Besides, if I get involved with him and it blows up, I wouldn’t only lose my new business, I’d also lose afriend—one I’ve recently come to understand I really value. It’s all just… too messy.
Still, after last night I can’t deny how much I want something real. The feeling of Myles touching me doesn’t even compare to the shitty meet-ups I’ve been having with guys from Tinder. I’m so over all that.
My eyes land on Alex’s engagement ring and determination grips me. Before I can talk myself out of it, I grab my phone and delete all my dating apps, one by one. It’s time to take a step in the right direction.
“I’m not going to pursue something with Myles, but—” I take a deep breath. “Maybe you could set me up with someone. Do you guys know anyone?”
They exchange a long look. This is the problem with these two: they work together at the bookstore and they’ve developed this secret little language I’m not part of.
Eventually, Alex sighs. “Fine. I think I know someone.”
Geoff frowns at her. “You do?”
She nods. “Stefan, from work.”
“Stefan?” Geoff looks doubtful. “Really?”
“Yep.”
Geoff’s frown deepens. “Are you sure? Because—”
“Yes,” Alex says, giving him a meaningful look. They glance back at each other and there’s another moment where they seem to be communicating telepathically. I raise my eyes to the ceiling with impatience.
“Yeah, actually.” Geoff turns to me, grinning broadly. “Stefan. He’s… nice.”
“Stefan,” I repeat, trying the name on for size. “Okay, yes. Set me up with Stefan.”
That should take my mind off Myles. Right?
21
So far, the plan to forget about Myles isnotgoing well.
In fact, over the three days since we had sex, I haven’t been able to get him out of my mind. It’s driving me crazy—and not in a good way. Because I don’twantto be thinking about him. This is the completeoppositeof what I wanted.
So, when Alex and Geoff told me Stefan could meet me tonight, I leapt at the chance. Maybe he’ll help me reset, help me erase my mind of Myles. Like a sort of… palate cleanser.
I glance nervously around Bounce, smoothing my hair. I didn’t really want to do this here, but Josie told me Myles wasn’t working tonight. Just as well. I don’t love the idea of going on a date right in front of him. That would be unbelievably awkward.
I could have done this somewhere else, I suppose. But after that whole thing a year ago, Cory made me promise not to meet new guys anywhere else. And really, this is the only place I feel safe enough to do this.
Besides, this was my bar first, right? My brother owns it; I was meeting guys here before Myles was even in the city. And why am I even feeling weird about this? It’s not like Myles and I are dating. In fact, in all his emails over the past few days, he hasn’t mentioned anything about the other night. I need to stop making a big deal out of nothing.
Anyway. At least I won’t have to see him until—
“Hey.” I look up to find Myles leaning against the bar and my heart jolts.
Fuck. What?Whyis he here?
His gaze dips to my dress, lingers, then comes back to my face, and a line forms between his brows.
“Hi,” I say as casually as I can. For some reason there’s a corkscrew suddenly twisting through my middle. “I, uh, thought you weren’t working tonight.”
He shrugs, wiping the bar. “Cory called me in at the last minute.”
“Right.” I roll my lips to the side, trying to be normal. This definitely feels weird.Whydid I think meeting Stefan here would be a good idea? “Um, this might be a bit awkward, but I have a date coming. I’m sorry, if I’d known you were going to be here, I wouldn’t have… you know.”
He looks down at the bar and scrubs hard at an invisible stain, before glancing back at me with his trademark grin. “Sure. No worries. Business as usual.”
