Page 5 of The Businesswoman and the Bartender

The women expressed their disappointment despite accepting his answer. Nick topped off their glasses, finishing the bottle of red wine they were sharing. As he sorted through receipts, April kept her focus on the television, trying to act natural and not betray how her heart was galloping like a prized racehorse.

He was single. Fair game. The perfect specimen for a vacation fling. She didn’t care if his flirting was simply pleasant bartender banter, and she didn’t care if she was another woman in the long line of women he flirted with each night. She was buzzed enough after two gimlets to concoct a foolhardy scheme.

Seduce him. Easy enough, right?

When he turned back toward her, she stilled her features. He placed his forearms down on the bar and leaned in as if they were old confidants. “Can I tempt you with another?”

She pretended to consider it, tapping one finger against her chin. His smirk widened into a genuine smile at her coyness.

“Tempt away,” she drawled.

He nodded once with approval and grabbed a cocktail shaker. “This one’s on me.”

“Oh, you don’t have to do that—”

“I insist. As thanks for keeping me company tonight.”

“What time do you usually close?” she asked.

“It depends on the night and how busy we are. Anywhere between ten and eleven is pretty standard. Later on the weekends, obviously.”

“Well, please tell me if I overstay my welcome.”

Nick planted her third gimlet of the night down on the bar and held her stare. “That could never happen,” he answered softly.

Her chest tightened, infatuation growing and taking root. And that was to say nothing of her panties, which were undeniably damp. She shifted a bit and clenched her thighs together.

A part of her was grateful that he was technically still working, as she could collect herself between their bouts of heated flirtation. As he settled the bill for the other two women at the bar, the absence of boisterous chatter caused April to turn her head.

The lounge was nearly empty. Only one couple at a high-top table and a group of four people tucked away in the corner remained. The cocktail waitresses settled up the remaining parties’ bills and departed, saying their goodbyes to Nick. It was so quiet that April could almost pretend they were alone in her hotel room with the door bolted and a do-not-disturb sign hanging from the knob.

“Those ladies were funny.” He nodded in the direction of where the older women had sat. “Did you catch any of their conversation?”

Oh Lord, it must have been obvious she’d eavesdropped. She came clean and admitted, “A bit. Were they trying to set you up with someone?”

His cheeks tinted pink as he loaded the dishwasher rack with used glasses. “Yeah, they were.”

“You must get that a lot.”

He peered at her measuredly and eventually said, “Sometimes. But not that often, trust me.”

April traced a finger up and down the stem of her glass. “You gonna go for it? Let the sweet old biddy play matchmaker?”

Shaking his head, he placed the rack in the washer and turned it on. “Too young. Dating anyone younger than thirty creeps me out.”

“Wait, how oldareyou?” she blurted, gin and curiosity taking over.

“Thirty-seven.”

That answer about knocked her over. “You look…uh, much younger than that,” she finished awkwardly.

He smiled, and she finally noticed the faint wrinkles around his eyes instead of hyper-focusing on the irresistible dimples. She’d made up her mind so quickly about him—and how unsuitable he was for her—that she hadn’t noticed telltale signs that he wasn’t some young pretty boy.

“It’s because I’m clean-shaven. I look more my age when I grow a beard out. But they like to keep a certain aesthetic around here,” he told her, gesturing to the establishment.

She nodded absently, still a little thrown. Not only was he cute and single, but he was also age appropriate? It seemed too good to be true.

“The one in the red sweater reminded me of my mom,” he murmured, and it took April a moment to realize he was referring to one of the potential matchmakers who’d recently left. “Same mannerisms and everything.”

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