“Anything exciting happen while I was gone?” I took two steps toward her and immediately noticed her body stiffen as she stepped back a bit. She was reacting to me. Had it always been like this? Maybe I just never noticed. I was now picking up on the body language that had probably been there all along.
“No. It was really quiet with you not here. Without the distraction, I ended up stalking Rory’s Facebook page, which was a total mistake. He was tagged by some girl while they were out. I shouldn’t have done that.”
I had to act surprised because of course I already knew about that from our email exchange. “I’m sorry you had to see that.”
“I unfriended him, so I don’t have to see his posts anymore. It’s for the best.”
“Good.” I scratched my chin. “That was a good idea.”
She looked up at me, her eyes reflecting so many different things: sadness, desire, desperation, confusion. That jackass had left her feeling so lost, doubting herself. But the answer to her problems had nothing to do with him. She needed to get out, find herself, separate her own self-worth from the breakup.
There was no question that I was attracted to her. I was very attracted to Amber—always had been. That didn’t mean I was the right person for her. She was too vulnerable to mess with. Not to mention, the mature side of me really didn’t want to ruin a good thing—I valued her friendship more than anything, and this time in Boston with her was like a second chance to renew it. There weren’t exactly a lot of people in my life whom I could depend on. Not to mention, Lainey would have been proud of me for looking after her best friend and not fucking things up.
Amber was generally smart. But her contacting that service proved she could be misguided. Paying for sex wasn’t the answer to her problem. She needed help finding someone without having to resort to that. Even though the thought of pawning her off to some dude in a bar admittedly made me jealous, I sucked it up because the alternative of how she was handling herself was definitely the bigger evil.
“You need to put yourself out there, Amber. As hard as that might be.”
“I tried online dating. It’s not for me.”
“What happened?”
“Well, as an example, one guy told me how much he wanted to give me a pearl necklace. I thought he had some kind of jewelry fetish. Annabelle had to break the news to me about what it was. That was pretty much the end of it for me.”
Oh shit.
“Yeah, he wanted to bejewel you with his cum. Sick fuck. Also beware of someone who wants to shower you in gold.”
“Yeah, I know that now.”
“Maybe try a different route. You need to force yourself to go out more. You can gauge people better in person. We should go out Friday night. I can be your wingman.”
“You’re gonna what…pimp me out?”
The irony in her choice of words was not lost on me.
“No. But I’m very good at judging people on a first impression, so I can help you determine if a guy is worth talking to, help make a smooth introduction to avoid any awkwardness.”
“I’m not really ready for that kind of thing.”
“I know that. But you probably never will feel ready. Sometimes, you just have to push yourself to get out of the house. That’s half the battle. Then, you just sit back and watch life happen. Nothing great can happen to you if you stay home all of the time.”
She cracked a slight smile that I knew was masking a plethora of self-doubt as she tried to convince herself of all the reasons not to take me up on my offer.
“Amber...just drinks. Okay?”
She let out a breath and softly said, “Okay.”
CHAPTER SIX
* * *
AMBER
Happenstance was a bar a few blocks from home. A co-worker had recommended it, saying the atmosphere was relaxed, and the beer was reasonably priced. So, I suggested it to Channing for our night out.
A jukebox sat unused in the corner. Maybe I’d get up and play something later.
The bar was channeling an old Coyote Ugly vibe. Hundreds of bras hung over rods along the ceiling, an indication that there had certainly been some wild nights at this joint. Unfortunately, tonight wasn’t one of them.
“So, what do you have up your sleeve tonight, Lord?”
“Absolutely nothing. This is just a night out between friends. But if anyone happens to catch your eye, just let me know. I’m your man.”
“And what exactly are you going to do if I decide I want to talk to someone?”
“I’ll catch him at the bar, start a casual conversation with him. I need to vet the guy first to make sure he’s not a tool. If it seems like he’s worth talking to, I’ll give you a signal. We’ll have to come up with something. Like maybe I’ll look over at you and scratch my chin.”
My eyes were transfixed on Channing’s masculine fingers rubbing against his scruff as he demonstrated.
“That’ll signal that it’s safe to come over,” he said.
“Then, what?”
“I’ll introduce you as my friend. I can casually slip away if it turns out you’re getting along with him. If not, you can excuse yourself.”
“Is this what you do for your guy friends?”
“I’ve done it a few times in the past.”
“Does it work?”
“Sometimes, yes. Sometimes, no.”
“Why?” I asked before the answer hit me. “Oh, let me guess…because the chick ends up disappointed that you weren’t the one interested in her. She wants you instead.”
He laughed guiltily. “That might have happened once or twice.”
“Oh, my God, Channing, I would never let you be my wingman if I were a guy. That would be counterproductive.”
“Well, it’s a good thing you’re not a guy, then, isn’t it?”
Channing looked and smelled amazing. He wore a dark gray beanie that reminded me of the one in the photo on Facebook. His shiny hair was sticking out at the top. The wooly, fitted sweater he was wearing made me want to scratch it like a cat.
