Page 25 of Cupid's Shot

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Wednesday, February 12th

Zoning off at the bar, I think about menu idea after menu idea for Friday. Slow cooked duck breast? Lobster ravioli?

“Aaron!” I look across the bar and see Anna smiling at me, breaking my thoughts.

“Hey, what can I get you?”

“Surprise me,” she says, and the flirty tone catches me off guard. “I thought you didn’t hook up with anyone within a ten-mile radius of here?” Anna asks while I mix together a new cocktail recipe I’m playing with.

“I don’t. Well, I didn’t.”

She pouts, and I don’t quite know how to respond.

Placing the drink in front of her, I manage, “Enjoy.”

“Tell me what’s in it.” Anna grabs my hand. I know she’s always had a crush on me, but this outright flirtation is stronger than past visits. I begin to pull away, but she squeezes my hand tighter. Emily walks in the door, her eyes darting to Anna’s hand on top of mine. “Fuck,” I softly mutter.

Emily furrows her brows as she walks closer to the bar.

“Anna,” I scold, pulling my hand back again. “Emily,” I greet. “How are you?”

“Good,” she says, tight.

Bar social dynamics begin whirling through my mind. Women flirt with me, and I, historically, have always given them a little flirt back. It’s part of being a bartender, after all.

“What can I get you?” I ask Emily.

“I’m good. Waiting for Nicholas.” Her tone remains tight.

Emily’s tone is telling me that she thinks there is more to what she just walked in on. I can’t start a whole scene right now by publicly dissing Anna in front of everyone.

“He’s in the office. Let me take you there,” I suggest, hoping to get a few seconds alone with Emily to explain.

“Sure,” she says, picking up what I’m putting down.

I meet her at the end of the bar, and we walk toward the back of the place.

“It’s not what it looked like.”

“Says every innocent man.”

She’s a good friend for thinking that.Fuck. I remember now that her ex cheated on her in one of thoseeveryone knew around town before she didkind of ways. I understand why she’s having a heightened reaction to what she saw.

“You know I give the ladies a little flirt, but Anna grabbed my hand right as you walked in. I had no intention of reciprocating that. I’m so into Sarah.”

“Are you?”

“She’s all I think about. Before Anna grabbed my hand, I was planning our dinner menu on Friday. I can’t wait to see her again.”

“People talk,” Emily says, the chill in her tone thawing. “I don’t want Sarah to think there is something going on with anyone that comes into the bar. She’s going to hear things.”

Now that I’m dating Sarah, we’re going to have to talk about bar dynamics. She’s going to have to be secure in the fact that I’m never going to cross the line, like give my number to someone else or meet up outside of the bar.

“I know.”

“Please don’t fuck this up, Aaron.”

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