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“Scotch on the rocks would be amazing. Anything for you, love?”
“I’m still finishing my merlot,” Keegan said with a smile.
“Scotch coming up.”
“I’ll come with you.” Lauren stood too, pulling her long hair behind one shoulder as she did. “I could use another drink.”
Julia waited for her, their arms brushed as they walked slowly across the room.
“Am I stressing you out that much?” she joked. Lauren turned towards her as they sat on a stool in front of the bar.
“Actually,” Lauren said as she adjusted her seat and smiled at the bartender, who motioned finger in the air to suggest he’d be right over, “I’m having a much nicer time than I anticipated.”
“Me too,” Julia agreed. “Blind arrangements are really awkward.”
“This would be my first, so I’m not too familiar with them. Are you a professional?”
“Professional blind-dater?” Julia laughed.
Lauren leaned against her hand and she allowed her weight to push into the clean tile on the counter. She observed her for a moment, watching Julia with such precision she felt self-conscious.
“So, Keegan’s told me a lot about you,” Julia said. Suddenly Lauren’s face hardened a little as if she was fighting the rose-colored rouge touching her cheeks.
“Oh,” she sighed. “I hope I’m not as bad in person,” she grimaced.
“Oh, stop!” Julia playfully pushed her arm. “I will admit, you’re nothing like I expected.”
She leaned over the counter and gave the bartender their order. Her empty glass was filled within seconds and the rest of their drinks sat before them.
“I’m going to believe that is a good thing,” she said, grinning. “So, are you going to tell me how you ended up here being forced to dine with me?” She still knelt on her arm, her gaze never leaving Julia.
“I wouldn’t say forced,” Julia teased. “More like coerced.”
“Semantics,” she huffed, a smile spreading out across the landscape of her sharp face, cheekbone angles that could’ve been carved from stone.
Julia couldn’t help the ping of guilt in her gut. She was actually enjoying herself, relaxed by the easy nature of the night so far. It was a good idea to come out, to allow herself the chance to push everything else out of her mind instead of sitting in every worst-case scenario.
“You, on the other hand,” Julia continued, trying to lighten the mood, “I’m sure were dragged kicking and screaming. I can picture Ben pulling you out of the office, still in your chair.”
Lauren held a hand over her mouth as she laughed at the picture now dancing in her head. She placed the glass she just drank from on the counter. She gave a little cough, almost as if the wine got stuck between giggles. Julia couldn’t help but smile at the sight.
“You okay over there?” she asked, reaching out and placing a gentle touch on her arm. It was no different than she would do for Keegan, but still, it felt wrong.
Lauren nodded, hand still covering her mouth as she fought to swallow another sip of wine. Julia took another sip of her own, contagious laughter forming in the back of her own throat.
“I am.” Lauren cleared her throat and drank the rest of what was in her glass. She slid it over on the counter and the bartender was already refilling it. “I know that probably didn’t seem that funny to you. I’ve worked seven days a week for years, and I just realized how nice it is to have a casual conversation with someone.”
Her words were déjà vu to Julia–a mantra she’d said in her head more times than she could count.
“I completely understand.”
Lauren reached out and placed her hand on Julia’s knee, her eyes trailing down and then back up to her face as if asking if it was okay.
“Thank you for being coerced,” Lauren said as she smiled, her voice low and sultry.
Julia began to open her mouth to draw a thin line in the sand, to explain whatever was happening was crossing a threshold.
“Julia?” a voice called from behind her.
