One more question.What’s your favorite flavor of B&J?
I start walking toward the entrance as I wait for the response.
Summer_L
I’ll tell you in person.
I smile and pull open the door.The place is fairly dead.A few people are at tables near the front, and some guys are playing pool at the back.She is the only woman at the bar, like she said in her message.Her hair is longer than in her photos and… I stutter step as she turns, and I see her profile as she brings her drink to her lips.
No.Fucking.Way.
She feels my presence even though I’m a few feet away and turns and immediately starts to choke on her drink.I stride over, reach out, and pat her back as she coughs.Those blue eyes I’ve been thinking about almost nonstop get wide, and she wipes her mouth with a napkin.“What are you doing here?”
“What are you doing here, Summer?”
Her mouth falls wide, and she blinks.“Shut.Up.No way!”
I laugh, because what else can I do?This is hysterical.She looks offended, though, and the bartender leans in and shoots me a wary glance before asking Lola, “You good here?Do I need to step in?”
“I’m great!”Lola says to him.“No worries.This isn’t my date.It’s a guy who plays with my brothers.”
“Who is also your date.”
The bartender looks confused.
“No.Not a date.”
“Right.A hook-up,” I say confidently, and her cheeks explode in pink.
“Neither.”
“You swiped right, gorgeous,” I remind her.She gets redder, and I laugh again, and she finally flashes a giant smile and laughs too.
Hanging her head, she waves off the bartender.“I’m fine, Todd.He’s harmless.Embarrassing and annoying but harmless.”
The bartender nods.“Good.I’m a big fan, Richard.I’d hate to have to bounce you to the curb.”
“Thanks.”
“Can I get you a beer?Something?”
“I don’t drink.Besides, I don’t think we’ll be here long enough,” I reply.“I’m kinda shocked she hasn’t run screaming already.”
Lola glances up at me, and the bartender nods and steps away to serve someone else.My eyes stay on her pretty face, and she takes a deep breath.“Your profile name was Francois, and your pics aren’t what I loaded.”
I shrug.“I tweaked my profile and changed my name.”
“Luke?Isn’t that your dad’s name?”
I nod.“Also, my middle name.I spelled it the English way for the app.”
“Middle name is Summer,” she admits, and we both smile again because what are the chances we went with the same line of thinking on our “fake” names?
I lean against the bar.“Looks like the universe wants this to happen.It keeps throwing us together.”
“The universe likes a good joke,” she replies, but she’s still smiling and staring at me with something in her eyes I can’t place, but it’s definitely not horror.
“Favorite Ben and Jerry’s flavor?You said you’d tell me in person.”
