Shaken Not Stirred (Mixology) (9 page)

I studied the new diner, who was eating
alone. He was good looking, probably in his late twenties, and
every time I looked over, he was looking at me. Why was a guy like
that eating alone? There had to be a story there. If someone came
in alone, they almost always came right to the bar. This guy seemed
perfectly content and confident to sit by himself at a table.

A group of guys came in and sat down at the
bar, distracting me from the lone diner.

“Hey, can I get you guys something?” As much
as I wasn’t looking forward to dealing with customers, they fit the
demographic that generally tipped me well.

“Yeah. We’ll take a round of jager
shots.”

“Sure.” I took out six shot glasses and
poured the shots. I wasn’t a shot person, but I understand the
draw. Quick, easy, and potent. There was also a social aspect to
shots that appealed to most people on some level.

I placed a shot down in front of each guy and
turned my attention back to the lone diner.

“Can we get another round?” one of the guys
asked.

“Sure.” I poured them again.

“What’s your name?” The guy directly in front
of me asked.

“Maddy.”

“That’s a pretty name.”

“Thanks.” I was always more comfortable
talking to guys my own age, for better or worse.

“Cool. Cool. I’m Davis.” He held out his
hand.

“Hi.” I accepted the handshake. I’d play
along if the conversation stayed clean.

“Have you worked here long?” He slid his
empty shot glass around on the bar top.

“Just since May.”

“Oh cool. We go to NC State, but we’re in
town for Gary’s bachelor party.” He gestured to a guy with auburn
hair sitting a few stools down.

“Oh. Nice.”

“When do you get off?”

I held back a groan. Did he think I was going
to hook up with him? “Later.”

He laughed, as though I’d said the funniest
joke. “No, really. I’d love to hang out. You’re pretty.”

“Does that usually work for you?” There was
something about being behind the bar that made me better at turning
down male advances. It’s like I had an alter ego—sexy and badass
Maddy.

“I don’t know. I’ve never used it
before.”

Davis now had a few of his buddies’
attention, and I knew it was about to get worse. “It’s not working.
You guys want another round?”

“Do you come with it?” the supposed
groom-to-be asked.

“You couldn’t handle me if I did.” I was on a
roll.

“Oh yeah? You really think that?”

“Yes.” I crossed my arms. Macon would be
dying if he’d been there to listen.

“Care to let me prove you wrong?” He leaned
forward slightly.

“Aren’t you engaged?”

He looked down the row at his friends,
probably trying to figure out who ratted him out. Finally, he
smirked. “She’s not here.”

“Ugh.” I walked to the other side of the bar.
I shouldn’t have started in with these guys. Their tip would
hopefully make it worth it. I looked back at Mary’s section, but
the diner was gone.

“Do you think I could handle you?” There he
was, the solo diner, standing in front of me. I may have
miscalculated his age a little. He was probably in his
thirties.

“I don’t know. It’s hard to tell.” I tried
for seductive as I checked him out more. He wore a fitted dress
shirt that made me wonder what was underneath. Aside from Colin,
I’d never dated a guy more than a year or two older than me. It
sounded and looked appealing.

“Yeah? Well, at least you didn’t write me off
as quickly as those guys.” He spoke loudly enough that the whole
row of college guys could hear. Not that it would have been hard to
get their attention. Although they hadn’t stopped jeering since I
turned the disgusting groom-to-be down, they were watching us with
interest.

“I don’t waste my time on boys.”

Lone Diner smiled. “I understand that
completely. I’m Gabriel.” He held out his hand.

He had to be kidding. That name fit way too
well. He could have easily walked off the pages of one of those
fallen angel books that sometimes tempted me to stay up reading
them on my e-reader. “Pleasure to meet you. I’m Maddy.”

“The pleasure is all mine.” He held onto my
hand and I half expected him to kiss it. “Are you working tomorrow
night?”

“No. I’m off.”

“Great. Give me your address, I’ll pick you
up at eight.”

A thrill ran through me. This was so not
Maddy it was insane, but why not? “How about I meet you there.” I
could be adventurous without being stupid. Getting in a stranger’s
car wasn’t the best idea. Especially a stranger who looked and
talked like this one.

