Page 4 of Morning Walks & Midnight Talks

But something kept me from pushing for anything more.

Matt had plenty of opportunities to take things further, but he never did. For all I knew, he might not be into guys—or at least not into me. So, I settled into the comfortable rhythm of our new routine and convinced myself that it was enough.

But no matter how much you tell yourself you’re keeping things easy, one slip, one careless moment is all it takes to tip the balance. And the following Monday, I made exactly that kind of mistake.

It started rather innocently. I brought coffee fromThe Morning Pup.Just one more, no big deal, I thought. What harm could it do?

Matt blinked as if I had handed him an award. Sora was equally thrilled about the treat that came with it.

“You didn’t have to?—”

“I know,” I said. “It’s routine.”

Matt smiled over the lid of his cup. “Well, now Ihaveto return the favor.”

“No, you don’t,” I countered, realizing what I had done without even wanting to.

“How do you usually spend your Friday evenings?” Matt asked, ignoring my last sentence entirely.

My whole body tingled as if I were seconds away from being sucked out of Earth's atmosphere and thrown into space. “Why?” I asked, instead of answering.

“Friday is trivia night atHops & Dreams, and I'll be working the bar. You can get a cheap night out on me.”

I smiled, reluctant to agree, although I wanted to more than anything. Images of how a drunken night could end flashed before my eyes: Skin touching skin. Lips trembling. Hands exploring where they shouldn’t—at least not in a regular friendship.

“Come on, it’ll be fun,” Matt added. “Those are the wildest nights. People get competitive when you ask how many hearts an octopus has.”

“Three,” I said automatically.

Matt looked delighted. “See? You should come.”

I knew that giving in to that temptation came with risks. What if I misinterpreted things? What if he was just being friendly and didn’t have the same intentions as I? On the other hand, if I ever wanted to see another side of him, I had to break out of my routine. Sitting at home alone would never get me there.

I ran a hand through my hair and glanced down at Pounce, who sat at my feet, wagging his tail as if even he were waiting for my answer. “Okay, so, when does it start?”

2

HOPS & DREAMS

One advantage of owning a house next to a small town's only public park was that the rest of the downtown area was also nearby.Hops & Dreamswas only four minutes awayon foot. I could get as wasted as I wanted without worrying about my car. Not that I planned on drinking more than the obligatory pint. On the other hand... I did many things I hadn’t planned on doing over the last two weeks, so who knew what would happen?

The taproom had a low, cozy buzz—the kind of noise that fills the space without drowning you out. Aged wood panels lined the walls, giving the place a warm, rustic feel, as if I had stepped into a gigantic beer barrel. A quick glance at my watch let me know I was twenty minutes early, explaining why only six of the twenty tables were occupied.

Matt’s bright smile when he saw me washed away my anxiety about coming to a trivia night alone. He waved at me and made his way to the far end of the bar, tapping twice on the wooden counter. “I reserved a seat for you. Best view. For triviaandeverything else.”

“Why? Have you prepared a show?” I asked, throwing my legs over the barstool as if it were a mechanical bull.

“You haven’t seen me bartend yet,” he said, folding his arms on the bar in front of me. “So, did you study hard for our trivia night?”

“Please,” I said, pretending to polish my nails on my hoodie. “You’re about to witness greatness.”

“Confident. I like that.” Matt chuckled and leaned in close enough that I could smell his cologne. The spicy scent with a hint of citrus tickled my nostrils. “Is there anything I can bring you to start?”

“Bartender's choice.”

He narrowed his eyes with a teasing grin, but then nodded. “You won’t regret that.” He rushed to the ten taps in the center of the bar. My gaze accidentally fell on his butt, and suddenly I understood why he called this the best seat in the house. I forced my eyes onto the metal brewing system behind the bar that they apparently still use, but that I had never seen in operation before.

Matt pulled a glass from the rack and tilted it under a tap. The amber beer flowed smoothly as he glanced over. “How was work?”

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