I sucked in my breath, my head dipping. “No, um, it’s nonalcoholic,” I told Neil quietly, figuring it was better if I admitted it myself.
“Seriously?” Neil sighed. “Fine. A rum and Coke, then.”
Jack nodded, moving to the other side of the bar to mix the drink.
It was silly that I was glad Neil hadn’t ordered my drink with alcohol added. I liked that Jack had made it only for me, but for all I knew it was something he’d made before.
“Nonalcoholic?” Neil asked, his tone tight.
I nodded, cringing inside. Natasha’s movement drew my eye back to her. “Natasha was telling me about other bars she likes.” I turned to her, smiling. “So, what did you like best about that last one?”
“I shouldn’t interrupt your date,” Natasha said, reaching for her drink. She wasn’t smiling anymore. “I feel silly now, giving you advice when I’m single and you’re with someone.”
My insides twisted, the pineapple flavor in my mouth souring. “Um, I really appreciated your advice. I’m new to this type of scene, so it was a big help. Neil and I—” My gaze moved to him, but he just lifted an eyebrow, so that was no help. “Well, it’s complicated.”
Natasha turned my way. “What do you mean?”
Jack was back with Neil’s drink. “Did you want to start a tab?” he asked Neil.
“You can put it on hers,” Neil said, waving a hand at me.
Jack’s mouth tightened again.
There was no way I was letting Jack comp Neil’s drink. I reached into my purse for my card, holding it out to Jack. I couldn’t help my triumphant smile.
His lips softened, and he took my card. “Fine.” He set up the tab quickly and handed it back, moving down the bar to another patron.
Natasha laughed at my side. “Watching you two is hilarious.”
I frowned at her in confusion. “What do you mean?”
She waved my question away. “Tell me about this complicated situation. I’m intrigued now.”
“Well, Neil and I, we’ve been together for a while, but we never really… dated anyone else.”
“Aww, that’s kind of cute,” Natasha said, her hand loosening around her glass.
“I guess, but it’s left us a little, well, unsure. About whether it’s the best fit.”
Natasha lifted an eyebrow. “Like, you don’t know enough about what’s out there to realize how lucky you are?”
I blinked at her. “You think we’re lucky?”
“Well, yeah. I mean, the dating thing sucks, even when you’re just looking for something casual like me.” She rolled her eyes. “If you found someone you love who wants the same things, and the sex is good, then why in the world would you want to mess that up?”
I must have winced when she’d said sex, because her eyes widened. “Ah, I see. The sex isn’t good.”
Neil made a choked sound beside me.
“I bet you two lost your cherry with each other. Shit, it’s probably been like the blind leading the blind.” Natasha shook her head.
“A little,” Neil agreed.
I bit my lip. It’s not that I knew nothing. I read, and I looked up things. With more hands-on experience, I’d keep getting better, but Neil never wanted to try anything new.
“We’ve given each other a hall pass tonight,” Neil was telling her. “We came together to help pick someone out for each other.”
“Did you now?” Natasha was looking at Neil, and her smile was the one she’d used on Jack. “Did you have a certain type of person in mind?”