“Fair enough. North Banks at eight o’clock.
Let me see your phone.”

I handed it over, not surprised to watch him
typing in a number and calling it before returning it to me.

He checked his own phone before pocketing it.
“See you then.”

“Looking forward to it.”

Gabriel walked away.

Davis scowled “Cold. That was cold.”

“Only for you guys.”

***

“You seem adventurous. Is that assessment
accurate?” Gabriel sipped his red wine, watching me intently as if
my answer could change the fate of the world. We hadn’t ordered
dinner yet, but I was enjoying the slow pace of the date. I still
couldn’t believe I was even out with him, but at least I had an
excuse for why I turned Colin down.

We’d been talking about how much we loved the
beach in winter when he abruptly changed the conversation.

“Uh, sometimes.” After a glass and a half of
wine, I was feeling somewhat adventurous. I was on a date with an
older guy named Gabriel, wasn’t I?

“Yeah?” He leaned back in his chair, not
bothering to hide that he was clearly undressing me with his
mind.

I didn’t mind as much as I usually would.
“Why?”

“I’ve been looking for an adventurous
woman.”

I could play along for a while. If I could do
it behind the bar, I theoretically should have been able to pull it
off other times. “I guess for me it depends on the adventure…and
who it’s with.” I sipped my wine, keeping my eyes on him.

“What if the adventure was who it was with?”
He found my leg under the table, rubbing his against mine.

“Meaning?”

“Well, there’s someone I want you to meet.”
He smiled, the kind of smile that was supposed to be disarming, but
came across as a little scary.

“I’m not sure we’re on the same page here…” I
struggled to figure out where the conversation was going. I only
had one guess, and it wasn’t one I’d ever considered.

He gestured to someone behind me. I turned.
I’m not sure what I expected, but it certainly wasn’t the striking
brunette walking over to us.

She smiled before kissing Gabriel hard on the
mouth. I watched in slight shock while they kissed each other.
Then, as suddenly as the kiss started, it stopped, and the woman
took a seat between us. “Hi, you must be Maddy.”

“Hi…”

“Maddy, this is Suzanne.” He touched her arm
in a way that you would only do to someone you’re sleeping with,
and I knew my guess had been correct.

I wasn’t ready to admit how right I was. I
was still trying to figure out a way to excuse myself from the
situation. “Oh. And she is your…”

“Wife.” She said it with a huge smile.

“Uh, what?” My stomach did summersaults. Why
was she smiling? “I swear I had no idea he was married.” Maybe I
was wrong. Was this some sort of prime-time TV trap?

Suzanne reached out and placed her hand on
mine. Her nails were long and painted jet-black. “It’s all right.
No one’s upset with you.”

“Then what’s going on here?” I glanced around
for hidden cameras. With so many reality shows nowadays, it could
easily be one. Maybe it was a prank show set up by Macon?

“That’s where the adventurous part comes in.”
Gabriel took my other hand.

“Umm, I’m going to go.” I’d walked into the
mess myself, but that didn’t make it any better. A lever that would
send me through the floor would have been very convenient at the
moment.

“Wait. Are we making you uncomfortable?”

“Very.”

Neither let go of my hands, so I started to
push back my chair.

Suzanne scooted her chair closer to mine. “We
haven’t done this before either, but we’ve been looking for the
right person.”

“Right. Well, I’m not that person.” TV show
or not, was Macon behind it? If my roommates had been at the Grille
when Gabriel came in, I would have been sure of it.

“Wouldn’t you at least like to try?”

I shook my head vehemently. “Not a chance. I
hope you find what you’re looking for.” I pushed off their hands
and headed to the entrance.

Gabriel followed after. “Hey, Maddy. Sorry. I
guess I assumed you’d be up for it.”

I spun around to face him. “Why would you
assume that?”

“I heard the way you talked to those guys.
Plus, you’re a bartender.”

“That was an act. It’s the only way to
survive the job.”

“It was a very convincing act. Are you sure
you don’t want to come home with us? Just see where it goes? You
can leave anytime.”

I groaned. “Please lose my phone number.”

I started walking away from the restaurant.
“Wait. Where’s your car? How are you getting home?”

