“Most people don’t,” he adds, shifting again. Now his thigh is resting against mine, and we are officially sitting right next to each other. We have to turn our heads to look at one another.
“What brought him here?” I ask.
“He fell in love with a girl who was going to Berkeley,” he says, and my heart drops in my chest at the mention of the school.
“Your mom?” I ask softly, and he nods once, the smile still playing on his lips.
“He was insistent I go to Duke because that’s where he went,” he says.
“That’s a jaunt from here,” I say, and he smiles again.
“Best four years of my life,” he adds.
“You enjoyed college?” I ask.
“I enjoyed being twenty-two hundred miles from my father,” he jokes, but we both know he’s not kidding.
“Really? And here I thought he was such a lovely man,” I tease, and it earns me a chortle.
“Well,” I say, turning to face him. “I hope someday you have time to read Whitman.”
When Dom turns to face me too, it puts us about two inches apart. Our eyes lock and by default wander to each other’s lips.
“I hope someday I have time to do a lot of things I daydream about doing,” he says, his voice low and gruff.
I can literally feel the magnetism between our mouths, and I don’t fight it, not even a little. Before anything can happen, his phone rings. We both pull back, silently cursing.
Later that night, I throw on my favorite jeans, a black halter top and heels and go to the Cockpit. Lainey perks up when I walk inand then waves me over to the bar top. She’s actually working behind the bar instead of on the floor.
“Are you guys short-staffed?” I ask as she whips up a martini.
“Nope,” she grins as the blond locks of her wig bounce with the movement of the shaker in her hand. “I work back here now.”
“You’re a bartender?” I ask excitedly.
“Yep!” she grins with all the pride in the world.
“How did that happen?” I ask as she sets a water in front of me.
“I guess Niko finally realized that I’ve been waitressing long enough, and it was time for a promotion,” she answers. She garnishes the martini with two bleu cheese olives and reaches for the next ticket.
“Well, it’s about damn time,” I tell her, setting my clutch bag on the bar top.
“Either that, or he was desperate after you left without giving him any notice. I was a better option than any of the new girls, especially since they’re all under twenty-one,” she jokes at her own expense, as Lainey often does.
“We’ll pretend it’s the first one,” I say with a wink.
“You want a drink?” she asks.
“I’m alright,” I say.
“What is it with you lately?” she asks. “You never turn down a cocktail. At least have a glass of wine, sheesh.”
“I’m alright, I promise. I’m not in the mood for alcohol.”
Her eyes narrow suddenly. “Is it Dom? Does he not let you drink?”
“Dom has nothing to do with it,” I assure her. “I’m just watching my weight, that’s all.”
