CHAPTER Two
Christopher
“I’m heading out, Grandpa. I’ve got a date.” I kiss him on the cheek while he grumbles at me.
“Is this the girl from last week?” he asks, looking hopeful.
I shake my head. “No. She wasn’t right for me. Veronica has a little more flavour.”
He asks me if I’m having a second date every week, and my answer never wavers. I’m not ready to settle down, and I don’t want anyone to get attached.
“When are you going to take dating more seriously and find someone worth keeping, boy?” He frowns at me, letting me know he doesn’t approve. I’m only in my early twenties. There’s plenty of time for girlfriends later in life.
“Well, considering you keep calling me a boy, I think I have a few more years in me.” I wink at him with a cheeky smile. His features soften, letting me know he doesn’t think I’m all bad. The truth is, I’m not sure I’m the commitment type. I like my independence too much to be tied down to one person. Plus, nothing compares to that first bite of temptation. There hasn’t been a single girl since high school I’ve wanted to see again.
“You’re twenty-three. By the time I was your age, I was married to your grandmother and we had your father on the way.”
“Times have changed, Grandpa. Modern dating has come a long way since the times of chaperoned walks in the park. It’s easier to get to know people quicker now. I’m keeping my options open until I’ve found perfection.” High standards are better than shattering his hopes.
He rolls his eyes, unimpressed with my answer. “Let’s hope you don’t mess it up with the one you were supposed to keep.”
“Let me worry about my love life. You need to keep your eye on the horses.” He’s a huge fan of horse racing and has a VIP seating box at Aintree. I grab the keys to my Aston Martin, ready to be done with this conversation. I’ve tried to change the subject, but he’ll only bite if he has an update. We need a new jockey to work with Ferris, our stallion, and my gramps keeps changing his mind. He isn’t as decisive as he likes to think. He just has different commitments to make.
“Don’t think you’re off the hook with your loose dating morals. We’ll talk about this later when you can’t escape. Regardless of what I think, have a good night.”
“Don’t worry, I will. Goodbye.” I kiss his cheek.
My family only wants the best for me and they’re happy to meddle in my business, not that it will change my stubborn mind. We’re a close-knit community who live on a farm. I work hard for what we have, but Saturday night is mine to relax. It’s the one time I can afford to be selfish with my decisions. No one needs me to muck out horses or feed the animals. Instead, I can leave the farm and find my own entertainment.
Veronica makes me wait twenty minutes in her hallway when I arrive. Her butler answers the door and shows me inside. Like me, she’s old money. She’s probably used to men waiting on her for attention and willing to take what she offers. I’d rather she was ready on time so we can start enjoying the evening.
Her picture from the dating app doesn’t do her justice. She’s wearing a fitted red dress with ruffles along her thighs. The outfit leaves very little to the imagination, and I can’t help undressing her with my eyes. Her lips have fillers, and maybe her breasts too. She fills out her outfit like it was designed for her. “You look stunning,” I say, forgetting my annoyance at being left in the hallway.
She pushes her lips together into a smile. “You’re not so bad yourself.” Her gaze wanders over my physique like I’m a snack to gobble up. As well as doing hard labour on the farm, I also work out in the gym a couple of times a week. It’s safe to say I’m in good shape. I’m wearing an expensive tailor-made suit and I’ve used styling wax on my hair. I’ve made an effort to impress, and I’m glad it’s paying off. She’s eyeing me up like she wants to skip the drinks and head for the main event.
“Shall we?” I take her arm and lead her to my car. Like a gentleman, I get the door and let her in before heading around to my side. I’m a creature of habit and already have a place lined up for the evening. I park on the docks, and we walk to Sweet Cocktails. The bar is one of my favourite hotspots. I hold the door for her, and we step inside.
Sweet Cocktails is engulfed with black and gold décor. The flooring has a checked high gloss pattern that continues along the skirting board. The bar top is onyx marble with a gold handrail. Dark leather stools with brass frames line the edge of it, and there’s deep-coloured chestnut leather in all the tabled booths.
Veronica smiles, clearly impressed with my choice of venue. “Do we need to wait to be seated?” She looks around.
“This is a bar, not a restaurant. We’ll grab the booth in the corner.” My answer is a little abrupt, but it’s better than admitting I know the owner, who saves me a regular seat. The less she knows about how to find me, the better. I lead the way to my familiar spot.
Once seated, Veronica starts to talk, but it doesn’t take long for me to shut down. I watch her lips move, but the words are shallow. Already, I have a good idea of what dating this woman would be like. Hours waiting around for her to groom and endless superficial conversations. I don’t mind talking about superficial things, but I draw the line at shopping, spa days, and cosmetics. Her lips are full and look soft. I wonder if she’d be quiet if I kissed her.
“Evening, Mr McNabb. What can I get you?” Nellie, one of the barmaids, asks me. She’s a natural beauty, which is a bold contrast to Veronica. Totally not the sort of woman I’d go for, but she seems like a kind soul from what I’ve seen. Nellie is closer to what my grandpa would approve of; hardworking, sensible, and smart.
“I’ll have a neat whisky.”
She nods, then turns to my date. “And for you?”
Veronica picks up the menu from the middle of the table. “What’s good?”
“I’d recommend one of the martini cocktails.” Nellie points to the section on the menu.
“A French martini sounds sophisticated.”
“Yes. It has a delicious taste that fizzes on your tongue. Great choice.”
Veronica smiles, looking pleased with herself. “Thanks.”
Nellie takes down the order and heads for the bar.
“Do you come in here a lot?” Veronica asks with a frown.
“From time to time.”
She nods. “There’s a bar in Barcelona I go to all the time with my girlfriends.”
