Disloyalty

- Bar -

We all finished work and made our way down to the bar, the energy between us light and casual. Holly and I left before James, and as we walked, she suddenly smirked and nudged me with her elbow.

"James has a thing for you," she said, her grin wide.

I blinked, caught off guard. "What? No, no way. I don't think so," I laughed, brushing off her comment. She's being ridiculous, I thought.

"Oh, trust me. He's got it bad. He's always looking at you—like, all the time," she emphasized each word, her eyes sparkling with amusement.

I felt my cheeks heat up slightly, though I tried to play it cool. "Are you sure? I mean, I'm single, but I don't know if he's my type..." My voice trailed off as a brief pang of old heartache surfaced—Isaac. I still wasn't completely over him.

"For me," Holly said, her tone suddenly serious. "Can you at least try to get to know him tonight? I'll keep myself entertained."

"I don't know, Holly ... what if I don't like him and I end up feeling bad about it?"

She stopped abruptly, spinning in front of me and placing her hands firmly on my shoulders, as if physically preventing me from escaping this conversation. "Please," she said, her voice pleading but lighthearted. "He's been single for years, Mia. Just give him one chance?"

I sighed, but the smile tugging at the corner of my lips gave me away. "Fine," I relented.

right in time, James caught up to us, and we all made our way into the bar. It was small, cozy, with dim lighting and a rustic vibe, a pool table in the corner and the faint murmur of soft music playing in the background.

We found a small table near the back and sat down. Holly immediately got up, offering to grab drinks. "I'll get the drinks. What do you want?"

"Whiskey sour for me," James said, flashing her a quick smile.

"Mmm, okay, really trying to drain my wallet, aren't you?" Holly teased, her playful sarcasm drawing a chuckle from James.

"I'll have a Paloma," I chimed in, even though I wasn't entirely sure what it was—it just sounded good. Holly gave me a wink before she left, as if to say, Your time to shine.

I turned to James, offering him a small smile. "So, James... tell me more about yourself." I figured it was a safe way to start the conversation.

James hesitated for a moment, clearly flustered by the attention. "Uh, well... not much to tell," he started, scratching the back of his neck nervously. "I grew up around here. Been working at the company for a few years now, but I used to travel a lot before that." His voice trailed off, uncertain of where to take the conversation.

"Where'd you travel?" I asked, trying to keep things flowing. He seemed nice enough—just shy, maybe.

"Mostly Europe," he said. "Backpacking, you know? Spent a lot of time in Italy... France..."

As he talked, I found myself listening, but my thoughts drifted. I couldn't shake the feeling that something was off, like I was waiting for something to happen. I tried to focus on what James was saying, but my attention kept slipping—until I felt a presence.

A familiar one.

I glanced up just in time to see Andrew walking through the bar's entrance. He paused for a moment, scanning the room, and when his eyes locked onto mine, my heart skipped a beat. The tension between us from earlier in the day surged back instantly, hitting me like a wave. What the hell was he doing here?