“No, I just want Lyle to say more than three words to me.”
Brody leaned forward on his elbows. “That’s your problem. Your expectations are entirely too high.”
“Yeah, ridiculously high.” I set down a chilled glass and grabbed the Johnnie Walker Red Label. I measured out the liquor precisely, even though I could eye it better than most. I liked to pretend I was putting my chemistry major to good use when I made drinks. It made the four years I spent in college seem worth it. If you really think about it, making drinks is all about using the right ingredients with the right properties together.
I finished and took a deep breath before turning back toward my roommates. “Wish me luck.”
Brody gestured for me to lean in. “May the Force be with you.”
“Your Star Wars nerdiness might be one of my favorite things about you.”
“It takes one to know one.”
“Have I ever denied it?”
Macon leaned over. “No, but you hide it really well. You lure guys in with those short dresses and skirts, but little do they know they’re dating a total geek.”
“Geeks can be attractive. There’s nothing exclusive about one or the other. Besides, I think I officially lost my geek status now.” I picked up the drink and walked over to where Lyle was plugging in and tuning his guitar. He played one of those acoustics with a pickup.
“You’re still a geek!” Macon called after me. “No amount of paper can change that.”
I smiled. I let Macon think he got to me more than he actually did.
I stopped a few feet away from Lyle, but he still hadn’t acknowledged my approach. I wasn’t sure if it was the noise from the customers, or because he didn’t care to talk to me until he had to. “Hey.”
“Oh, hey.” He glanced up and ran a hand through his brown hair that was kind of long and screamed “surfer boy.” Although the surfer and musician look overlapped sometimes.
“Here’s your drink.” I’d given up asking him if he had a preference weeks before. He told me to surprise him, so I did. The only problem is he almost always took just one sip. I was usually good at picking the right drink for people, but evidently the skill wasn’t working on Lyle.
“Thanks.” He nodded and smiled slightly. He didn’t have a toothy smile; it was more of a closed-lip thing, but it still did something to me.
“You’re welcome.” I waited a minute to make sure he wasn’t going to say anything else before heading back to the bar.
Brody spun around on his stool as soon as I got back behind the bar. “Did you at least get four words?”
“Nope. ‘Oh. Hey.’ And ‘thanks.’”
Macon swirled the ice in his glass. “That jerk. He could have at least said thank you instead.”
“Maybe next time.”
“Or you could take my advice.”
I sighed. “Let’s enjoy the music.”
Brody rested his elbow on the bar. “You’re the only one who thinks he’s that good.”
“Come on. His lyrics are incredible.”
Brody glanced at his watch. “He’s got a good voice, but I don’t get why you are so into his songs.”
I shrugged. “You guys don’t get it.”
Macon rolled his eyes in that annoying way of his. “Of course we don’t. We are far too lowly to understand the message behind his music.”
Any chance to reply disappeared when Lyle took the microphone. “Hey, everyone. I’m Lyle Waverly and here are a few of my messed-up tunes.”
After a long intro, his low gravelly voice broke in. I closed my eyes focusing on the lyrics.
Loving the loneliness…loving the empty space. We can all take off our masks now, life’s about the escape.
“Excuse me? Miss?” I opened my eyes and groaned.
Macon and Brody laughed as I tried to rein in my annoyance at getting interrupted.
“Can I get a Heineken and a Sex on the Beach?”
“Seriously?” I said with more of an attitude than I meant to. That’s how you know you work in a tourist trap. I mean, non-beachside bars couldn’t possibly sell so many of these things.
“Is that a problem? Do you not have Heineken?”
“We have Heineken.” I turned around, grabbed the beer, and made yet another Sex on the Beach. I tried to concentrate on the music while I worked, but the guy ordering the drinks was busy talking to my roommates.
“Here you go.” I set down the drinks after adding the orange and maraschino cherry. As pointless as it sometimes seems, garnish has its place. Presentation has more value than you’d think. “Do you want me to open a tab?”
“Oh, no thanks.” He put down a twenty. “Keep the change.”
I leaned against the back counter again right as Lyle finished the song. Darn it. It had been a new one, and I hoped he’d play it again. I was in need of a new song to dissect.
Brody used the break for applause to lay it on me. “Lucky Max didn’t see the way you treated that guy.”
“Come on. He deserved it.”
“Oh? Is there a sign that says don’t bug the moody bartender while she’s listening to her dream boyfriend sing?”
I crossed my arms, determined to enjoy the rest of the set.
Lyle started singing again, and thankfully this time no one interrupted.
“Oh my god, Maddy, you missed it.” Macon downed his water. I’d cut him off after two drinks since he was driving home.
“What?”
Macon leaned forward, his face stopping only a few inches from mine. “He took three sips.”
“Really?” He rarely took two sips—and three? It was a new record. I looked at Brody. He usually gave everything away.
He nodded.
“Hmm, I guess he does like whiskey.”
Yeah, I was pathetic.
