by Glazer, J B
Jake laughs then leans in close and says, “That’s debatable.”
Flustered, I open the door to the ladies’ room. When I come out, he’s waiting for me with my drink in hand. I take it from him and pretend to inspect it. He turns serious and says, “I wouldn’t trust me either.” He looks at me intently, probably trying to read my reaction, and I feel myself turn a deep shade of red once more.
“Are you in line?” A girl motions to us, breaking the tension.
“No. Go ahead,” Jake says.
“Don’t you have to go?” I ask him.
“No. I was just coming to talk to you.” I smile. “How about that tour?” he says, lightly touching my back, letting me lead the way. “Have you been upstairs to the rooftop yet?”
“We tried, but it’s closed for a private event.”
“I’ll take you.”
We head up two flights of stairs. Then Jake talks to the bouncer, who tells us we can have a quick look around. I walk outside and take in my surroundings, letting out a contented sigh.
“Impressive, isn’t it?” Jake says.
“Yes. I feel like I’m somewhere else.”
Large cabana-style seating areas are surrounded by billowing white curtains and tropical-looking potted plants. In the center are three long white tables lined with chrome barstools. Votive candles in various sizes run the length of each table. I walk to the edge of the rooftop and check out the spectacular view of the city. I’m so bummed this area is off-limits—if it weren’t for the Chicago skyline, I’d swear I was on vacation. We head back downstairs to the main level, where Jake shows me the private office, which has TV screens monitoring every floor.
“Wow. I never think about security when I’m at a bar,” I say. “It’s kind of creepy how they can see your every move.”
“I never thought about it that way. Let’s go,” he says, and momentarily takes my hand to lead me through the crowd.
I feel disappointed when he lets go. “I probably should go find my friends. I’m sure they think I got lost.”
“I’d love to meet them. Why don’t you join us in the VIP room?”
“Will I be able to get in?”
“I have connections here.” Jake smirks. “Just tell them you’re with me.”
“OK,” I say, liking the sound of that.
I go gather up Liv, Jill, and Mel.
“We’ve been looking for you!” Liv exclaims.
“Sorry. Jake’s here, and he invited us to the VIP room. Apparently his friend owns this place.”
“Thank God I finally get to meet your crush!” Mel says excitedly.
“Don’t breathe a word of it.”
“Obviously,” she says, rolling her eyes.
We head to the VIP lounge. I tell the bouncer I’m with Jake, and he lets us right in.
We step past the rope, and I can see why Jake and his friends like to hang out here. It’s a large open space flanked by two seating areas and a bar in the back. The walls are covered in pale-blue, glass-beaded wallpaper and lined with modern sconces. The seating areas are semiprivate, with floor-length, rich chocolate-brown curtains surrounding them, creating a cocoon. Inside are brown leather sectionals with light-blue modern throw pillows in various sizes and geometric patterns. A large, low, square table sits in front, with raised leather panels on either side that I assume can be used as extra seating. Above hangs an elegant chandelier that starkly contrasts the otherwise modern surroundings. To the back is a floor-to-ceiling bar finished in a deep mahogany; glasses of various colors, shapes, and sizes are displayed on backlit panels. The fish theme continues, as the base of the bar is another aquarium. The overall effect is very chic and modern. I spot Jake, and he waves us over.
“His friends are totally cute,” Jill whispers to me.
“Hi,” I say as I approach him.
“Lexi, meet my friends. This is Zach, Ethan, and Brad. He’s the owner. And this is Lexi. We work together.”
“Hi.” I smile at each of them. “These are my friends, Jill and Melanie, and you know Liv of course,” I say to Jake.
Everyone exchanges hellos, and then Brad offers us some champagne. “No, that’s OK,” I say.
“Come on. It’s on the house,” he tells me.
“Who are we to say no to that?” Liv pipes in.
“OK,” I relent. “Thank you.”
We accept the champagne, and Brad raises his glass in a toast. Then I turn to him and say, “I’m impressed. This place is amazing. How did you decide you wanted to open a bar?”