“So, you like to travel?”
“Who doesn’t? White beaches and fashion week are some of my favourite things.” She pauses until my focus is back on her. Was I staring at Nellie? “Look, I’m going to be blunt so we don’t have to waste any more time. I’m looking for some nice arm candy for my friend’s wedding. From what I’ve heard, you’re a playboy who’s scared of commitment. You don’t care about my life, and I don’t mind fooling around for a while if you’ll help me out.”
I blink rapidly a few times. Usually, people like to do the dating dance, but I’m guessing Veronica isn’t impressed with the attention I’ve been giving her tonight. I admit, I could pretend to be more interested in what she has to say. For the first time, I’m seeing the real her. Like me, she doesn’t want to get close, but she still has an agenda. I should be glad I can avoid the awkward after-sex talk, but something tells me what Veronica wants is much worse than commitment.
Nellie arrives with our drinks, which she sets down on the table. “While you’re here, Nellie, I need your opinion on something. Would you be someone’s plus one to a wedding in exchange for what would hopefully be great sex?”
Veronica huffs, clearly offended I’ve asked for someone else’s opinion. She stumbles to her feet, picks up her glass, and throws the contents in my face before storming out of Sweet Cocktails. Being washed down with alcohol is a first for me, although maybe I deserve it. I could have told her I wasn’t interested in her proposal. Bluntly asking someone she’d class as a stranger wasn’t smart. Honestly, I’m not going to lose sleep over what happened, though. I saved us both from a disappointing evening.
Nellie hands me a napkin, breaking me from my thoughts. The little black scrap of material is laughable. It’s going to do nothing to soak up the liquid. A bit of alcohol is nothing compared to mucking out horses, though. I slip off my jacket, ridding myself of most of the drink.
“I think that was a no for the wedding date. I hope you have a backup plan,” Nellie says with a mischievous smile. She’s seen me with multiple dates, so it’s obvious I wouldn’t have a problem in that department. She must be joking.
A laugh rumbles deep from my core. I’m willing to play along with her assumption. “What makes you think I would need a fake date for a wedding? I’d rather go solo.”
“Of course you would, Mr Single.” She shakes her head, giving a disapproving look. Her lips are pulled tight as she arches her brow at me. I like Nellie; she isn’t afraid to call me out. A little like my grandpa, but when she does it, I’m amused.
“Do you think I went too far?” I ask, ready to hear some honesty.
“You were a bit of a dick.”
Wow. I must have way overstepped the mark with Veronica.
“I didn’t want to be her plus one.” I shrug, trying to play it down. It does bother me that Nellie thinks badly of me, although I’m not sure why. Seeing her at Sweet Cocktails is the extent of our relationship, so it shouldn’t get under my skin.
“You should’ve just said that. You could have saved the poor woman’s feelings instead of making her run out of here. Shall I bring the bill, or are you sticking around for a while?”
“No bill. I’m not ready to call it a night yet.”
“Sure thing. Just don’t frighten away any more customers.” We smile at each other for a few seconds, then she moves away to serve someone else.
I down my drink and move to the bar so I’m closer to the liqueur. Nellie pours me another whiskey when she returns to her station. “She called me a playboy. What would you have said to the not-so-lovely Veronica, then?” I ask, defending myself.
“You do have a different girl in here every week,” she pointed out.
“Are you judging me?” I playfully roll up my sleeves, making myself more comfortable and ready to defend myself.
“Veronica was characterising you from the little information she had. I’m just telling you what I see without offering my feelings on the matter.”
“Saturday night is mine to have fun. I’ve worked hard all week, and now I want to relax. So what if I like sex with no strings attached? I’m young and single. As far as I’m concerned, I’m not doing anything wrong.” I circle the rim of my glass. “Top up my drink, will you?”
She does as I ask. Her lips stay tight, but I can tell she has something to say. The thing that’s niggling at me is why I care.
Nellie is a cute blonde who serves me every Saturday night. Usually, we share a little banter but don’t talk much. She works late, sings out of tune when she thinks no one is watching, and saves her best smiles for her biggest tippers.
“Spit it out.” I give her a stern look. We’re wasting time getting to the truth, and I just want to hear it.
“What you need is a vanilla martini kind of woman.” She makes it sound like she can read people with cocktails.
“That sounds boring. I’m not looking for a Plain Jane.” Exciting and fun is what I’ve been seeking. Until tonight, I’ve not had any problems with easy dating.
“There’s no shame in vanilla. It’s derived from an orchid, which is a beautiful plant. We should be seeing the allure, not the stigma. Did you know it’s an aphrodisiac? It’s said to stimulate the brain and energise the muscles. Vanilla isn’t boring. It’s sexy.”
Her talents are wasted on this bar. She should be teaching science or something.
“Let me see if I have this right. You’re saying I’m looking at women all wrong. There could be someone out there that meets my expectations and doesn’t want something more in return?” My dates are hit and miss. I’ve no idea what the women expect our relationship to be after one evening together. Some don’t seem bothered if I don’t call and others persistently message me. Nellie has me intrigued, but I’m not sure how I’ll find a woman who wants the same as me. I don’t want her to catch feelings I can’t match.
She looks me dead in the eye with a serious expression. “Find someone who wants a causal fling rather than living for the first dates. I’m sure there is someone out there that wants no strings, just fun. Then you won’t have to entertain multiple women you’re not really interested in.”
“That simple, eh?”
“Yes. That simple.”
She leaves me to ponder over her words as she serves some more customers. Barmaids are multitalented—mixologist, security, and therapist. She’s given me some thought-provoking advice.
No. She’s not just a barmaid.
She’s Nellie.