He smiled. “If you call me, it was worth it.”
I couldn’t take my eyes off him.
We went for coffee that afternoon, and I found out he worked in one of the dining halls. That night I dragged Mia across campus to it for dinner, and even though it had only been a couple hours since I’d seen him, I practically ran the entire way there. When we caught sight of each other over plates heaped with colorless chicken divan, our matching grins could have lit up Spartan Stadium at midnight. Mia said she’d never seen anything like it.
Later that evening, we went for a drive in his truck and parked out on some country road. I didn’t lose my virginity that night—I held out another six weeks on that—but I did have my first non-self- induced orgasm, thanks to Nick’s patience, skill, and amazingly supple tongue.
My core muscles clenched at the memory, and I was glad when Sebastian arrived with our tasting flight, five shot glasses filled with about an ounce each resting on a wooden tray. I half-listened as he gave a spiel about the five different spirits, resisting the urge to grab the nearest one and shoot it straight down my throat, hoping it would numb the desire for Nick that was reawakening in me.
It’s not desire. It’s just nostalgia.
“Which would you like first?” Nick asked.
“Hmm, the gin maybe?” I accepted the glass of clear liquid he handed me and watched him choose the rye.
He held it up and smiled. “To friendship.”
“To friendship.”
We clinked glasses and took a sip, leaving enough so both of us would have a chance to taste them all, and for the next half hour, we chatted about safe topics and sampled the whiskey, rye, gin, and bourbon. We inquired after immediate family, laughed about Lick My Plate, and discussed the rebirth of Corktown with businesses like Two James and The Burger Bar. With each passing minute, I felt more at ease, more like I really was hanging out with an old friend and not a former lover. Part of that was likely due to the alcohol, but I thought as long as we kept the chatter casual and focused on the present, I could remain in possession of my wits, at least outwardly. I picked up the absinthe, which reminded me of Mia.
“Oh! Remember Mia?”
“Of course I do.”
“She’s getting married in two weeks. To this French guy who—”
“Lucas, I know. He owns The Green Hour.”
I pouted, feeling both robbed of the opportunity to deliver big news and somehow offended that he knew about something big happening in my life. I didn’t know anything about his life anymore, although it struck me right then that I wanted to. It’s a shame we went so long without speaking. We should have done this sooner. I was too stubborn. “You know Lucas?”
Nick shrugged. “Sure. He’s been in The Burger Bar a few times, and I’ve gone in The Green Hour too. Someone introduced us at some point. I saw Mia in there once.”
I froze. “You’ve seen Mia? She didn’t tell me.” And I might have to kill her.
“Well, when I came in, she ducked out the back door so fast, she probably hoped I didn’t notice her. We didn’t talk, in other words.”
“Oh.” I love you, Mia. Best friend ever.
“Lucas is a great guy. And The Green Hour is doing really well, I hear.”
I sipped the absinthe and handed it to Nick. “He is a great guy. And he’s crazy about Mia. They’re great for each other.”
“Nothing like us.” Nick’s eyes twinkled over the rim of the absinthe glass.
I smiled ruefully. “Nothing like us.”
Nick took a small sip. “This is nice, being friends.”
“It is, actually.”
“So, friend.” Nick set the glass down in the tray and propped his head in his hand. “Ask me a favor.”
My heartbeat got loud and clunky for a few seconds, so I silenced it with one more shot of rye. “All right.” Turning in my chair to face him, I braced my hands on my knees, took a deep breath, and gave him a brief rundown of the scene in my office today, complete with a description of Angelina, her reality show dreams, and her family connections.
Nick’s chin came off his hand, and he pretended to be shocked. “Wait a minute. You want me to cater a party at Tony Whack’s house?”
“Yes.”
“I don’t know, Coco. Hoffa’s probably buried beneath that guy’s pool. This could be dangerous.”
“Don’t tease me, Nick. I really need you.”
“Hmmm. Sounds like it.” He leaned on the bar again. “So when is this party?”
“Next Saturday night. August fourteenth.”
Nick’s eyebrows shot up. “Next Saturday night Give a guy a little notice, why don’t you? I might have big plans next Saturday night. A date with a hot blonde. Maybe several of them.”
“Blondes aren’t your type,” I said without thinking.
“How do you know what my type is? Maybe I’ve changed.”
He was joking with me, but I wasn’t interested in playing around, not until he agreed to do the damn party. “Look, I know it’s short notice, and I’m sorry about that. She just came in today, and with Mia gone it’s only me to run things, and I told her I’d get her what she wanted without knowing she wanted you.”
He grinned. “Bet that was a real pisser, huh? When you heard my name? God, I’d have loved to have seen your face.”
“It was a bit of a shock,” I admitted.