Page 16 of Seas the Dating Coach

Finn is…

“Green Polo seems to be buying the drinks tonight, and they’re all getting low.” Finn interrupts my thoughts, casually turning his body toward the bar. “Why don’t you move down to that end? He’ll get thirsty real quick.”

The reality of what I’m about to do slams into me like a freight train. My head starts to shake, slowly at first and then with more vigor as my gaze drops to the floor.

I can’t do this.

I don’t know why I ever thought I could do something like this. I should get used to solo snuggling on the couch because there’s no way any of this is going to work. Maybe I should just get another cat. Pepper is ridiculously territorial, but—

“Viv,” Finn says, lightly touching my wrist to get my attention. “Just walk down the bar. You don’t have to do anything. He’ll come to you. When he starts talking, just smile and nod. We’ll work on words with the next guy.”

I press my lips together to tamp down the swell of nausea.

Finn’s gaze is steady on mine. “I believe you can do this. But if this first time is terrible, we can come back another day, okay? Just try this once, and I’ll take you home after.”

There’s an unbearable sweetness to his tone, in the way he gives my wrist an encouraging squeeze before letting go. It’s completely incongruent with the suave version of himself he’s shown me thus far.

My shoulders collapse with a shaky exhale. “All I have to do is walk down the bar?”

His mouth softens, that wisp of pride resurfacing. “Just walk down the bar.”

“Okay,” I murmur, turning before I lose momentum.

When I weave past the eighth person, my steps become even more hesitant. But then, the guy separates from his friends, and as I arrive at the end, he finds an open spot beside me.

“Three more,” he says to the bartender before smiling at me. “Hey.”

My “hey” is little more than a croak, and I can’t help glancing at Finn. He’s turned so his back and elbows rest on the bar, watching me.

“Is that guy your boyfriend?”

My focus snaps from Finn’s flinty eyes to the man’s face. I wasn’t supposed to have to answer questions. I was supposed to smile and nod. My lips tremble at the edges as I force them up, focusing on the man’s features to distract myself. Paying attention to colors and textures usually settles the buzzing that hovers at the base of my skull. The man’s beard has some red in it, as does his sandy hair. It complements his green shirt nicely. His features aren’t remarkable, but he seems friendly.

I shake my head, hoping it’s enough.

“Because I don’t want to get caught in between—”

“No.” I’m so shocked by my sharp refusal that my teeth chomp on the inside of my cheek. “Um…”

Think. It shouldn’t be this hard to think. A bead of sweat slides down my spine beneath my dress, and then an answer pops through the haze clouding my mind.

“He’s my brother.”

An uneven breath sneaks into my tight lungs.

When the man’s brows pinch, I amend, “Half brother.”

His face relaxes, kindly not commenting on how I sound like a six-year-old being interrogated by the principal and two seconds from peeing herself.

“That makes sense.” He laughs, and I force my lips higher in response. “He’s got some serious bodyguard vibes.”

My gaze flips to Finn’s again. The man is right. My dating coach looks protective and… My forehead wrinkles. I must be misinterpreting the hard set of his jaw, because Finn can’t be looking at mepossessively.

“Nice dress.”

I snap my head back so quickly my neck pinches. “Um…thank you.”

My mind offers me helpful details to mention like that I made it myself, or that I spent hours getting the bodice just right, but I can’t get the syllables beyond my teeth.

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