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“You don't have to drink that,” Gareth said as we clinked our tall glasses together.
“I know I don't,” I said confidently, the certainty in that statement washing over me.
“Trust me, with you, I don't do anything I don't want to do. Because you've given me that option, and I still don't quite know how to thank you for it.”
I brought my drink to my lips, curiously tasting the bubbly concoction as the flavors of mint and rum and soda water danced on my tongue. Gareth mimicked the move before setting down his drink.
“You know you never have to thank me,” he said. “Especially for things that are inherently your right, like making choices of your own. You don't owe me anything.”
And yet despite those sweet and endearing words, I felt like I owed him something. Not out of any debt that he hung above my head, but because of my own sense of repayment. He certainly had offered me far more than I'd ever be able to offer him, but I hoped with time I could become something equal to him in this relationship.
“I really love the mint in this,” I said tapping my fingers on the tall glass. “And the soda water,” I said. “The rum isn't bad either.” I tilted my head. “This may be my new favorite.”
Gareth smiled down at me, bending to kiss me quickly, and yet it was still enough to make me gasp.
“Tastes good on you,” he said.
My entire body flushed with heat, the combination of the chemistry we shared and the friendship we'd built grew inside me so much I thought I would burst. It was hard to describe how intensely I felt for this man, but I had a good idea what the feeling was. I was just too terrified to admit it out loud.
The instructor took that moment to encourage us to create our own cocktail, now that we’d gotten the basics of mixing down.
I immediately set to work, an idea taking shape in my mind as I looked over the wide array of ingredients we had at our disposal.
In a mixing glass, I muddled some of the extra mint we’d used with the mojito, then added freshly squeezed lime juice, a good dash of passion fruit puree, and a little agave. I shook the ingredients together before filling another tall glass with ice and using a sifter over the mixing glass to pour the liquid over it. I filled up the rest of the glass with soda water and garnished it with a fresh sprig of mint.
By the time I was done, I was brimming with excitement and pride, really hoping the creation I made would taste good. I took a quick sip and smiled at myself, trying my best to not feel ridiculous at such a small accomplishment.
“What'd you make?” I asked, eyeing Gareth’s lowball glass and the amber mixture inside with a hint of red to the tint.
“I made an old-fashioned my way,” he said sliding the glass toward me.
I took a sip, my eyebrows raising as the flavors hit my tongue. It certainly was different from the original we'd made in the beginning. The bourbon flavor was still prevalent but there was a good deal of orange and cherry that would’ve made it almost too sweet if not for the extra bitters he'd added.
“It tastes like a dessert,” I said grinning up at him. “What are you going to call it?” I asked, since the instructor said we'd need to name our cocktails.
Gareth furrowed his brow, picking up his glass and taking a sip. “How about The Maxfield?”
“I love it,” I said handing him my drink. “How about you try The Serenity,” I said.
“I can already tell you, she's delicious,” he said before he'd even brought the drink to his lips.
A flush danced over my cheeks, and that craving for him that never really went away intensified at the way he looked at me as he took a sip of my drink.
He nodded, smiling as he handed the drink back to me. “Just like I said, delicious. Sweet and bubbly with just enough bite from the mint. There's no alcohol in that, is there?”
I shrugged, taking another sip. “I thought it'd be fun to make a mocktail,” I said. “You know, to see how it would taste in comparison to the others. I like both, and I think it's fun to have an option for when people aren't in the mood to drink. Is that ridiculous, given that we’re in a mixology class?”
“I think it's wonderful,” Gareth said. “It's good to think outside the box, go outside the norm.”
I beamed, pride washing through me from his compliment as we continued to sip our drinks, while the instructor walked around to congratulate us on all of our hard work over the last two hours. The other couples mingled amongst each other, and I noticed that not many were volunteering to come to our table.
And I couldn't really blame them. Gareth did look fifty shades of intimidating, especially with his white dress shirt sleeves rolled to the elbow exposing the ink on his arms. Pair that with how much of a giant he was and his usual scowling demeanor, and he wasn't the most approachable of people. To outsiders at least. To me?
He was the easiest person to talk to, just as he was the easiest person to be quiet around. He was the kindest, sweetest, and most perceptive man I’d ever been around. And yes, I knew he had a dark past, one that he recently started sharing stories about, but nothing could change my mind about him.
I'd grown up around some of the vilest people imaginable, and I knew it would take time for him to realize that there was nothing he could do to change my opinion of him.
And it was during that train of thought that I realized there really was nothing he could do that would change my feelings toward him, and that only further solidified what I’d been grappling with the last couple of weeks.
