In Flight (Up in the Air #1)(9)

Stephan had been right. I had been so tempted to skip a workout today, but it had ended up being just what I needed. I felt worlds better when we finished up.

We grabbed a quick sandwich for lunch. It was a beautiful late spring day in New York City, and I enjoyed our walk along the bustling street. “Wanna eat in the park?” I asked Stephan as we waited in line at a crowded local deli.

He nodded. “For sure. Picnic style.”

We didn’t precisely eat picnic style. Instead, we settled for finding an empty bench to sit on and people watch while we ate. “Whatcha gonna wear to the bar?” Stephan asked me between big bites.

We ate fast, as though afraid the food would disappear if we didn’t finish it quickly. We both ate like hungry street kids if we didn’t make a conscious effort not to. We didn’t bother eating any differently when it was just the two of us. We had nothing to hide from each other. It was one of the reasons we were damn near inseparable.

“Iyonno,” I said with too much food in my mouth. I swallowed, washing the mouthful down with a big swig of water from the refillable bottle I’d taken to carrying around almost constantly, to save money on bottled water.

“I don’t know,” I said more clearly. “It’s nice and warm, so some shorts and a blouse, I guess. I don’t feel like dressing up, but I don’t wanna look like a slob when I know everyone else will be dressing up.” I gestured at the comfortable gray workout T-shirt, black cheer shorts, and neon green running shoes I was wearing. “What I’d like to wear is this. But I know you’d harass me, so I’ll try to look halfway decent, I suppose.”

“You’ll have to help me pick out my outfit. I wanna look really hot tonight. I think I just might be ready to ask Melvin out this time,” Stephan said. I smiled. He had said the same thing for the last three weeks, but I just agreed.

We went back to our rooms to shower and get ready for the night ahead. We chatted amiably as we got ready.

I chose some cuffed, pleated black shorts and a sleeveless black and white blouse with flowery ruffles at the neck. It was the kind of outfit I liked best. It was comfortable but feminine. Some earrings and the right shoes, and it was dressy enough for just about anything. Add practical shoes, and poof, not overdressed.

I chose sandals with a short heel tonight. I picked silver hoops from the small bag of jewelry that I always packed. I wore my hair down. It was pin-straight and the pale length hung to my mid-back.

I put my makeup on quickly, just opting for mascara and some soft pink lip gloss. I finished getting ready first, since I didn’t particularly care how I looked for the outing. I sat on Stephan’s bed and patiently watched him try on everything he’d packed.

We finally settled on a fitted pale gray polo with some blue and gray plaid cargo shorts that hung from his slim hips in a very attractive way. He adopted the preppy look often, and I thought it suited him. He looked like a live Abercrombie and Fitch ad. I told him so. He laughed it off, but I could tell that he was pleased by the comparison, though it was only the truth.

We got to the bar a little before four p.m., but it was already a bit of a crush. It was not a fancy bar, just an old fashioned Irish pub with a few karaoke nights a week, but it was in the heart of Manhattan and it was friday night, so I was not at all surprised by the crowd.

Stephan worked his magic and within minutes we had snagged seats at the bar where Melvin was working. I’d had no doubt that he would. He had a rare combination of charm and charisma and he just seemed to make things work out that way. Most of the people in this place would never find a seat on a night this crowded.

We greeted Melvin warmly, and he seemed genuinely pleased to see us. Especially Stephan, though he was very nice to me. I always went out of my way to try and befriend anyone Stephan was interested in. He was my only family, and it was important to me that I be friends with anyone he found significant.

I guessed Melvin was about our age, somewhere in his early twenties. He was just shy of six feet tall, and very slender, nearly delicate. I couldn’t begin to guess his race, a mix of some kind. His skin was a naturally pale coffee color, his black hair cropped very close to his head. His eyes were a pale green. He was very handsome, and had a very engaging smile. Stephan has great taste, I thought.

“What can I get you?” Melvin had to raise his voice a little to be heard above the growing crowd. I bit my lip, looking at Stephan. I hadn’t had any kind of alcohol in so long that my mind went blank. Stephan just shrugged and winked at Melvin. Whoa, that was bold for him. Melvin blushed a little and smiled back shyly.

“Surprise us. Something with liquor,” Stephan told him playfully.

Melvin grinned. “Shots or cocktails?”

“One of each. Make us your favorite of each,” I declared. He left with a happy whistle to accommodate us.

I was distracted by the sound of some out-of-tune singing. We were far enough from the stage not to be deafened, but close enough to have a perfect view. That was always how it seemed to go around Stephan. He led a charmed life. “They start the Karaoke this early?” I asked Stephan, surprised.

He shrugged. “I guess so. It does seem awfully early for that, though. They need to let us get a little more buzzed before we have to listen to that.”

I agreed, laughing.

Melvin was back in short order. He’d made us each a Pom-tini, which was delicious enough that I didn’t think it could possibly get me drunk. He’d also brought us a shot he called ‘surfer on acid’. I’d never heard of it. I smelled it, and my nose wrinkled. It was strong. “What is it?” I asked him.