Last on the List (Wait With Me #5)(45)

“Jeff, I have to ask you a strange question,” I blurt out, taking a sip of my drink.

“I love your strange questions,” he muses and sips his IPA beer.

I lean forward and run my finger along his brow line, my eyes marveling at how perfectly shaped they are. With a giggle, I ask, “Are your eyebrows natural, or do you use a serum because I’ve never seen such full eyebrows in my entire life.”

His shoulders shake, and he nearly falls off the stool with a bizarre silent laugh. He presses a hand to his chest, and his voice is high-pitched when he cries, “What the fuck is a serum?”

“Like something that makes eyebrows grow thicker!” I reply, laughing hysterically at his comedic reaction.

His smiling eyes widen. “People actually want big eyebrows?”

My nose wrinkles as I chuckle. “Yes. Seriously, if you’re using a product, fess up because you have the most stunning brows I’ve ever seen on a man or a woman!”

He props his elbow on the bar and covers his face, still in stitches over the topic of our conversation. He’s obviously drunk, but it’s cute, and I live to amuse.

He wipes some errant tears out of his eyes and sighs loudly. “You are one of a kind, Cozy Barlow.”

“I’ve been getting that a lot these days,” I murmur as Max’s annoyingly handsome face invades my thoughts.

A clammy hand lands on my bare leg, and I look over to see Jeff no longer smiling. In fact, his face has grown super serious. His eyes are hooded and locked on my lips. “I’m so glad this is finally happening, Cozy.”

“What do you mean?” I try to laugh to lighten the mood.

He hiccups and glances down at my chest. “You and me. A redo.”

“A re-what?” My back straightens with his forced proximity.

“I was so awkward in high school. So inexperienced.” He closes his eyes and shakes off the obvious embarrassment before resuming really intense eye contact. “You would have been my first, you know.”

My head jerks at his sharp vibe change. I look over my shoulder to see Dakota walking toward the bathroom while Randal is scrolling on his phone. Guess I’m stuck here alone with a drunk Jeff who wants to have a walk down memory lane. Jesus. I need to get control of this conversation.

I heartily pat Jeff on the shoulder, hoping I’m giving out platonic friendship vibes because that is most certainly all I want from him. “I was awkward too, Jeff. But you were cool and a total gentleman.”

His head bobs up and down. “I’m not so much of a gentleman anymore.”

“Oh?” My nose wrinkles.

He licks his lips and leans in close, the skunky scent of his beer wafting over my face as he murmurs, “I’ve learned a thing or two since junior prom.”

Suddenly, his damp palm inches up my thigh, and I slap my hand over his to stop its pursuit. I’m just about to tell him this isn’t happening when a large body presses up against him.

“Your cab is here, pal,” a deep voice utters, and my eyes nearly pop out of my head when I see Max’s broad frame standing beside Jeff. He grabs Jeff’s hand firmly and yanks it off my leg before helping him up out of his stool.

“My cab?” Jeff’s immaculate brow furrows in confusion as he looks at me. “Are we leaving, Cozy?”

A weird chirping sound emits from my lips because I can’t find any words to make sense of this situation.

“Not her. Just you. I’m afraid the bartender insisted. She’s sorry for overserving you.”

Jeff shakes his head, voicing his denial, “You think I’m too drunk?”

“Yes, we do,” Max answers, placing a hand around Jeff’s back to lead him toward the door. “We thank you for stopping in, but we’d appreciate your cooperation. We wouldn’t want to get the police involved for disorderly conduct.”

“The fuzz?” Jeff bellows, gripping the sides of his head. “No, no, no, no. Don’t call the cops. I’m in law school, bro. I can’t have a criminal record.” His voice cracks on the end as he adds, “Plus, my mom will kill me if I’m dropped off at home by a cop.”

Max nods crisply. “I understand. Then just please make your way out to the cab outside. It’s already paid for.”

Jeff’s head is bobbing in terrified understanding as Max releases him, but he turns back toward me before he leaves. “Cozy, can I get your number?”

“No time for that,” Max barks, stepping between Jeff and me. His shoulders rise with determination as he points at the door. “You need to leave, sir. Now.”

Jeff holds his hands up and nearly falls backward as he scrambles out of the bar without looking back.

When Max turns on his heel and lowers himself into the seat Jeff just vacated, like nothing happened, I wonder if I’ve somehow drunk myself into an alternate universe.

He casually holds a finger up to the bartender, and I faintly hear him ask for a whiskey on the rocks. Though my ears are doing this annoying ringing thing, so I can’t be sure. I watch in astonishment as he takes a sip of the amber liquid before rolling up the sleeves on his black button-down.

Finally, he turns his indigo eyes to me and offers an easy smile. “Hello, Cassandra.”

My lips open and close multiple times, and I fear I might be doing a good impression of that cheesy singing bass wall mount that my dad has hanging in his machine shed. “W-W-What are you doing here?”