“I was behind the bar the entire night, and we were slammed. I barely had time to breathe, let alone—”
“So you just stared at him from across the bar?” Priya was trying not to laugh.
“I didn’t stare—”
“You totally stared,” Mark said. “Jacks says—”
“Jacks is a collaborator!”
“I pay my spies well.” Mark grinned.
“Fine,” I said. “I was aware of his presence.”
“That is just starting with extra steps.” Priya leaned forward. “Okay, so you did not talk to him. Did you at least get his number?”
“No.”
“Do you know which firm he works for?”
“No.”
“Do you know anything about him besides the fact that he looks good in a tight T-shirt?”
“I know his name is Chase, he works in family law, he’s overworked, and he makes these sounds when he eats burgers that remind me of Russian porn.” I realized what I’d just said. “I mean—”
Mark was laughing so hard his eyes were watering.
Priyashook her head, but she was smiling.
“You are hopeless,” she said. “And smitten.”
“I’m not hopeless—”
“You arecompletelyhopeless.” She pointed at me. “You need a plan.”
“I have a plan. We’re doing theme nights and—”
“Finn!” Mark snapped.
“A plan for Chase, you naughty little radish.” Priya grabbed the napkin I’d been writing on and turned it over.
“Naughty little what?” I stammered, then shifted back on topic. “I can’t plan a person—”
“You absolutely can.” She pulled out a pen. “Step one, next time he comes in—and hewillcome in because that man waited four hours to talk to you—you acknowledge him. I do not care if you wave, smile, or send a carrier pigeon to his table. Just do something so he sees you recognize him and are happy he is there.”
“I can do that.”
“Step two,” she continued, holding up a second finger. “You send over a drink. Make him something special, not just a beer, something that says, ‘I noticed you’re here, and I’m glad about it. I made this just for you. Nobody else gets this drink. Only you.’”
“Okay. That’s a little over the—”
She was undeterred. “Step three: When thingsslow down, you go over there and you talk to him. You have an actual conversation, something more than thirty seconds.”
“What do I even say?”
“Start with ‘Hi, thanks for coming back,’” Mark suggested. “Then literally anything else. Ask about his day. Ask about his work. Comment on the weather. Tell him your carpet matches your drapes.”
“Mark!”