He tells us the story about how he used to be a lawyer but hated it, and owning a bar always had been his dream. He managed a bar in college, so he was familiar with how to run one. He had some connections and got the financing, and the rest is history. I can tell Jill is interested in Brad; she inundates him with more questions. Somehow Melanie, Zach, and Ethan get into a conversation, leaving Liv and me to talk to Jake.
“Do you guys come here a lot?” I ask him.
He nods. “Most weekends we do.”
“I can see why.”
“How do you all know each other?” Liv asks.
“We’re friends from college.”
“Oh, were you in the same fraternity?”
“No, we were in a band together.”
“You were in a band?” I ask in disbelief.
“Yep, I played guitar and sang backup.”
“Really? Do you guys still play?”
“No. We tried, but once we started working, we got too busy.”
“That’s too bad. I’d love to see you play.”
In actuality it’s probably a good thing. Watching him play would put me over the edge; I have a thing for musicians.
“What about you?” Jake asks. “Do you have any hidden talents aside from dancing?”
I raise my eyebrows. “What are you talking about?”
“Karaoke night…you put on quite a show.”
“Oh, that,” I say. “Yeah, thanks for warning me I had to go onstage.”
“Lexi did karaoke?” Liv asks incredulously.
“I did. I’m surprised you remember,” I say to Jake.
“It’s hard to forget. I had to go home and take a cold shower.”
“Oh,” I say, embarrassed, although secretly I’m extremely pleased. I feel Liv elbow me in the back and hope Jake doesn’t notice. Jill and Melanie turn their attention back to us.
“I’m sorry, but did I just hear that Lexi did karaoke?” Jill asks.
“This seems to be a big deal.” Jake smirks at me.
“Oh, Lexi doesn’t do karaoke,” says Mel.
“She does now. Why don’t we sit down?” Jake says, motioning toward the sofa. “Lexi can put on another performance for us.”
I narrow my eyes at him. “You need to give me at least two more of these,” I say, tapping my champagne glass.
“That can be arranged.” Jake motions for Brad to come over with the bottle and tells him I need a refill.
“What am I, the bartender?” Brad jokes as he tops off my glass.
He and Ethan join us on the couch, and we’re packed in tightly. The room is buzzing, but all I can focus on is the sensation of Jake’s thigh brushing against mine. I do nothing to move it, and he doesn’t move his leg either. Liv is talking to Jake, but I’m having trouble concentrating on what she’s saying. I’m distracted, sitting so close to him. I look at my friends, who are deep in conversation with Jake, and feel a sense of elation, which I’m sure is helped by the champagne. Suddenly I realize I don’t have any recent photos with my friends.
“Will you take our picture?” I ask Jake.
“Sure,” he says.
I hand him my phone, and we get together for a pose.
“Let me see how it turned out,” I say, and he shows me the photo.
“Does it meet with your approval?”
“Yes.” I smile, happy that I finally can replace the picture in my office. Jake asks to see my other photos; he scrolls
through my phone and lands on the one of him and Hailey. Crap, I forgot that was in there.
“You still have this,” he comments.
“Oh, I didn’t realize I still did.”
A small smile plays at his lips, but he keeps going, asking me who various people are. Then he comes to the one of Ben and me. It’s my last picture of the two of us together; I couldn’t bring myself to delete it. I got rid of all the other ones after I found out he cheated, but I’ve always loved this picture. It’s from our engagement party. One of my friends must have captured it when we weren’t looking. It’s a close-up, candid shot of the two of us smiling at each other.
“Is this your ex?” Jake asks.
“Yeah, I must have forgotten to delete it,” I say as I take back my phone.
“How about one of the two of us?” he suggests.
“OK.”
I hand my phone to Liv. Jake puts his arm around my shoulder, and I lean into him. She snaps the photo and looks at it. “It’s a good picture,” she tells us.
Jake and I study it; it really is a nice photo. He’s wearing a mysterious expression that makes him look very sexy.
“Why don’t guys ever smile in photos?” I ask him.
