#joevember

Not that you wanted to do anything until Joe came back inside—what kind of agent called at nine o’clock on a Saturday night?—so you waffled on whether or not you appreciated this brief reprieve.

A man sidled up to the bar on your left. Tall, good-looking, a little too boyband for your tastes, not that it mattered. Or, at least, it shouldn’t have mattered. But it mattered a little bit for the way you’d felt him look at you twice already while he waited to flag down the barman.

You were just about to break your cardinal rule of being out in public and take your phone from your bag when he cleared his throat. “Uh, hi there.”

Goddamnit.

You straightened up and pushed a smile onto your face before you looked over. “Hi there.”

He blinked. “Oh, American,” he said and laughed quietly. “Wasn’t expecting that.”

“I know,” you quipped before you could stop yourself. “Horrifying, isn’t it? We look just like you on the outside.”

“Diabolical, really,” he muttered, shaking his head.

You felt your smile melt into something a little more genuine. “Did you…need something?”

“Uh, need?” he repeated. “No. But I was hoping you’d let me buy you a drink and introduce myself.”

That smile tightened again. “Oh, um, thank you,” you said and held up your glass. “But I’ve already got one.”

He smiled back. “I could get the next one.”

Alright, fine. You didn’t want to do this but. “I’m uh, actually waiting for my…boyfriend.” The word still stuck on your tongue. Heavy and sweet but not quite familiar yet. You pointed over your shoulder to the door. “He’s just outside.”

To your relief, when you glanced back, Joe was stepping inside again, tucking his phone back into his pocket. The man to your left followed your gaze. “Boyfriend?” he repeated. “That’s your boyfriend?”

“That’s him,” you nodded once.

“That’s weird,” your companion said, another smile tugging on his lips. “Because that’s my boyfriend.”

You hadn’t quite put his words together before Joe approached the two of you with a big smile. “Oh good,” he said to your guest. “You found her on your own.”

You looked from one to the other and bit back the urge to laugh. “This is Wes?”