Page 23 of I'm Looking for a Man in Finance
I heard a throat clear from behind me. “Are you going to continue into the bar there, James?”
“Yeah, was just scoping out an open spot,” I told him, despite half of the bar being completely open. To Sebastian’s credit, he said nothing.
“Can I get an Old Fashioned and can you send a glass of Riesling over to that woman in the corner?” I asked the bartender as soon as we settled into a pair of chairs.
“What’s gotten into you today?” Sebastian asked, his attention fixed on Hallie. “I didn’t think you had it in you to go after another man’s woman.”
“Who’s saying that’s her boyfriend?” I shot back, doing my best to keep from staring as she laughed at something her companion said. Especially after the twinkling sound of her laugh made my dick twitch.
I’ve got to get laid.
The bartender walked over and set the glass of wine on Hallie’s table. I watched as she scanned the bar, trying to find the culprit. Her mouth dropped open the minute her eyes landed on me.
I winked.
Hallie’s lips moved, and I was certain she was cussing me out under her breath. Without a second thought, I pushed back from the bar and sauntered over to them.
“Who’s that from?” I overheard Hallie’s date asking her.
“Oh it’s no one—”
“Harsh, Hal. I would think you’d place a little more importance on someone you dated for four years.” I placed a hand over my heart, feigning hurt.
Hallie’s jaw dropped, and those beautiful lips, painted in a dangerous shade of red, parted in disbelief.
“What are you talking ab—”
“You guys dated?” Hallie’s date for the night asked. He’d combed his auburn hair over to hide a growing bald spot, I suspected, and his teeth desperately needed whitening.
I slid into the open seat at their table with a grin. “Oh yeah. We met back in college when we both attended—”
“NYU,” Hallie grumbled, clearly playing along, which meant her evening must’ve been going worse than I initially thought.
“Yes, NYU! Hallie here was studying journalism, and I was studying finance.”
Her date’s interest piqued. “Finance? Where do you work now?”
“Just down the street at Berkley Williams.” I narrowed my eyes playfully. “Don’t you work at BAT?”
Hallie tracked the unfolding scene, her eyes darting between us.
“Excuse me, everyone,” Sebastian’s voice broke in as he placed a hand on my shoulder. “I figured I’d join the party since my friend here so rudely ditched me at the bar.”
Sebastian fell into the last empty spot next to Roxie and her date for the evening. Before throwing an arm across the back of Roxie’s seat, he shook her date’s hand. Seb’s accidental touch made Roxie tense up.
“Sebastian Whittaker.” Seb extended his free hand to her, flashing a smile that could disarm anyone. I swear that man could charm a nun away from her lifelong commitment with just a smile. What caught my attention, though, was seeing Roxie—who I’d watched so easily win people over at the Grangers’ dinner—become visibly flustered under Seb’s focus.
“Roxie King.” Roxie recovered after a few seconds of free fall and placed her hand in Sebastian’s.
“Well, now it’s a party.” Sebastian tossed a wink at Roxie and she immediately turned the color of a ripe tomato, clearly caught off guard, before he motioned for the bartender to bring the group another round of drinks. He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a sleeve of Cuban cigars—Seb’s favorite vice.
“We were kind of on a date,” Hallie cut in, motioning to the two men at the table. Roxie’s date looked to be engrossed in whoever he was texting on his phone while Hallie’s date was far more interested in having a conversation about the market trends with me than asking her any stereotypical first-date questions.
So, what do you like to do in your free time?
What’s your favorite movie?
What’s your dream job?
