Page 7

seven

*NOEL*

I can’t fucking believe that I did it. I wrote Aden Randall the most unoriginal, pathetic message.

What’s even more of a mindfuck is that he replied.

It’s funny because he writes exactly the way he talks, exactly how I’d imagine him to.

Polite, in full sentences and with perfect grammar.

He doesn’t use any emojis or GIFs either, but he hearted my silly football GIF, so I guess that’s something.

“A friend’s going to drop by, Cal,” I tell my co-worker, while we prepare the glasses we will need later.

“Here?” Cal asks.

“Yeah.”

“Why would anyone come here?” he queries.

He isn’t wrong. I don’t even let Ster or Mateo come. They only dropped by once to see how I was doing, obviously hated it but didn’t want to butt into my business too much. We set the rule that they are allowed to complain about where I work and live, but aren’t allowed to come and visit.

“Because I invited them.”

“And why would you do that?”

“I want him to see where I am working and what I am doing,” I say. “Maybe that’s pathetic, but the earlier he sees the better.”

Cal looks at me thoughtfully. He is a young guy, younger than me, and equally trying to pay off a debt. “It’s that kind of visitor,” he mutters.

“What do you mean?”

“It’s someone you want to test,” he adds. “Means he must be important to you.”

“I don’t know that yet,” I admit. “But in case he becomes important, I want him to know now, so I won’t get disappointed by him later.”

“I am not judging you,” he tells me. “I would do the same. Give him the chance to run now, before getting too invested and ending up broken-hearted.”

“Exactly! Plus, this is still the safer place to meet, not like the nightclub. I wouldn’t go that far. But when he sees this here, it’s easier to tell him about the other.”

Aden Randall.

I try not to have my hopes up too high. I don’t know the man behind the handsome face, and the image I have had of him since I met him years ago.

It was a fleeting encounter, yet it meant so much to me.

If he sees me now, here in this bar, and runs, it will break my heart and ruin the image I had of him.

But it will be worse if I let him in first, trusting him and falling for him, and then have him run when he sees my reality.

That’s why I need to do it now, before I invest too much of my emotions into this.

The evening starts slowly as usual, but from 9 p.m. on it’s getting more and more crowded. I have so much to do that I barely notice who is coming and going. It’s good, it takes my mind off Aden Randall.

That is, until Cal approaches me with a plate of empty glasses.

“He is here,” he tells me.

“What?” I exclaim. “You mean Aden?”

“I don’t know his name, but it has to be him.” Cal puts the glasses aside and hands me a fresh plate with drinks. “Go and take a peek.”

“How do you know it’s him?”

“It’s the only one who doesn’t look sleazy,” Cal says. “Someone like him who dropped by accidentally would be gone again in a minute, but he sat down at the bar and is still sitting there five minutes later. I get why you are so freaked out, though. The guy is hot.”

My heart freezes in fear. “Oh my God.”

“Go, and face reality,” Cal tells me. “Get it over with. That’s why you made him come here after all.”

“Yeah… yeah… You are right.” Now that it’s getting real, though, all my confidence and fearlessness seem to disappear. Maybe I should have prepared him a little. Maybe he will run now because I forced him in at the deep end instead of meeting him first and explaining my situation to him.

But it’s not like I can change it now. Maybe Cal was wrong, and it’s another guy, and Aden will have cancelled because some super-important appointment came up.

I try to cling to this hope for the five minutes it takes me to shuffle in front of the counter again, just to have it shattered immediately.

There he is, like Cal said, sitting at the counter, our sticky menu in his hand.

He looks at it thoughtfully. I am not sure what he feels right now, at least he doesn’t look downright disgusted.

It’s no surprise that Cal instantly knew he was my date.

Aden sticks out like a sore thumb, or rather like a well-groomed thumb with perfectly done nails.

He is his usual elegant and stylish self.

He has changed his dress pants for some dark blue jeans and is wearing a more sporty casual blazer.

He still looks exactly like the CEO he is, but he obviously made an effort to dress for the occasion.

Something about this makes the ground open beneath me, trying to suck me into a whirlwind of emotions.

He is so handsome. It’s more obvious now next to the other dudes here than it was during the art event.

“Hello, Mr. Randall,” I greet him, barely able to fight back my anxiety.

Aden looks up and smiles. “I thought we’d be on a first-name basis by now.”

“Right, I forgot!” Count on me for making this even more awkward. “What can I bring you, Aden?”

“What can you recommend?”

I sigh, feeling my cheeks heat up in embarrassment. “Nothing,” I whisper towards him. “Sorry for making you come here.”

Aden snorts. “Do you have whisky?”

“Yes, but it’s not a good one.”

“Make it whisky sour for me. It will burn off any weird taste.”

I can do that. However, our booze is cheap, and someone like Aden will immediately recognize it for the garbage it is, which is why I am surprised he orders anything at all.

He also doesn’t seem upset, and he doesn’t look at me with disgust. The only time he looks annoyed is when one of the other men here starts hitting on him.

“Fuck, what did I do?” I mutter towards Cal.

Cal shrugs. “He is still here. He didn’t bolt.”

“Yeah, but now I feel bad about it.”

Cal tosses a glance at Aden. He is sipping at his drink, not minding anyone around him. He looks a bit tired, which worries me. Probably came here from a long day at work and now has to hang out at this shithole.

“Okay,” Cal takes a deep breath. “You have a short shift today anyway.”

“Yeah, only one and a half hours left.”

“I will take over for you,” he says. “I still owe you one for jumping in for me last week.”

“What?” I exclaim. “Are you for real?”

“Yes, today is a slow evening. So go, grab your handsome guy and leave. He is still here, so obviously he is interested in you. He is hot and has rebuffed any advances from other people here. He looks like he could become something for you, and I don’t want you to fuck it up on your first date already. ”

“Thank you,” I blurt out. “Thank you, Cal!”

“Just make something out of the remainder of the night, so that he won’t bolt for real.”

“I owe you one!” I proclaim.

Cal smiles. “Don’t worry. It’s a give and take. The next time I have a promising date, you can do the same for me.”

“Got you.” I give him the thumbs up before hurrying to our small staff-only area. I freshen up swiftly so I don’t reek of alcohol and sweat, change my clothes, and then dash out into the bar area again.

Aden looks up when he notices me next to him.

“Sorry for letting you wait so long,” I say, my anxiety skyrocketing. Please don’t let him bolt now. “Shall we leave?”

Aden takes a sip from his drink. For what feels like an eternity, he doesn’t say anything at all, then his thoughtful gaze lands on me, looking through my eyes right into my soul.

Fuck. I have never noticed his eyes. They are a dark shade of brown, almost piercing now. “Did I pass your test?” he says.

I feel my cheeks flush in embarrassment. For a moment I consider pretending it wasn’t one, and that I never intended for him to come to this shithole. “A bit pathetic, huh?”

Aden gazes around. “I guess you have your reasons,” he says, much to my surprise. “It doesn’t necessarily mean I am happy, but I’ll let it pass if this was the one and only test you will put me through deliberately.”

“I promise. I just… had some bad experiences.”

“I thought so.” Aden puts his glass to the side and gets up. “So, what’s the plan now?”

“How about we grab something to eat?” I offer. “Or… you know… have an actual good drink?”

Aden’s lips curl into a smile. “Then lead the way.”