Chapter Two
I peeked out the window again. Colin struck me as the kind of guy who was on time or early, but he was already twenty minutes late. After asking me out a half-dozen times, I was beyond surprised that he might have been standing me up. I may have initially rejected him, but that didn’t mean I wanted him rejecting me, and despite the nerves, I was looking forward to seeing him without a bar between us.
Some people would say accepting a date with one guy while obsessing over another was a mistake, but I’d spent the whole summer waiting for Lyle to show me even the smallest amount of interest. It was time to give up. Instead, I focused on Colin’s smile and his deep Southern drawl. His voice was warm and sexy. I sighed, dropping the blind back into place.
“Chill out, Maddy. He’s late. You didn’t even want to go out with him.” Macon shared his never-ending support while he made a sandwich in the kitchen. Our condo, which was really Macon’s condo, was an open floor plan with three bedrooms. His parents bought it as an investment property, so he was living in it and charging Brody and me rent. My parents and Macon’s were close, and that was probably the only reason they didn’t try to get me committed when I told them I was going to live with two guys. I liked my living situation. It was cheaper than if I got my own place, and the best part was I could ride my bike (as in bicycle) to work. I didn’t have a car, and I didn’t plan on getting one anytime soon.
I tossed my purse down on the end table and sat on the couch. “He could have at least called and given me an excuse.”
“You prefer for a guy to lie to you?”
“It’s better than sitting around waiting.” I crossed my arms.
“Either he shows up or he doesn’t. Moping around isn’t going to help. Want a sandwich?”
“Thanks, but no thanks.”
A knock on the door stopped us from continuing the conversation. I got up, but Macon beat me to the door. “Hello. Can I help you?”
“I’m here for Maddy.”
“She was expecting you at noon.”
I groaned. Macon could be such an ass sometimes.
I pushed Macon out of the way. “Hey.”
“Maddy.” Coli
n looked distraught. “I’m so sorry. I got caught up with work and my damn phone didn’t get service out at the project I was checking up on.”
“Oh, that’s okay. We can reschedule if you want.”
His face fell. “Why? Do you want to? Do you have somewhere you need to be soon?”
“No, but if you’re busy with work…”
“Oh no. That’s fine now. I’ve been looking forward to this all day.”
“All right, then let’s go.” I turned around again. Macon was back to his sandwich. “Bye.”
He piled on something resembling ham. I’d learned not to eat anything in the fridge I didn’t buy myself. Brody was protective of his food, and Macon’s wasn’t safe. “Have fun. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”
“Is there anything you wouldn’t do?”
He grinned. “A few things.”
I half-smiled. “See ya later.”
Colin led the way down the two flights of stairs. He stopped in front of a BMW convertible and opened the passenger door for me. Either he had a lot of money, or he wanted people to think so. I wasn’t sure which it was.
I slipped in, tugging down my skirt to protect my legs from the scorching leather seat. “Thanks.”
“Of course. Thanks for agreeing to go out with me.” He closed my door and went around to the driver’s side.
I smiled. There was no reason to remind him of how many times I’d turned him down before. It’s not like I wasn’t attracted to him from the beginning—it would have been impossible not to be. Tall, around six foot, with jet-black hair, he was striking. He was definitely my type.
“I thought we’d head down to the beach. I know a great spot there that’s perfect for a picnic.”
“Do you take all of your dates there?” I wondered what was so special about the spot he wanted to take me. We were on the Outer Banks, so the beach was everywhere.
“No. I’ve never had a picnic date before.”
“I have, but not on the beach.” Mine had been in a park at night during high school. The picnic was great and all until I discovered my date had packed condoms in the picnic basket. That date didn’t last long. Neither did our relationship.
“Oh.” There was a definite note of disappointment in his voice. “Did you enjoy it?”
“Not particularly.” No reason to share the details. “I have a feeling this one will be much more enjoyable.”
“Good.” He downshifted as we headed farther from town. The wind cooled down the seat, and a few minutes in, I let myself relax. It was only a date. Just because the guy was older and someone I barely knew didn’t make it any different than other dates.
Who was I kidding? Of course it did. The only guys I’d dated before had been friends first. I had no idea how to handle the “getting to know you” part of dating.
We didn’t talk much on the drive. He kept glancing over at me with this grin on his face. I enjoyed the wind in my hair. If I did buy a car, I wanted a convertible. Of course that was what I wanted, but with my finances, I’d end up with a secondhand compact.
“You okay?” He pulled into a spot.
“Yeah. Definitely.”
“Okay. Just checking.” He pulled a woven picnic basket out of the backseat.
“Wow, you went all out.”
“I’ll be honest. I picked it up. But it’s better this way. Trust me.”
“Then I’m sure it’s going to be good.”
We walked down the beach until we found the spot he’d been alluding to. He unfolded a large blue and red blanket, and we spread it out on the sand.
I sat down with my legs stretched out, waiting for Colin to join me. He placed the basket on his far side, kneeled, and pulled out a bottle of pinot grigio and two glasses.
“Wine?” He’d never struck me as the wine type.
He smiled. “Despite the time, this is a date.”