“I’m all set. Bye.” I sped up, looking behind
me to make sure he wasn’t following before pulling out my phone and
calling Brody. I didn’t want to deal with Macon’s teasing. It was
going to be bad whether or not he was involved. Brody’s phone went
to voicemail. I wasn’t surprised, he was working. I tried Macon
next. He picked up right away. “Where are you?”

“Home.”

“Why aren’t you laughing?”

“Why would I be laughing?”

“So you weren’t in on tonight’s date from
hell?” I asked, hoping he had been. Otherwise, my night was just
that much weirder.

“It didn’t go well?”

“You swear you have no idea what I’m talking
about?”

“Yes.”

“I hope you’re right.” I hung up, not in the
mood to deal with asking him to pick me up. I was only a few blocks
from the Grille, so I headed to work. Brody would be getting off in
twenty minutes, and I’d catch a ride.

I slumped down on a bench outside. Had that
actually happened? Had I really been propositioned by a couple to
be their third? Those sorts of things happened in movies, not my
life. I guess it’s what I got for talking the talk with nothing to
back it up.

I ran over my conversation in the Grille the
night before. “I don’t think you can handle me.” Yeah, I could
understand why someone might think I was a little adventurous.
Still, talking up my sexual appetite was different than wanting to
get involved with a husband and wife. I hoped that eventually I’d
look back on the night and laugh, but I wasn’t ready to do that
yet.

I sat on that bench waiting, trying to think
about anything but Gabriel and Suzanne. The problem is that my
brain immediately went to both Lyle and Colin—making me think about
how much I wanted both of them, and reminding me of how long it had
been since I’d had sex.

I walked up to the counter at Duck Donuts
wanting to satisfy my need for a cake donut with chocolate frosting
and sprinkles. It wasn’t the healthiest breakfast, but I’m usually
not the most health-conscious person. I ordered the donut and a
coffee, and walked over to fill my cup. I poured half-and-half in.
If I was eating a donut, there was no reason to skimp on the
creamer.

I picked up my donut and walked outside. The
one downside to riding a bike was having nowhere to put your
coffee. I wasn’t very good at the ‘riding one handed’ thing. I’d
have to walk my bike.

“Maddy, hey!” Colin caught up with me easily.
Walking a bike while holding coffee requires a slow and steady
pace.

“Hey.” Despite myself, I was happy to see
him.

“Where are you headed? You aren’t planning to
walk your bike all the way home, are you?”

“Oh no.” Even I wasn’t that crazy. “I’m
heading over to the park.”

“Oh cool. Mind if I join you?” He held up his
bag and coffee. I guess I wasn’t the only one in the mood for fried
dough that morning.

“Sure.”

“Can I help you with that?” He gestured to
the bag and cup balancing precariously in one hand.

“Thanks.” I awkwardly handed them over,
relieved the piping hot coffee didn’t spill.

“I’m glad I ran into you, I really am sorry I
didn’t call.”

I shrugged—or kind of did. Even with two
hands it took some work to push my bike through the grass. “It’s
fine.”

“It’s not. I screwed things up with the first
girl who’s really interested me in years. There’s nothing fine
about it.”

“Don’t make a bigger deal out of it then it
is. We went out a few times, you don’t owe me anything.”

“Does that mean you’re going to give me
another chance?” he asked with a note of excitement in his
voice.

I didn’t answer right away. On the one hand,
he’d dropped the ball. On the other hand, he probably wouldn’t try
to talk me into a threesome with his wife. “Sure.”

“Yeah? Cool. When are you free? We’ll work
around your schedule this time.”

I readjusted my hold on the handlebar. My
hand was getting stiff. “I have Tuesday and Wednesday off.”

“Great. Tuesday night then?”

I nodded. “Sure. When and where?”

“My place at seven?”

“Your place?” I wasn’t sure how I felt about
the suggestion. Sex with Colin sounded good—but like many things in
life, just because something is good doesn’t mean you should
indulge in it. Kind of like eating the second piece of cake—or a
cake donut.

“I want to make you dinner.” He smiled.
“Absolutely no expectations for any non-food dessert, I
promise.”