I didn't come for the bartender. I didn't come for anything, really.
Corporate events are a grind. It's all forced smiles, shallow chatter, and another glass of overpriced nothing. I was counting down the minutes to leave... until I noticed him.
Jake. Behind the bar. Effortless charm, sleeves rolled up, smirk like he knows every secret in the room, including mine.
I tell myself I'm just curious. That I'm admiring his skill. That it's nothing. But my eyes keep finding him. My thoughts keep drifting to places I've never let them go before. Not seriously, anyway. Not with another guy.
It's probably just a fluke. A weird night. A trick of the lighting.
Except it's not.
