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I sipped my cocktail, telling myself that it would be my only one. I needed to keep my wits about me. He was making me uncomfortable and I couldn’t really explain why. I think it was a bunch of little things.
Like when we first entered Rook’s, I’d led us towards the bar, but he insisted on a table in the back. I didn’t like the idea of being cut off from the rest of the restaurant like that, but I followed him anyway. As soon as we sat down, he laid his hand open on the table, as if asking to hold mine. I kept my hands in my lap. That was weird. He narrowed his eyes and gestured with his fingerscome on, but I pretended I couldn’t read his body language. He eventually gave up.
“I really like that dress on you,” he said.
“Thank you.”
It was one of my favorites. It worked with my curves instead of against them. I felt pretty without feeling like I was trying too hard. But Mark was making me wish I’d covered up a little more.
“I like short skirts on women. It shows off a lot of leg,” he continued. “My ex never liked short skirts, but I was always after her to give them a try. She said it looked trashy, but I think it was because she had a lot of cellulite.”
I pursed my lips. I wasn’t sure what to say to that.
That had been another issue this evening. Mark seemed to feel that insulting his ex was somehow complimenting me. I liked compliments, but not at the expense of someone else. And frankly, Mark’scomplimentsdidn’t really feel much like compliments.
“I’m glad we’re finally doing this,” he said.
“Yeah,” I replied, noncommittally.
“I was actually starting to think you were avoiding me, you know.”
I said nothing.
“I thought you were ignoring my texts,” he continued. “I thought you were trying to ghost me.”
“It’s kind of hard to ghost someone you’re going to see at work every day,” I pointed out. I should probably have mentioned that you can’t ghost someone you weren’t dating.
“True.”
The waitress came by and Mark quickly chugged the half a beer in his glass. He handed her the empty glass and ordered another.
“And another cocktail for the lady,” he said.
“Oh, no thank you. I’m still working on this one,” I said, pointing to my mostly-full drink.
“Just get it as a backup.”
“I saidno thank you.”
“It’s not like you have Rex tonight. Plus, you’re off tomorrow,” he insisted. “Just relax a little.”
“I don’t want another drink,” I told the server. She nodded and left to get Mark’s next beer.
“What’s the big deal?” he said. He leaned back and crossed his arms over his chest, doing that poutyI’m so disappointed in youthing that guys do when they don’t get their way. He lowered his voice, like we had a secret. “I was hoping for another appearance from Christmas Party Zoe.”
I pursed my lips, embarrassed.
I’d had a little too much wine at the last Christmas party and was a little more open to Mark flirting with me. I mean, nothing happened. We didn’t kiss and I sure as shit didn’t go home with him. But when he put his hand on my knee, I didn’t move it. When he said something suggestive, I didn’t shut it down. When he askedhey, maybe we should get a drink sometime…
“I don’t normally drink like that, Mark,” I explained. “And I shouldn’t have done it that night either. It was my first Christmas after the divorce and my first night off in several months. I was stressed. I blew off a little steam. And I regretted it all the next day.” I shuddered as I remembered the hangover.
“Hopefully, you don’t regreteverythingthat happened that night.”
I pressed my lips into a straight line, worried.
“I asked you out that night and you said yes,” he supplied. “You promised me we’d get drinks. And you gave me that long hug…”
“Oh, right, right,” I said. I picked up my water. “Well, I’m glad we’re finally getting around to it.”