“I don’t know.” He shrugs. “We could take another one,” he offers as he pulls me close to him.
“No, that’s OK,” I say, suddenly feeling self-conscious.
“Text it to me,” Jake says. “Do you still have my number?”
“Yes, I still have it. As you can see, I obviously don’t make a habit of deleting things.”
He studies me for a minute then says, “I’m going to get another drink. Do you want something?”
“No, I’m still good with the champagne.”
Jake, Brad, and Ethan head to the bar, and I turn my attention back to my friends.
“What do you think?” I whisper.
“He’s adorable,” says Jill. “And he definitely seems into you.”
“I don’t know…You think?”
“Yes, he’s been watching you all night. I’ve been paying attention.”
“This is how he is,” I say. “He flirts with me but never follows through on anything. It’s so frustrating.”
“Well, maybe your luck will change tonight,” offers Mel.
“I’m not holding my breath. Let’s talk about something else. They’re coming back.”
Brad hands us each a shot glass and says, “On the house.”
“Thanks,” I say, eyeing it skeptically.
“It’s our house specialty—the Blu Bonanza.”
I don’t want to know what’s in it. We all raise our glasses in a toast. It’s actually not that bad, although I already feel myself becoming more buzzed. Then Brad entertains us all with stories about the bar and some of the crazy things people have done to get kicked out.
Suddenly Liv stands up and says, “I’ll be right back” then walks over to a less crowded area with her phone. She returns a few minutes later. “I’m headed out. Jason is picking me up. He’ll be here in a few.”
“OK, I say, standing. “Thanks for coming out.” I hug her, and she gives me a look and instructs me to call her later. She says good-bye to Jake, and I realize the others have all gone to the bar, and it’s just the two of us. Suddenly I feel nervous.
“Do you want to go hang out with your friends?” I don’t want him to feel like I’m monopolizing his time.
“I’m fine here. Do you want to sit? It must be hard standing in those shoes.”
“Oh, these are the ones Nick liked. Like I told you, they’re comfortable.”
I sit anyway. Jake sits right next to me, even though there’s plenty of room, and casually puts his hand around my waist. The noise level in the bar has increased, so he leans in close to me. My heart pounds in my chest as his hand lightly strokes my back while we’re talking. I try to focus on our conversation and not let myself get distracted by the sensation of his warm touch as his fingers caress my bare skin.
“Your friends seem nice,” I tell him. “I think Jill is into Brad. Is he a good guy?”
“He is, but he’s definitely a player.”
Are you a player? I want to ask. But instead I say, “I should probably go warn her.”
“She’ll be fine. Stay with me,” Jake says, reaching for my hand.
Just then the blonde Jake was talking to earlier comes over. “Jake, I’ve been looking for you everywhere!” She sits down next to him; I can tell he’s annoyed.
He introduces us. “Lindsay, this is Lexi.”
“Hi,” I say. I can tell she’s sizing me up. She turns her attention back to Jake and puts her hand on his knee.
“I’m bored. Let’s go back to your place,” she purrs at him.
I feel very uncomfortable. Jake senses I’m about to stand up and tightens his grip on my waist, forcing me to stay seated.
“I’m sorry you’re bored,” he says, removing her hand, “but I’m catching up with Lexi here.”
She stares at him incredulously. “Whatever. Don’t expect me to come by later.”
He turns to me and rolls his eyes.
“Is that one of your groupies?” I tease. Then I look at him seriously and say, “Don’t let me get in the way if you want to go home with her.”
“Actually I’d rather stay here and hang out with you.”
“OK.” I smile at him. I can’t believe he blew off going home with Lindsay so he could stay and talk to me. I feel insanely happy.
“I like your dress,” Jake says, lightly touching the fabric on my shoulder. He slides his hand down the length of my dress, grazing my breast, and rests it on my knee. I raise my eyebrows at him.
“You don’t mind, do you?” he asks in a low voice.
“No,” I say, meeting his gaze.
