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“You were a bit of a dick.”
Wow. I must have way overstepped the mark with Veronica.
“I didn’t want to be her plus one.” I shrug, trying to play it down. It does bother me that Nellie thinks badly of me, although I’m not sure why. Seeing her at Sweet Cocktails is the extent of our relationship, so it shouldn’t get under my skin.
“You should’ve just said that. You could have saved the poor woman’s feelings instead of making her run out of here. Shall I bring the bill, or are you sticking around for a while?”
“No bill. I’m not ready to call it a night yet.”
“Sure thing. Just don’t frighten away any more customers.” We smile at each other for a few seconds, then she moves away to serve someone else.
I down my drink and move to the bar so I’m closer to the liqueur. Nellie pours me another whiskey when she returns to her station. “She called me a playboy. What would you have said to the not-so-lovely Veronica, then?” I ask, defending myself.
“You do have a different girl in here every week,” she pointed out.
“Are you judging me?” I playfully roll up my sleeves, making myself more comfortable and ready to defend myself.
“Veronica was characterising you from the little information she had. I’m just telling you what I see without offering my feelings on the matter.”
“Saturday night is mine to have fun. I’ve worked hard all week, and now I want to relax. So what if I like sex with no strings attached? I’m young and single. As far as I’m concerned, I’m not doing anything wrong.” I circle the rim of my glass. “Top up my drink, will you?”
She does as I ask. Her lips stay tight, but I can tell she has something to say. The thing that’s niggling at me is why I care.
Nellie is a cute blonde who serves me every Saturday night. Usually, we share a little banter but don’t talk much. She works late, sings out of tune when she thinks no one is watching, and saves her best smiles for her biggest tippers.
“Spit it out.” I give her a stern look. We’re wasting time getting to the truth, and I just want to hear it.
“What you need is a vanilla martini kind of woman.” She makes it sound like she can read people with cocktails.
“That sounds boring. I’m not looking for a Plain Jane.” Exciting and fun is what I’ve been seeking. Until tonight, I’ve not had any problems with easy dating.
“There’s no shame in vanilla. It’s derived from an orchid, which is a beautiful plant. We should be seeing the allure, not the stigma. Did you know it’s an aphrodisiac? It’s said to stimulate the brain and energise the muscles. Vanilla isn’t boring. It’s sexy.”
Her talents are wasted on this bar. She should be teaching science or something.
“Let me see if I have this right. You’re saying I’m looking at women all wrong. There could be someone out there that meets my expectations and doesn’t want something more in return?” My dates are hit and miss. I’ve no idea what the women expect our relationship to be after one evening together. Some don’t seem bothered if I don’t call and others persistently message me. Nellie has me intrigued, but I’m not sure how I’ll find a woman who wants the same as me. I don’t want her to catch feelings I can’t match.
She looks me dead in the eye with a serious expression. “Find someone who wants a causal fling rather than living for the first dates. I’m sure there is someone out there that wants no strings, just fun. Then you won’t have to entertain multiple women you’re not really interested in.”
“That simple, eh?”
“Yes. That simple.”
She leaves me to ponder over her words as she serves some more customers. Barmaids are multitalented—mixologist, security, and therapist. She’s given me some thought-provoking advice.
No. She’s not just a barmaid.
She’s Nellie.
CHAPTER Three
Nellie
There’s no gymnastics competition this weekend, but we still have to go to the training camp at the local sports hall.
“Come on, Ainsley, or we’re going to be late,” I shout up the stairs while checking the clock on my phone.
“I can’t find my trainers,” she yells back.
