?”
“Oh, um,” I realized I’d forgotten to open my own tab. I really was taking advantage of Jack, not expecting to pay.
Jack tapped the card on the bar. “Sure will.” He smiled at me and turned to set it up.
“Thank you,” I told Caleb, and he shrugged.
“In my book, the guy should always pay.”
It was different from how Neil thought. I kind of liked Caleb’s point of view better, but comparing them wasn’t fair.
From the way Caleb dressed, similar to Victor, and him ordering the most expensive thing on the menu, I had a feeling his income was higher than what Neil could earn at his current job.
“So, what other bands have you heard here?” Caleb asked.
I was not above gushing about the two indie bands I’d listened to way too much in the past two weeks. Caleb didn’t interrupt. His smile brought out similar laugh lines like Jack’s did, I noticed. I wound down as he was finishing his round of tastings.
“Today’s band is supposed to have a different sound than those two,” I ended with.
“You’re cute when you get all excited about music,” Caleb said. “I’m really glad we did this.”
The way he looked at me made me squirm on my stool.
“Did you have a favorite?” Jack asked, gesturing toward the nearly empty flight.
Caleb was looking at me when he said, “Yeah,” making my cheeks warm.
Jack snorted. “I meant the whiskey.”
Caleb laughed. “I’d like this one.” He pointed at one name on the card.
“I like that one, too,” Jack said. He set a new drink in front of me, and I glanced down to see my other glass was empty. The umbrella in the new one was yellow, and I liked the way it contrasted with the purple drink.
“Thanks, Jack,” I said, handing him my empty glass.
He nodded, turning to grab a whiskey bottle for Caleb’s pour.
“Jack, huh?” Caleb said, lifting an eyebrow. “But you’ve only been here a few times?”
I blinked at him, wanting to kick myself. “I have. This is only my third time.” I needed to learn not to say Jack’s name. It kept raising questions.
“Can you blame me for making sure she knew my name?” Jack asked, putting Caleb’s drink in front of him. He winked at me before moving away.
Caleb laughed. “I guess I’ve got competition.”
“Oh, no, um, it’s not like that.” I was going to melt if my cheeks got any hotter.
“Shot the poor guy down, did you? Was it because of the nose?”
“Nose?” I glanced toward Jack, but his back was to us while he took someone else’s order. “I like his nose.”
“Do you?” Caleb sipped his drink.
Luckily, the band spoke into the microphone, pulling our attention that way, where they introduced themselves before they jumped right into the music.
Jack had been right. They had a different feel, high energy with sort of an electric sound, but it was still a lot of fun. I didn’t like it as much as the last two bands, but I enjoyed listening anyway.