“You can stay for a while,” she cut in. “Haille’s sleeping at Judy’s tonight, right?” Then her gaze flicked pointedly toward the bar. “You’ll survive.”
“I’m fine,” I said flatly.
I was just about to stand when a presence settled beside us, close enough to be noticed.
“Hey,” he said easily. “Hope I didn’t interrupt.”
“Not at all,” Jessica replied, already smiling a little too widely. “I was just leaving, actually.”
I turned to look at her.Seriously?
She only winked at me, completely unrepentant.
Then, as she slid off her stool, Jessica raised her voice toward the bar. “B! He’s good, right?”
Brandon looked up, took one glance at the man beside me, and gave a casual nod. “Regular,” he said. “You’re good.”
She clapped her hands once, satisfied.
“See?” she said to me. “Vetted.”
She turned to the man with an unapologetic smile. “No offense. I just wanted to make sure.”
He chuckled, unfazed. “None taken.”
“Jessica,” I muttered.
She grabbed her bag, leaning in close enough to whisper, “Text me when you get home.”
Then, louder, to him, “Take care of her.”
“I will,” he said—then paused, glancing at me.
“If that’s okay,” he added. “I mean. You.”
Jessica shot me one last grin and disappeared into the crowd.
He shifted slightly, giving me space. “So,” he said, tone light. “Guess that’s my cue to formally introduce myself.”
I glanced at the empty seat Jessica had left behind, then back at him.
“Seems like it,” I said.
“Mind if I sit?” the man asked.
I turned. Up close, he was disarmingly normal. Not polished. Not intimidating. Just present.
“Go ahead,” I said.
He sat.
“Hope that wasn’t too forward,” he added. “I asked the bartender first.”
I glanced at the drink, then at him. “Do you usually buy drinks for women you don’t know?”
He smiled, a little crooked. “Honestly? No.”
That caught me off guard.
