Chapter 15
Patrick
The air is filled with low conversations and some generic Coldplay song as we walk into the bar. While I appreciate the fact that my shoes aren’t sticking to the floor, that doesn’t help the fact that I don’t really want to be here.
Wes asked me to come out tonight, and I didn’t have a good excuse. So, here I am.
He convinced me that we could go earlier in the night so that we’re not home too late, but I know better than to trust Wes with something like this.
If we’re being honest, I prefer drinking at home anyways.
It’s cheaper and nice not to have to worry about driving, but Natalie and Tom have been raving about this place for months now.
Ever since they had a double date here, they can’t stop talking about the great service and chill vibes.
I’m not fully convinced that they weren’t contracted out by the bar for how much they talk about this place, but, so far, it all seems to be true.
However, what throws me off balance is seeing barista Nick behind the bar.
Barista Nick? Bartender Nick? Ellie’s Nick?
When we first walked in, I didn’t recognize him.
There is a completely different energy and look that he has here, and it fits perfectly into the atmosphere.
His movements are fluid and confident, and he is charming everyone who is sitting at the bar.
I rarely ever see him make drinks at The Brew, but here it seems second nature.
He seems so reserved at the coffee shop, but here he is cool and collected in a way I haven’t seen before.
I start to freak myself out when I realize our worlds are about to collide.
Luckily, I am able to convince Wes to go to the back to claim us a dart board while I walk up to the bar to get us a couple beers.
Watching him move towards the back of the bar reminds me that it is best that we keep the pointy-object throwing to the beginning of the night so that Wes doesn’t injure himself—or anyone else.
Although, Wes’ safety is the last thing on my mind because right now I’m more concerned with our secret getting out.
There have been plenty of times that I’ve seen Nick when getting my morning coffee, and he is always pleasant and chill.
While he hasn’t exactly acknowledged me fake dating his friend when I’ve seen him at The Brew, he is still aware of what is going on.
It leads me to wonder if this interaction will be different since Ellie isn’t around.
I wish that I asked her about their friendship because it never occurred to me that it could be something more than that until now. What if Nick is jealous? Overprotective? Pissed? Have they ever dated? Will he out our fake relationship to spite me?
If they have a friends with benefits thing going on then she technically wasn’t lying when she said she wasn’t dating anyone. Fuck, why am I overthinking this? I shouldn’t care, but the thought of Ellie and Nick being together makes me unbelievably upset.
Walking up to the bar, I try not to let my thoughts affect my composure.
Nick gives me a welcoming smile when he recognizes me, and I ease up.
I am not normally the type of person who lets stuff build up like this, so I need to take a breath and give him the benefit of the doubt.
If Ellie and him were involved, she never would have agreed to our arrangement.
I have to trust that. I have to trust her.
He moves around the bar, unaware of my internal back and forth, shaking up some sort of clear liquid before pouring it into two martini glasses. “Hey, fake boyfriend! Good to see ya.” He adds a slice of lemon to the already sugar rimmed glasses and hands them to the couple on my left.
My stomach drops, and I’m feeling grateful for my paranoid choice to send Wes away and appalled at my asinine assumptions.
I predict that he only said that since I came up here by myself; although, there is no way to know if he would've said that if Wes was standing next to me. I try not to outwardly show my discomfort, but if it’s there, Nick is oblivious as he scoops ice into a new glass.
When he turns around, I realize that I must look as freaked out as I feel because he gives me his undivided attention.
Leaning in slightly, I lower my voice to make sure no one around us can hear.
“Uh, I’m sorry to ask this since I know it’s already a weird situation, but I’m actually here with one of my coworkers.
He thinks that Ellie and I are actually dating, so do you think you can do me a solid and not mention any of the “fake” stuff? ”
Nick nods and pulls away from me, entering something on the screen in front of him. He moves his fingers across his lips like a zipper, turns the key, and throws it away. “Your secret is safe with me, my friend.”
I sigh out a thank you, which earns a chuckle from Nick. I don’t know why I was so scared that he wouldn’t go along with it because he has always seemed chill. The way that Ellie talks about him shows that they really care about each other.
