“That couple over there,” she says impatiently. “What’s their story?”
Ah.Jack tilts his head at me quizzically.
“It’s sort of a party trick of mine,” I explain to him. “I can tell you the backstory of every couple in here—who’s on an awkward blind date, their professions, et cetera.”
“It’s her superpower,” Christine boasts.
“It’s just something silly I do for fun,” I clarify, feeling a little self-conscious now. “It’s more of a writing exercise than anything else, just to get the creative juices flowing.”
He looks intrigued. “Alright, let’s hear it. What’s the story with those two?”
I purse my lips, observing them for a moment. “First of all, definitely a first date.”
“How can you tell?”
“Stiff body language, for one. And she’s got her interview face on. You know, bright-eyed, fake perma-grin. She seems more into him than he is to her, so I’d bet they matched on Bumble.” Jack looks lost. “You know, because that’s the one where the girl makes the first move?”
He shakes his head. “I’ve never done any dating apps.”
“Never?” That shocks me. “How can that possibly be? Are we part of the same generation?”
Greg snorts. “Duh, because he’s Jack Bradford. He doesn’tneeddating apps.”
Christine makes a gagging noise. “Should Cass and I leave you two alone? I swear, you’re more excited about him than you are about having hotel sex later.”
He thinks that over. “It’s a tie.”
Poor Jack is going red. “It’s not like that. I’m just weird about my privacy. I have a hard time trusting people. It’s much easier for me to spot someone with ulterior motives when we’re face-to-face.”
My pulse starts to speed, fast and furious.
“How can you be sure Cassidy doesn’t have ulterior motives?” Greg jokes, and a bead of sweat breaks loose from my hairline.
Jack laughs. “She made it very clear that my being the Brawler guy was definitelynota point in my favor.”
Greg gasps theatrically in my direction. “How dare you.”
We all laugh this time and my anxiety drops a notch.
“Anyway, I know my strengths,” Jack continues. “I’m much better in person than via text. Plus, it gives me a chance to deploy my own superpower.”
“And what might that be?”So sue me, I’m interested.
He wags his brows. “Cheesy pickup lines.”
“Oh, geez.” I ball up my napkin and throw it at him.
He catches it seamlessly, his grin only growing wider. “There’s a real art to it. You’ve got to pick a detail—her appearance, her job, something you know she cares about—and tailor it to her just so.”
“Did you fall for this?” Christine asks me, incredulous.
“No!”
“She would’ve, if I’d gotten the chance to lay one on her.” There’s a candlelight gleam in his eye as he looks at me, and I know he meant for me to catch his double entendre.
“You know, there’s such a thing astoococky,” I tell him, and he shrugs like,Sorry not sorry.
“Let’s hear one now,” Greg eggs him on. “What would have been Cassidy’s pickup line?”
