I didn’t know what the heck to do. She was obviously way too intoxicated to flirt with, and I definitely didn’t want to be some drunk chick’s morning regret, but I didn’t want to be a dick to her either.
“Good, just out celebrating my divorce with my buddy. I’m Jack.” Introducing myself seemed like the polite thing to do.
“I’m Starla.” Her nails roughly raked over my arm. “You’re a tree I’d love to climb.”
I stifled a laugh at her awful pickup line.
“Oh, babe! Thank you so much for getting me another drink.” Before I knew what was going on, a gorgeous woman’s arm was around my neck as she leaned into my side. After pecking my bristle-coated cheek, she turned to the drunk girl, who was slumped over, listing on the bar as her head bobbed from side to side. “Thanks for keeping my man company while I was in the bathroom, sweets,” the gorgeous stranger cooed.
Starla huffed and scurried away, mumbling, “Damn it. The cute ones are never fucking single.”
Taking Noah’s seat, the woman took a sip from my drink. “Oh! That’s a good old fashioned. Marty is a wizard bar master. Marty, I’ll have a Manhattan, please and thank you.”
“Extra cherries coming right up,” Marty responded as I made eye contact with my rescuer.
I quickly took in her beautiful features: high cheekbones, slender face, piercing blue eyes, jet black hair, plump strawberry-coated lips, subtle hourglass shape, perky boobs that were popping out of her tight white tank top. In short, she was stunning.
“What was that?” I finally stammered out.
She giggled a little. “You looked like you needed to be saved from that barfly.”
“Thanks. I honestly didn’t know what to do.”
“I’m Kelly.” She put her hand on my shoulder. “I’m glad I could be of some service.”
“It’s nice to meet you, Kelly. I’m Jack.”
“That’s fitting—you’re as tall as a beanstalk.” Her laugh was captivating and her smile made my knees weak.
“Do you rescue guys often?” I asked as she thanked Marty for the drink.
She shook her head. “You’re the first. Let me guess, newly single?”
I could feel my cheeks burning. “Is it really that apparent?”
She pursed her lips as she speared a cherry at the bottom of her Manhattan with the tiny black straw. “A little. Take it from someone who has been perpetually single for-fucking-ever: you’re better off.”
The cherry went to her lips and I had never been more jealous of fruit in my entire life.
“Why do you say that?” I naïvely asked.
“Because a guy like you, with that smile, the salt-and-pepper look you’re rocking, and your innocent demeanor—you’re going to have a field day in this crazy dating world we have found ourselves in.”
“Why do you think I’m so innocent? You have no idea why I’m newly single.”
“If you were a scumbag, that drunk chick would be on her knees in the bathroom right now.”
My phone buzzed in my pocket and I pulled it out to see Noah’s name.
“Sorry, I have to check this.”
She waved me off dismissively. “Do you.”
Noah: Get it! I’m going to take off so I don’t cramp your style. I want details in the morning.
I locked my phone without responding. The fact that Noah had left was good and bad. On one hand, he was being a good friend in supporting the fact that I was talking to someone, but I also felt abandoned. I was like a lion who’d been raised in captivity and was trying to integrate into the wild.
“Apparently my buddy took off.”
