I saunter up to him, smiling. “Well, well, Mr. Jacobs, looks like you got yourself a shiny new toy while we weren’t talking.”
He laughs, deep and from the belly, tossing his head back then meeting my eyes. “I had to do something destructive besides writing a million songs about you and playing them on repeat.” He hands me his helmet and I step back.
“Oh, no. You only have one helmet? We’ll call an Uber,” I say, hesitantly.
He shakes his head. “Just get on the bike. Besides, I never needed two helmets…” his voice trails off, not breaking my gaze, “until now.”
A horn blares and I take the helmet from him even though I definitely don’t approve of him not wearing one.
“Relax,” he says. “I’ll be careful. And who knows, if you stick around, maybe I’ll buy a second one.” He winks at me.
In response, I scoff and rest one hand on his shoulder, then I lift my leg up and over the bike and sit behind him. An awkward air washes over me, and it’s an odd feeling to have with him. I’ve never ridden a motorcycle before. I don’t even know where to place my hands.
He glances at me in the small rearview mirror and then turns, looking over his shoulder. “You can touch me, you know.” His words are playful, his eyes burning a hole into me. “You didn’t have a problem touching me last night, if I remember correctly.” He adds, “Oh, hey! I noticed you decided to put a bra on today, is that because we’re going out in public or did you just not want me staring at your tits during dinner?”
I nudge him softly and we both laugh, but then I tell him, seriously, “Only because we’re going out in public. I figured I’d save the rest for later.”
And with that, he revs the engine, palming the handles and kicking up his feet. I can’t help but feel tiny butterflies swarming in my stomach, thinking that tonight could be the start of something really fucking good.
I’m two cocktails in and Hailee is ahead of me, finishing her third. I remind her with a tiny kick under the table—gently, of course—that she doesn’t want to get sloppy.
She rolls her eyes at me. “Isn’t he hot? Thank Jesus for dating apps!” She’s excited, rightfully so; the two of them have totally been hitting it off.
Oliver smirks and snakes his arm around her in the booth as she sinks into him. “So,” he says, “how long have the two of you known each other?” He looks from me to River and we turn to each other, grinning, but it’s River who answers him.
“Forever, basically,” he says. “Since Ava was seventeen and I was eighteen.” He looks perplexed now. “Good God, we’re old.”
“Hey! Speak for yourself!” I say playfully, taking a sip of my vodka cranberry.
River slides his hand over and onto my knee, alternating between squeezing and caressing it as I bite into my burger, stopping briefly when I feel his skin on mine. His touch has always done this to me. It sort of, makes my mind go foggy, like I’m in a daze.
I smile at Hailee, who isn’t touching most of her food. It’s a nervous habit of hers. When she notices me staring, she quickly takes a bite of her chicken sandwich. It’s as if we can read each other’s minds.
It isn’t long before I want to be alone with River. I ask Hailee to come to the bathroom with me, so I can check on her before he and I excuse ourselves.
Once we’re in the confines of the two-stall hideaway, I ask her, “Will you be okay if we leave? How are you feeling about Oliver? It seems like you two have a lot of chemistry.”
She’s fixing her mauve lipstick that perfectly complements her sun-kissed skin. “Oh, honey, I’ve been waiting for you two to leave all night,” she jokes. “But in all seriousness, yes, you two go. I’ll be fine. I don’t get murdery, stalkery vibes from this dude. I get I’m going to fuck your brains out vibes from him.”
I roll my eyes as she does a series of pelvic thrusts, her flowy dress swaying. This girl. I swear. I laugh, making her promise she’ll call and check in. Then I usher her tipsy ass back to the table where I grab River by the arm to pull him toward the door, wanting him to myself.
He quickly tosses two twenties on the table and trails behind me. “That was one hell of a way to make an exit,” he comments once we get outside. “How did the girly bathroom conversation go?” He raises one eyebrow and pulls me to him. “I’m no dummy. Were you talking about how awesome I am?”
I snort, quickly covering my reddening face, forgetting that River knows all about this quirk of mine.
He moves my hands from my face and kisses the tip of my nose. “I sure missed that.”
We get on his bike and River drives off, chasing the Chicago sunset. The notorious city wind catches the hair peeking out beneath my helmet. I feel free, alive, and more myself than I have in a very long time.
When he finally pulls over, it’s in front of a large apartment complex with more windows than I have ever seen. The entire thing is basically glass, with tiny slivers of siding mixed in.
Hopping off his bike, I shake my helmet hair out and run my fingers through the tangled long strands. “Where are we?”
It’s beautiful here. If it weren’t for the impeccable architecture signaling money signs, one could easily tell just by how the passersby walking down the sidewalk were dressed. Red-soled shoes, for instance, along with expensive designer bags to match even more expensive designer formal wear. The city is bustling with the privileged.
“My place,” he says. “I figured, you entertained me last night so tonight, it’s my turn.”
We walk into his building, and I should have known he’d live somewhere like this. His mother and father had been putting copious amounts of money away for him and his sister since they were infants. So much so, that they could live off the funds forever and never need jobs, if they didn’t want them. I secretly think they were subconsciously trying to make up for being less than ideal parents.
By the time we’re shut inside of River’s large apartment, I’m dizzy from the alcohol. I don’t normally get buzzed off two cocktails, but I was so nervous earlier that I didn’t eat much at all today.
River hands me a water from the fridge. “Drink up, you need to hydrate. Are you still hungry? You didn’t finish your food because you were in such a hurry to get my pants off.” He cracks himself up as I roll my eyes, nodding my head yes, that I’m still hungry.
“I think you’ve gotten a little more full of yourself over the years, River Jacobs,” I say, although he isn’t wrong. He smirks as he turns away and starts making me a sandwich. I stand nearby, taking in the beautiful apartment around us.
The floors are light gray laminate, and the walls, a blinding white. The place could definitely use a woman’s touch, but he does have some style. Green leafy plants decorate the corner of his living room, that offshoots from the large open kitchen. His guitar rests against a tall white-brick fireplace. She’s beautiful; pear-shaped, wooden, six smooth strings. If I had to guess, I’d say he still makes love to her daily.
When he’s finished with my sandwich, he guides me to his sectional and we sit in unison, his face twisting from playful to serious in seconds. “Can we talk about something kinda, sorta serious in nature?”