He stands up, and I stand up too, thinking we’re leaving. “Wait here,” he says, then closes the curtains to our seating area, giving us complete privacy. He makes his way back toward me wearing a determined expression that makes my heart beat wildly in my chest. Is he going to kiss me here, in the middle of the bar? He looms over me and takes the drink out of my hand. I feel the color rise in my face, and my breathing becomes ragged. Jake tilts my chin so I meet his gaze and leans in close when suddenly the curtains part and Brad walks in. “Sorry, dude,” he says to Jake, “but Maurice just informed me there’s a girl here looking for you. She says you work together, and she’s on her way down.”
Jake’s demeanor immediately changes. He fully opens the curtains and moves to the other side of the couch, putting some distance between us. I look at him questioningly, but his flirty smile is gone, replaced with a cool stare. Then I see a brunette talking to the bouncer, and I’m guessing she’s looking for Jake. She makes eye contact, and he motions her over.
“Jake, I thought I’d find you down here.”
I recognize the woman as someone we work with.
“Kelly, good to see you.”
“I told you I’d make it here one of these days. You look familiar,” she says, turning to me.
“Lexi works with us,” Jake says.
“Kelly,” she says, offering her hand. I shake it, and then the two of them engage in a conversation, making no effort to include me; I feel like a complete outsider.
“Well, it was nice meeting you,” I say to Kelly. Then I turn to Jake. “I think I’m going to head out.”
“OK,” he says. His face is impassive, and he doesn’t make an attempt to stop me.
“See you Monday,” I say.
He gives me a curt nod in response.
I head over to find Jill and Melanie. “I’m going to go,” I tell them. Melanie says she’ll come with me, but Jill decides to stay. I find it ironic that she’ll probably hook up with Brad. “Call me later,” I whisper to her.
I catch Jake’s eye as I’m walking out, but he looks away. Why do I feel like I’m always dealing with Jekyll and Hyde with him? It’s as though tonight never happened, and we’re back a
t square one.
During the cab ride home, tears of disappointment sting my eyes. I know Jake would have kissed me if Kelly hadn’t walked in. But his reaction to seeing her is what kills me. It’s like whatever he felt for me immediately switched off. How can he just change his emotions like that? I don’t think I’m reading things wrong; I can sense he’s into me. But I feel like we’re on the edge of a cliff, and something always seems to get in the way, pulling him back. I’m not sure what else I can do to push him over the edge. And I don’t know how much more I can take trying.
On Monday Jake stops by my office.
“Hey,” he says, giving me a slow smile.
“Hi,” I say, doing my best to look nonchalant.
“How was the rest of your weekend?”
“Fine. I’m actually busy at the moment. Do you need something?”
He seems caught off guard. “No. Just wanted to see if you wanted to have lunch. I have some thoughts on the pitch I want to run past you.”
“I’m actually slammed today. I feel like I haven’t been able to focus on my own account lately, so I need to get caught up.” In actuality I could go to lunch with him. But I’m still pissed about his blowing me off Saturday night, so I’m not ready to jump at the chance to have lunch with him.
“I understand. Look, if you feel like the pitch is taking up too much of your time, let me know. I don’t want you to neglect paying work.”
“I can handle it,” I tell him somewhat coolly. “I know how to budget my time. That’s why I’m not going out to lunch.”
“OK. Let me know when you come up for air, and I can share my ideas then.”
“Fine. See you later.”
He hesitates in the doorway then says, “See you.”
I stay at work late that night then head to the gym to blow off some steam. It’s past eight when I get home. I make myself a quick dinner and take a shower. After I blow-dry my hair, I check my Gmail account and see I have a message from Jake. Curious, I open it.
From: [email protected]
Sent: June 9, 2014; 9:34 p.m.
To: [email protected]
Subject: Apologies
Lexi,
I feel I should apologize for Saturday night. It was a very pleasant surprise running into you, and I enjoyed hanging out with you and your friends. I’m sorry the night got cut short. Kelly is an old friend of Brad’s and mine, and I’ve been telling her to come by to check out the place. Anytime you and your friends want to stop by, you’re more than welcome.