“He tried to block me from going back into work by parking his bike between my car and the hospital,” I said. “That was a little aggressive. It certainly was unbecoming of a gentleman, to say the least.”
“Okay, so he was a lot lacking,” Michael said. “Look, I’m sorry about that. I know he didn’t approach you in the best way possible. But he came to you because he thought that you were good at your job and we could create a win-win situation. Can you at least have a beer with me so you can hear me out?”
I knew that I shouldn’t. There was nothing good to be gained from agreeing to grab a beer with him, least of all, because I didn’t have any intention of agreeing with him. But you know what?
He was kind of cute. And I really didn’t have any other plans. If I was going to grab a beer with someone, it made sense to at least do it with someone attractive.
Attractive, or hot?
As soon as that thought returned, everything went out.
“You guys never learn, do you?” I said. “You think I’m going to bend over that easily?”
“No, I don’t,” Michael said. “I don’t expect you to do anything. I understand that if you don’t want to talk to me, you have good reason to. But I genuinely don’t think any harm can come from a conversation.”
Fuck, he was good. But that was the thing—I didn’t think he was trying to be “good.” I think he was just being honest and himself.
Michael was driving me insane at how much sense he was making. This was a terrible fucking idea, and I felt like I was getting sucked into a sales pitch that would suddenly last all night. But…
If I could repeal him, maybe it would finally end this stupid shit once and for all.
“Fine,” I said. “One beer, though. Not a drop more.”
“One beer,” Michael agreed. “Want me to drive us?”
“Hah, cute, but no,” I said. “I know how it works. I get on the bike, I fall for you, you win me over, I start working for you, and then six months later, I’m wondering how I wound up in this spot. Nice try, but no. I will drive myself.”
“Okay,” Michael said, unfazed.
Most men were usually so flustered by that point they would have just canceled the plans or turned so meek that I would have canceled it. It was kind of impressive that Michael didn’t, and I liked a guy who was both polite and willing to stand up to me. Unfortunately, probably ninety-nine percent of men were just one of the two or neither of the two.
And in any case, I reminded myself, this had nothing to do with liking him. I was biting the bullet here to show that no one could persuade anyone at this hospital to work off the clock for them.
“How would meeting up at Brewskis sound?”
I folded my arms. I hadn’t been to Brewskis before, but that wasn’t the concern. Letting him have a say in this was.
“Sorry, but if you’re going to talk to me, you’re going to do it on my terms,” I said.
At that, Michael smiled, almost as if daring me to keep pushing me to go. Well, I supposed it worked, because I did.
“If you think you’re going to charm me with your smile, forget it, Michael,” I said. “I’m only going to get a drink with you because I can finally shut your club the hell up.”
“If you did on a Thursday night in this town? I’d be asking you where to go because there ain’t much here.”
“Tell me about it,” I said before catching myself. “Bottle Evolution. I’ll see you there. Or not, I don’t care.”
Michael, in his most casual, slow-paced manner yet, shrugged. His nonchalance was somehow pissing me off more. No, not pissing me off—but it was evoking some sort of feeling.
“Would I have come this far and asked you to join me for a discussion if I was going to surprise you and just not take you up at the end?”
Ah, jeez. It’s like the charm is at level ten right now. Okay, fine.
“Probably not,” I said, moving past him. “I’ll see you there.”
I brushed by him, trying my best not to look at his handsome smile and his lit-up eyes. He certainly also had a nice elegance to him, although that may have only been in comparison to LeCharles, who was brusque, rude, and arrogant.
I didn’t think it was going to be much, though. It would give me a story at the office the next day, and Michael would quickly realize that if he couldn’t persuade me to help the club, absolutely no one was. It was my chance to nip this in the bud once and for all.
