Page 8 of Midlife Shifter Unexpected

“I think he’s just looking at you, Bianca,” Mae said, her forehead creased in a frown as she looked at me and suddenly, I became incredibly self-conscious they were both looking at me and I didn’t know what to say. My feet felt glued to the floor and my butt was sinking into the seat. My tongue felt stuck to the roof of my mouth, , and my mouth was suddenly dry. Almost too dry to speak. “Water sounds good.” I croaked out.

“I’ll have a glass of wine,” Mae said, smiling and nodding at Matheus.

Matheus glanced back at me one more time as he walked away. I could feel his eyes, but I didn’t look up at him. I was too embarrassed.

“Did I seriously just proposition the bartender?”

“Not as such, but sort of,” Mae said with a grin.

“I’ll never be able to come in here for a drink again,” I muttered.

“Not true,” Mae said. “He’s already asked you out on a date. You just seem in the mood to speed things up a bit. I can’t say he hated the idea, but I don’t think anyone’s taking you home in the condition you’re in. What’s gotten into you?”

“I don’t know. Whatever was in that tea…”

“I know the tonic’s good, but it usually doesn’t make people loopy. I wonder if you’re having an allergic reaction to it.” Mae mused, grabbing her phone, and sending a quick text.

“Who are you texting?” I asked.

“Trina, to find out what she put in your tea.”

Matheus arrived with the water, but I didn’t make eye contact. It was too embarrassing. I was still feeling a little bit loopy, but I was coming down off whatever was in the tea.

I gulped the water down. It didn’t settle well in my stomach.

“I think I need to go home,” I said to Mae, who was still staring at her phone shaking her head.

“Yeah, you definitely need to go home,” Mae stood up grabbing her purse.

“What’s going on?” I asked, stumbling after her.

“Oh, nothing,” Mae said, grabbing me by the arm. Her firm grip belied the cheerful smile she had plastered on her face. “We need to get you out of here.”

As we were leaving the bar, Matheus came over to hold the door and handed me the bill for the drinks. I handed him a twenty but he insisted I take the paper. “I don’t need a receipt,” I said, putting my hand up against it.

“Maybe you’ll take my phone number, which is written on the receipt,” Matheus said, his green eyes dancing playfully as he slipped the receipt into my pocket of my sweater.

I grabbed Mae’s arm as we walked out of the bar and my breath caught in my throat. “He gave me his digits,” I said, my teeth grating together. “Oh my gosh, I don’t think I could ever have sex with somebody that hot. I would die. I just never could.”

Mae started laughing. “Why don’t you try texting or calling him first before you take this too far down the road?”

Chapter 6

“I have to go pee,” I said as we were about to walk out of the parking lot. We had both left our vehicles back at my place.

“I’ll wait here, for you,” Mae said. “You shouldn’t walk alone.”

“I had a cup of tea and a glass of water. I don’t see why I should be this messy.” I could feel myself weave as I turned and aimed back towards the Waldorf. I really needed to pee.

Mae tilted her head to the side. “Don’t get distracted.”

I ambled back through the stained-glass doors of the Waldorf, fully intending to just go to the bathroom, but I knew this phone number thing wasn’t going to work for me. I looked around the bar, but Matheus wasn’t behind the counter; he was out bussing tables.

I walked over to the bar, grabbed a pen, pulled out the receipt, and scribbled on it. I took a deep breath. There was only one way I was going to be able to deal with this. It would drive me crazy if I just went straight home. I would just sit thinking about it.

This was a much better idea.

I walked up behind Matheus where he was clearing an empty table. I tapped him on the shoulder and when he turned around. I stood up on my tiptoes and reached up, putting my arms around his neck and gave him a solid kiss on the lips.

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