“No prob. What are you drinking?”
“Can I get two Yuenglings, and if my friend asks for a shot, can you under pour it? He’s a messy drunk, and I really don’t want him to puke in my car…again.”
He laughs, and I trade him my card for the beers.
“I haven’t seen you out here before. Is it your first time at Working Class?”
“Yeah, I have a few coworkers who have been raving about the place, so my buddy and I decided to try it out. See if it’s worth the hype.”
“Well, I clocked in about thirty minutes ago, but it seems like it’s going to be a pretty chill night. Hopefully, it lives up to the expectations.”
As I walk towards the back room, I sneak another glance at Nick, but he is typing on his phone, not giving me any more attention.
When I get to Wes at the dart boards, he has already warmed up and is ready to ‘kick my ass’.
I watch as he sinks a dart dead center on the bullseye and laugh as the next one doesn’t even make it on the board.
One of my favorite things about Wes is that no matter what he is doing, he is going to have a good time, which inherently makes the people around him have a good time.
I’ve been nursing my drink, so by the time I finish my one beer, Wes is on his third.
If he’s just drinking beer, we’ll be fine; he only gets messy when he mixes it with liquor.
It’s funny because his aim doesn’t get any better despite an hour of playing.
Realizing that I’m getting tired of darts and increasingly concerned about Wes' wandering aim, I suggest we go back up to the front.
As we walk towards the bar, Wes nudges me.
His weight on my arm makes me think that he is falling over, but when I reach out to stabilize him, he is paying no attention to me, instead he is staring at someone sitting at the far end of the bar.
His face is full of curiosity. “Boss, isn’t that your girl? ”
My girl? What does he mean my girl?
I follow his view and see a curvy girl leaning over the bar to talk to Nick.
From this angle, her full hips are on display, straining against a pair of denim cut-offs, and my mouth literally starts to water.
It isn’t until she turns her head that I see that it’s Ellie sitting there beaming.
Her smile is infectious, and when she tosses her head back, laughing with her whole body, I find myself frozen.
Her cheeks are flushed as she sips on her drink.
Any and all words are lost in my throat, and all I can do is stare.
“Dude, I think the bartender is flirting with her?” I don’t realize how awkward I must look until Wes pats my shoulder aggressively. “Don’t worry, I got you.”
He says it like he’s ready to defend my honor, so I hold him back before he can try. Wes might be a little dramatic at times, but he is a great friend. There are very few people who I would do anything for, and I know that Wes feels the same about me.
“Calm down, bud. That’s her best friend. She’s probably just here hanging out. Let’s sit over here, so we don’t bother her.”
“You don’t want to bother your own girlfriend?
That’s the dumbest shit I’ve ever heard.
” And before I can stop him, he slips out of my grip and starts walking over to Ellie.
I have no idea what he’s saying to her, but I hate that he is bugging her.
After a minute of back and forth, she leans over to say something to Nick and then starts walking my way.
Fucking christ.
Reaching up to touch my face, I find myself grateful that my jaw hasn’t fallen to the floor.
It was hard to fully grasp when she was sitting down, but she looks stunning.
She is wearing a tight, little tank top that is straining against her breasts.
In this moment, it makes complete sense why she doesn’t wear tight fitting clothes at work because she is fucking irresistible.
If guys are already acting like creeps, I can’t imagine how much worse it could get.
Also, I’ve never seen her in shorts, and I don’t think I will be able to get rid of the image burned into my brain.
Her thighs look so soft and thick, and I can’t stop thinking about how my head would look between them.
I can feel myself getting turned on, and I need to find a way to calm the fuck down.
Ellie stops directly in front of me, spinning her straw in her almost empty drink.
She’s standing so close that I can see down her shirt, so I use some of my very limited willpower to look at her face.
It barely helps when she looks up at me with her big brown eyes.
She stands on her tippy toes, leans in closer, and whispers, “Hi. Uh, Wes said that I should hang out with you guys tonight, and I didn’t know what to say.
I figured it would be weird if I said no. Is that okay?”