Jensen’s laugh carries through the bar. “Is this still considered ‘not a big deal’?”
I don’t look back for her to see the damn smile on my face.
Heading straight through for the kitchen doors, I do my best to keep my head down and out of the workers’ way, only finding it slightly odd that no one is questioning me walking right in. But considering I probably look like a man on a mission, they might’ve assumed I have a purpose in walking right through.
Spotting Mia’s door already open, I make it to the entryway then pause. Mia stands tall facing her desk in her usual heels, a blue stripe dress that has to be very close to the color on my uniform and her auburn hair twisted up in a clip.Yeah, I have a purpose, alright.
Before I stare for a second too long, I knock on her door softly. “Hey, can I come in?”
“Right on time.” She spins around with a smile. “I just got these bottles that I think could be great for the party.” Stepping around to her seat, I see the three bottles sitting on her desk.
“You invited me to drink with you in the middle of the day?” I chuckle, hoping my tone came off more teasing than judgmental. Frankly, I’d do whatever she asked me to do, considering I want to talk to her more.
“It’s all nonalcoholic, actually. I know Will doesn’t drink, so I thought I’d experiment with some different things. One of my wholesalers has an entire line of nonalcoholic drinks.” Mia pulls two short glasses from her drawer. “It took one call and he said he’d rush some over in the morning for me to try. Thought you might want to have some say in the drinks served at the party.”
“My drink of choice kept getting shot down, actually,” I reply. Before taking my seat, I scoot it closer to the desk…closer to her.
I’m not at all surprised that whoever this salesman is jumped on the opportunity to bring her something she wanted. I imagine a lot of them do it, and not just because she’s beautiful, but after our two-hour conversation—I want more.
Picking up one of the bottles that looks like tequila, I spin it around, checking the labels. I have no clue how this stuff is about to taste, but I don’t know if I care too much about it either.
“I’m surprised you only got three bottles out of him.”
She snorts then gestures to a box on the floor. “We have six more in that crate. I just picked out my top three choices to start.”
Reaching for the wine-like bottle first, she starts to pull the cork with a pink wine key. “Figuring out the drinks for the party really got me thinking it might be nice to add some signature mocktails to our actual menu. So, honest opinions, please.”
“Alright, I can do that.” A question about whether she normally invites people to come try new drinks is on the tip of my tongue, but I don’t give a fuck if she does this every Wednesday. I think I’d like to be the person she calls, actually.
Mia slides me a glass with one shot worth of a dark red liquid. “It only feels appropriate to start with the cabernet, given our name and all.” She lifts hers toward mine and clinks it with her glass.
“Isn’t nonalcoholic wine just juice?”
With Mia swallowing her first sip, she gives me this judgmental look. “Okay, try that and tell me again it’sjustjuice.”
Fair. Tipping the drink back, I finish the small amount in the glass.
“Adam, you’re supposed to sip it,” Mia chastises before I can even set the glass down.
“Shit, okay, that was good. Tasted almost like that one Callie loves, but better.”
Mia shakes her head as she pours me another small bit. “Imagine how good it will taste when you actually savor it.”
“Don’t tell me you’re someone who takes half of the day before they even finish their cup of coffee.”
Mia’s jaw ticks. “Okay, first, I prefer matcha. And second, I simply enjoy my drink instead of inhaling it without getting to appreciate how it tastes.”
“Right, sure.” I glance around her desk then find what I’m looking for. I pick up the to-go cup with a little less than a third of what I’m assuming is the matcha she got this morning. “Are you actually going to finish this? Something tells me you got this hours ago, Mia.”
She frowns, taking the cup from my hand. “I got distracted before I could finish it. It might come as a surprise to you, but I’m actually rather important here.”
“Oh, I don’t doubt that for a second, but I wouldn’t shy away from a bet that you don’t finish any of your drinks. You get down to the last bit before switching to a new one.”
Mia scoffs. “That is…it’s?—”
“True, isn’t it?”
Mia purses her lips, but there’s a smirk slowly tugging at the corners. “I buy my own drinks…I can leave them unfinished if I damn want to.” She picks my glass back up, handing it to me. “Savor it this time.”
