Page 12 of When Ben Loved Jace

“Shaken, not stirred,” he says, shooting me a wink.

“What’s that actually mean?”

“No idea,” he admits. “I’ve never had one before.”

After taking a sip, he nods in approval. “Not bad.”

I decline when he offers it for me to try.

“At least have the olive,” he insists. “These things gross me out.”

“Deal! Next time you should ask the bartender to make it with a fortune cookie instead.”

He opens his mouth to reply but doesn’t get a word out because someone shouts his name from behind. We turn to face the newcomer, which initiates a marathon of mingling with his coworkers. That’s not what I wanted from the evening, but it’s not so bad, because he always makes sure to include me, and I get to hear funny stories. Like how Jace will give pop quizzes to passengers who don’t pay attention to the safety demonstration, embarrassing them into learning, or rewarding those who know the right answers with candy.

“If you’re sitting in the emergency exit row, you better have the card in the seatback memorized!” an older woman cackles. “Otherwise your ass is getting moved to next to the lavatory.”

Jace has a reputation for being able to successfully deal with even the most unruly customer. That gives me hope for us, because I can be a bit much at times. He’s clearly popular with his colleagues, a small crowd of them surrounding us. They’re a likeable group. Still, I wouldn’t mind a little time alone together. Neither would he, judging from the way his gaze becomes more and more apologetic as the evening progresses. After a few more rounds, he checks his watch and politely disengages himself, taking my hand and guiding me toward the roof terrace. The fresh air is invigorating, despite being cold.

“Sorry about that,” Jace says. “Maybe this wasn’t the best idea for a date.”

“No, I liked it!” I assure him. “Even though it’s hard sharing you with other people. I’m a greedy boy.”

He smiles at this. We move to a corner of the building to take in a stunning view of the sparkling city lights that surround us. “Ten more minutes,” he says, checking his watch again.

“Really?” I ask in excitement. “I didn’t realize it was so close. Wait! We need champagne!”

He pushes away from the rail. “Let’s go get some.”

“And lose this spot?” Our timing was lucky. People line the roof, wanting the same view. Which just happens to be the ideal place for a midnight kiss. “Wait here. I’ll go get it.”

I dash back inside, glancing around for one of the waiters I saw earlier. The first two have empty trays. The third time is the charm. I swipe two flutes and hustle back to the roof. I slow once there, because Jace isn’t standing where I left him. I see himpushing through the crowds, as if trying to reach someone, his expression drawn. I follow his trajectory and see a guy not much bigger than me. His hairstyle makes him stand out—a sort of overgrown mohawk that has flopped over to cover short-cropped hair. Jace reaches him, putting a hand on the man’s shoulder to spin him around. I can’t tell what they say to each other, but after exchanging a few sentences, the other guy laughs and pats him on the arm. Then the stranger resumes talking to the woman he’s with. Jace heads back to our corner, his expression pained. He even pinches the bridge of his nose and shakes his head.

I feel uneasy when walking over to meet him.

“Who was that?” I ask while handing him a glass.

“Hm?”

“The guy you were just talking to.”

“Oh.” Jace swallows. “Nobody. I think I’ve had too much to drink.”

“What do you mean?”

“TEN!” someone shouts.

Jace smiles at me. “Here we go!”

“NINE!”

I set aside my misgivings as the countdown continues,aftercarefully filing away the incident for later. Which is good, because Jace’s eyes have locked on mine again, making it easy to forget all my woes, no matter how old or recent they might be.

He clinks glasses with me. “I hope you’re a big part of my life next year. I haven’t been this happy in a long time.”

“Same here,” I tell him. “Which is weird, because we barely know each other.”

“I feel like I’ve always known you,” he replies.