He looked around. “I don’t see any viable options.”
“I’d have to agree with you. It’s pretty empty here tonight.”
Channing took a bite of his fry and dipped it in my ketchup. “Some things to keep in mind if you’re ever out and about without me…”
I straightened in my seat. “Okay…what?”
“Be wary of men who are by themselves in bars. They’re lurkers.” He pointed to a man in the corner of the room. “Like that guy over there. A dude is much safer if he’s with a friend or a group. Much less likely to be a psychopath.”
“Makes sense. And, well, you do seem able to read people. I was impressed by your observation of that couple in the bookstore.”
“Look around, tell me what you want to know about someone here. I’ll tell you their story.”
Taking him up on his challenge, I pointed to a girl sitting at the bar. “What about her?”
The girl looked tense, like she was waiting for someone.
“See how she’s looking around frantically? She’s waiting for her Tinder date, and I think it might be the first time she’s ever done this. She’s already decided she’s going to have sex tonight. She’s not sure if she should, but she’s going to do it anyway.”
Interesting. That reminded me of something.
I pointed to the man in the corner. “What about him…the guy you said was a lurker. What’s his deal, really?”
“He’s probably here looking for you, but I’m with you, so thankfully that was intercepted. He’s creepy.”
“Totally.” I looked toward the opposite corner of the room where a man and woman were together but completely ignoring each other. “What about that couple over there?”
“God, look at them. They’re both on their phones, not even paying attention to each other. They’ve been together for a while probably and just don’t give a shit anymore. That’s kind of sad.”
“Yeah, but we all do t
hat from time to time, right?” I said.
His eyes widened. “You and Rory went out and spent half the night looking down at your phones?”
“Well, yeah, actually we did sometimes. You’ve never done that?”
“I can’t even recall one time I pulled out my phone on a date. Well, not for the purpose of making a phone call or checking the Internet.”
“What other purposes are there?”
Channing smirked, and that made me very curious.
“Maybe I don’t want to know. But tell me anyway.”
“A woman once asked me to go to the bathroom and text her a picture of how hard I was for her. So, I made an exception and pulled out my phone in that instance.”
“That’s not all you pulled out, apparently.” I laughed.
“Touché.”
Normally, the idea of Channing sending a photo of his cock to some woman would make me cringe. Maybe it was the alcohol, but right now, the thought of him sneaking off into a bathroom and doing something like that was turning me on. Then again, everything was turning me on lately. I really needed to figure out where the off button was.
I cleared my throat. “Okay, so you make exceptions for dick pics...”
“Only dick pics.” He winked. “Otherwise, it’s disrespectful and shows the person that I’m more interested in other things. If I’m with someone, I’m going to be mentally present, otherwise what’s the point of being together?”
“Yeah, but after you’ve been with someone for a while, it’s a little different. You’ve never gotten to that point with anyone. In a long-term relationship, gone are the butterflies and the dick pics.”
“Well, that’s just a shame. Maybe that’s part of the problem. If being online is more interesting than the person sitting in front of you, then what does that say?” He looked back over at the couple. “Those two haven’t looked at each other once. If that’s what a relationship is like, then I’m happy I’m not in one.”
It was hard to argue with that.
My attention turned to two men who were looking in our direction. “What about those guys?”
“They’re gay,” Channing said without hesitation.
“Ah, you have gaydar, too?”
“Well, if they’re looking at me and not you, then yes, that makes it pretty easy to figure out. You don’t even really need gaydar, in that case.”
“I guess you’re right.” I sighed and surveyed the room some more. “What do you think someone turning the tables on us right now would think? What impression would we give?”
“They would think we were either old friends or on a good date because we’re actually comfortable with each other and engaged in conversation. And they would think I was entertaining because you’re smiling and laughing.”
“They wouldn’t know what a miserable person I am normally.”
His expression turned serious. “I don’t see you that way at all, Amber.”
“How do you see me? What’s your honest impression of me since arriving in Boston?”
“You want the truth?”
“Yes.”
“You’re still sixteen to me.” He laughed.
“Shut up, really? You think so? Well, you definitely look a lot older to me, but not in a bad way.”
“You honestly look almost the same. But I’m not just talking about your appearance. When I look at you, I see my sister’s friend, the girl who hung out in my basement and who used to kick my ass in air hockey. That’s who I see, even though I know you’re really not her anymore. Maybe I just want you to be her. I’m choosing to see that version of you for selfish reasons.”
“You prefer her over the person I am now…”
He was quick to correct. “That’s not what I meant…at all. You have every reason to be in a funk right now. And, of course, you’ve grown up a lot. I was more referring to the nostalgia of thinking about the connection we had back then. We lost touch when I went away to UF. And after that, it was never really the same between you and me. That’s what happens when you’re young. We evolve. But the mark of true friendship is that you can still come full circle, even if life circumstances change.”
“I always knew you’d be there for me if I ever needed you, but I never would’ve imagined that I’d be sitting in a bar in Boston with you and certainly wouldn’t have dreamt that we’d be living together.”