“Oh really?” I smoothed out my skirt, wishing I’d worn shorts instead. I hadn’t thought about the awkwardness of sitting on a blanket in a skirt. I’d been thinking more about being cute. That was pretty surprising for me. Usually, I put practicality first.
“Yes. I’ve waited quite a while for this date.” He moved to sitting.
“Have you?” I wondered where he planned to go with the conversation. We both knew how many times he’d asked.
“Yeah, since the first night I saw you at the Grille.” He opened the wine and poured us each a glass.
“Wow, I guess I made a good first impression.”
“I liked how much time you spent measuring out everything. You were very meticulous. It’s like you view bartending as a science.”
I shrugged, ignoring the fact that he must have been watching me that night. He’d only ordered a beer. “It kind of is.”
He handed me my glass. “I guess you’re right, but most people don’t see it that way.”
“I guess not.”
He lightly clinked his glass against mine. “To you finally giving this a shot.”
I smiled, willing the awkwardness away.
He leaned back on one hand, looking so comfortable with the situation. I wondered how I appeared. “Have you decided whether you’re staying around after Labor Day?”
“Yes.” I sipped the cool white wine.
“And?”
“I’m staying.” I set aside the wine and leaned back on my elbows. The sun beat down on my face, and I loved it.
“Really? For good?” He watched me eagerly.
“Well, for the winter at least.”
He leaned over slightly. “That’s fantastic.”
“Yeah, it’s the best thing for me right now.”
“I have to agree.” He grinned. “But I guess I don’t need to use my speech anymore.”
“Your speech?”
“Yeah.” He sipped his wine. “My ‘you should stay’ speech.”
“Oh, this I have to hear.” I couldn’t help but feel flattered, even though I knew it was all him pretending to care more than he actually did.
“You still want to hear it?”
“Yes.”
“All right, here goes.” He shifted toward me slightly. “I know you only came here for the summer, but Corolla in the off-season is a totally different place. I think you’ll enjoy the quiet, peaceful lifestyle. If Max can’t give you enough shifts, I know we’re always looking for temps in the office. I’d really like the chance to get to know you better, I already can tell we have a connection, and I want to explore it.”
“I like that last point.” Something about those words sent shivers down my body. I liked the thought of exploring anything with him. Maybe it was the way he looked at me with such adoration, or the way he leaned over on his elbow, but he looked irresistible.
“Yeah? I hoped you would.”
“So how do you plan on further exploring our connection?”
“Hmm, I don’t know if I should let you in on all my secrets yet.”
Things suddenly felt too hot and heavy. “But offering me a job might be a little over the top.”
“Yeah? I was afraid I’d overdo it. Believe it or not, this was my first ‘please stay’ speech.”
“Really? I’d have thought you’d have to use them on girls all the time.”
He laughed. “No, they usually run away before I have time to come up with one.”
“I guess I wasn’t fast enough.”
“Or maybe I was.”
“Are you trying to sound creepy?”
“No. I was going for seductive. It didn’t come across that way?”
“Nope.”
“Okay. Note to self: Next time leave off the ‘I was fast enough’ part.”
I laughed. “So, what all did you get?”
He set aside his wine and started pulling out containers. “I wasn’t sure what you liked, so I got a variety.”
“A variety? It looks like enough food to feed four.”
“Better to be prepared.” He opened a round container. “This i
s some sort of pasta salad.”
“Looks good. And is that fruit?” Fruit sounded better than anything in this heat.
“Yes, there are some chocolate-covered strawberries for dessert too.”
“You’re perfect, you know that?” I reached over him and found the strawberries. “But I’m not saving them for dessert.” I wanted them, and I knew he wouldn’t care.
He laughed. “I don’t know about perfect, but I’m glad I’ve made you happy.”
I took a bite of one of the chocolate-covered strawberries. “Mmm. Very happy.” The milk chocolate melted in my mouth and mixed in with the juice from the strawberry, creating one of my all-time favorite flavor combinations.
He laughed again, and it was deeper this time. “You are even more entertaining than I expected.”
“Entertaining?”
“Yeah, you have this light about you. It pulls you in.”
“How old are you?” He didn’t look much older than my twenty-two, but he seemed it sometimes.
“Twenty-six.”
“That’s what I thought.” One year off wasn’t a bad estimate.
“You’re twenty-two, right?”
“How’d you guess?”
“It wasn’t really a guess.” He turned slightly red. “I asked around about you and found out you’d just graduated from UVA.”
“Yeah, that’s me. Using my degree so well.”
“What’s your degree in?” He unwrapped a sandwich.
“Chemistry.”
“Chemistry? Does that explain the science of bartending?”
I laughed. “Maybe a little.”
“What do you plan to do with it? Graduate school?”
“The original plan was med school.” My stomach churned when I said those two words.
“Original plan? What changed?” He watched me as though he cared about the answer.
“I got rejected everywhere I applied.”
His eyes widened slightly. “I’m sorry to hear that. I’ve heard the process is hard. Are you going to try again?”
“I’m not sure. My parents want me to.”
“Are they doctors?”
Shaken Not Stirred (Mixology) Page 2
