Jacks’s eyebrows went up. “Myfavorite?”
“Yeah. Whatever you’d order for yourself.”
“Oh man, that’s easy. Champa BayTequeños. It’s Venezuelan cheese sticks, like elevated mozzarella sticks but wrapped in thin pastry dough and way better, served with a tangy garlic sauce. It’s perfect bar food but still feels like something real.” He was already writing it down, his enthusiasm shifting from teasing to genuine. “Kind of like a romp in the back office.”
“Fucking hell,” I said as I slumped over and let my head hit the table.
I could hear Jacks laughing from above. “What about a drink?”
“Have Benji surprise me,” I groaned without lifting my head. “Just go away, please.”
I didn’t dare look up, but I swore I couldhearJacks’s entire face light up. “Oh, this is going to be good. Benjilovessurprise orders, and when he finds out it’s for you, he’s going to go into ‘full Benji mode.’” I heard his tennis shoes slapping against the hard flooring as he began bouncing—literally bouncing—like a golden retriever who’d just been told he was going to the park. “Be right back. This is going to be amazing.”
I peeked up to watch him scamper away, weaving through the crowd, and I could hear him shouting toward the bar: “BENJI! SURPRISE DRINK FOR THE LAWYER! MAKE IT SUPER GAY!”
My head hit the tabletop with anotherthunk.
This was my life now.
Yay me.
The episode ofHorny Rivalswas in full swing—something about a big game and locker room tension. Every guy in the bar was invested. Whenever the two main characters got close, the crowd lost it—cheering, groaning, and someone near the bar screaming, “JUST KISS ALREADY!”
All the while, I stole glances at Finn.
And he stole them back.
Every single time our eyes met, he’d smile.Sometimes, it was little more than a tiny quirk of his lips; but sometimes it grew into his full, genuine smile that made my stomach flip.
I was so in trouble.
Deep, serious trouble.
My food arrived, and Jacks hadn’t steered me wrong. The Champa BayTequeñoswere freakin’ amazing. The drink Benji graced me with was bright pink and topped with what looked like cotton candy.
“Benji calls it ‘The PK,’” Jacks had explained, setting it down with a flourish. “Because it looks all pure and innocent, like a preacher’s kid, but it’sverygay and will destroy you if you’re not careful.”
“Sounds perfect,” I’d said.
“Come to think of it, it’s just like boss,” Jacks added with a wicked wink before disappearing back into the crowd.
I ate slowly, watched the show, and watched Finn, all the while trying not to think too hard about the fact that I was smitten with a man I’d known for little more than three weeks.
The episode ended with the two hockey players kissing. And it wasn’t just kissing; it was full-on making out against the locker room wall. The bar went absolutely feral.
When the credits rolled, the applauseand cheers were deafening.
I thought people would start leaving after that. Head home, clear out, rest up for their workday that would come too early on a Monday.
Instead, more people showed up.
The door kept opening.
More bodies poured in.
Within twenty minutes, the bar had gone from “packed” to “fire marshal would have a stroke.”
People stood shoulder to shoulder, and the noise of laughter and guys chatting was so loud I couldn’t even hear the music playing over the speakers.