“It’s fate. The timing was right. The job brought me here, but the universe knew you really needed someone to give you a good kick in the ass.”
“Have you started reading The Law of Attraction? You mentioned the universe…”
He winked. “I might have.”
“I hope you don’t think I’m a whack job after you get done with it.”
“I’m surprised at how much I’m liking it, actually. And I think that what the book teaches about manifesting your own destiny can help you get over the R word if you apply it correctly.”
“You can say his name. I won’t freak out. I’m done crying over it.”
Channing tapped my foot with his under the table. “Good.”
“I just need to hit a reset button on my life.”
He smacked the table. “There it is, the new R word. Reset.”
“Love that.” I sighed. “You know, my problem is…I’ve never dated. I never had to because I was always with Rory. I feel like I don’t really know how to handle myself in that situation. I’m like a fish out of water.”
“So, let’s practice.”
“How?”
“We’ll pretend to be two people who are just meeting here. I can stay in character if you can. It’ll be like improv.”
“Oh, boy.” I laughed. This sounded crazy but kind of fun at the same time. “I guess I should take advantage of the opportunity to practice with a true expert.” When he suddenly got up, I asked, “Where are you going?”
“I need to enter the bar, pretend like I’m just meeting you.” He winked. “Just wing it, alright?”
“Alright.” I took a long sip of my drink.
Channing exited the building then reentered.
He was apparently not fooling around. He actually went to the bar and ordered a beer before his head slowly turned toward me. When his gaze met mine, his mouth curled into a sly smile. I covered my mouth in laughter before he gave me a scolding look with his eyes. He was silently reprimanding me for not taking this seriously. It was in that moment that I vowed to get my shit together and actually play along.
The only problem was, I couldn’t stop laughing and worse: I got the hiccups. Whenever I laughed really hard, I would always get the worst case of them. Channing was cracking up now, too, because he remembered my hiccup issue. It used to happen to me all of the time when we were younger.
When the laughter died down, the sexy smirk returned to Channing’s face as he once again moved into character, playing the role of my mysterious suitor.
Flirtatiously twirling my hair with my index finger, I returned his smile.
When he began to walk toward me, I actually got goosebumps. My physical reaction was no different than if this was actually happening.
“Are you alone?” he asked.
My heartbeat sped up. “Yes.”
“Mind if I join you?”
“Not at all.”
He pulled out a chair and sat down. “I’m Channing.” He held out his hand, and when I took it, his touch felt electric. My nipples hardened. Maybe this wasn’t such a great idea.
“My name is Amber.” Hiccup.
“Well, excuse you. You okay there?”
“Yeah, I just get the hiccups when I laugh too hard. You made me laugh earlier.”
“Is that so?” His tone was so flirtatious.
“Yeah.”
“You know, I used to have a friend who hiccuped whenever she laughed too hard. You know what I would do to her?”
“What?”
“I would scare the living daylights out of her when she least expected it. That’s supposed t
o make them go away.”
“Please don’t do that to me,” I said seriously. It used to annoy me when he’d startle me.
“Well, what’s a beautiful, hiccuping girl like yourself doing alone in a bar anyway?”
“Just relaxing, having a drink.”
Over the course of the next thirty minutes, Channing stayed in character, asking me question after question about my job and personal interests—as if we were meeting each other for the very first time. Honestly, it was freaky how real it felt. I found myself getting lost in the experience, almost forgetting who we were and the purpose of the skit. He was so engaging and easy to talk to. Something told me that this wasn’t exactly how it would be with most guys I’d pick up in a bar. I wasn’t going to admit this to him, but if this were real, I’d be totally sold on him right now.
My hiccups still hadn’t waned, though. At one point mid-conversation, Channing grabbed my glass of water and drank a sip before suddenly splashing it in my face. The surprise impact of the water hitting my skin caused a rush of adrenaline.
Drenched, I yelled, “What was that for?”
“For your hiccups!”
Wiping my face with a napkin, I said, “I told you not to scare me.”
“I bet they go away now, though.”
“Sure…now that I look like a drowned rat.”
“No, you don’t. You look beautiful.”
After that comment, it was necessary to remind myself that he was still in character.
Sure enough, the hiccups never returned as we continued our little roleplay game. Channing gradually pushed his chair nearer to me. His face was close to mine whenever he spoke. I could smell the beer on his tongue mixed with his cologne. There was likely no sexier scent on Earth than the combination of those two things. I was trying to ignore the fact that my panties were wet just from the closeness of his body and from the feel of his breath on my face. That made me realize how hard-up I was.
God.
After several minutes of talking, he leaned in and spoke directly in my ear, “I’m not far from the bar at all. How about we get out of here. Go back to my place.” His lips actually touched my skin, and his breath felt like it travelled through my ear canal and down to my vagina. It nearly did me in. This game was starting to play serious tricks on me. The urge to lean in, grab him by his hat, and bring him to my lips was enormous.