Maya was tempted to turn around but Riley was fast enough to hand her a pocket mirror. Maya raised it and pretended to fix her hair. A smile played on her lips when she caught a glimpse of the man Riley was talking about. The word ‘hottie’ might as well been a gross understatement. The Caucasian man had a full head of hair that reminded her of a young Zachary Levi and even though he was seated and behind her, she could tell that he had a perfect height, maybe six one.
“And I have seen him around here a couple of times doing the same thing he is doing now,” Riley said.
“And that is?” Maya asked raising an eyebrow over the other.
“He has been here almost every single day for the last month always checking you out,” Riley said. “Are you telling me that you never noticed?” she asked and Maya nodded, uncertainly. “How clueless are you?”
Maya put the mirror down and shrugged.
“On any other day I would have probably felt something,” Maya said and Riley shook her head.
“Please, it’s about time to get back on the horse. You have been single for way too long,” Riley said as she turned around to order some food for Maya.
Maya shrugged and took a long sip of her wine. Was it possible that Riley was right? Could it have been time to finally move on? She had not been on a date in months…actually, it had almost been a year and a half since her last date and she was in no particular hurry to ‘get back on the horse’ as Riley had put it.
“But my career is in the toilet.” She took another sip and reached for the bowl of peanuts on the counter. “I might as well just get a boy toy or something…or just a toy.”
She was still engrossed in her own thoughts when one of the men who had been seated at the far end of the bar made his way to where she was. She popped a few peanuts in her mouth and had her eyes fixated on the TV in a bid to ignore the man next to her.
“Can I buy you a drink or something, sweetheart?” he asked and she turned to look at him. She would have hoped that it was the hunk who had been eyeing her but it wasn’t. Se forced out a smile and shook her head.
“Thanks but no thanks.” She gestured at her glass. “I already have more than I can handle.”
“Oh come on,” the man said. “I have been watching you and I have a feeling that you need more than what you have in that glass.”
She shook her head again and shrugged.
“Seriously, I’m fine.”
“Oh come on.” The man was annoyingly persistent. She felt a chill go down her spine when he touched her shoulder. “Whoa… I didn’t mean to startle you or anything.”
“Listen, I already told you, I’m good,” Maya said, the irritation on her voice apparent.
“Yes, but all I am trying to do is strike a conversation with a beautiful woman,” the man said as he moved himself closer. “Is that so wrong?”
“What the hell is going on here?” Riley asked as she came back carrying a plate of ribs.
“Nothing. He was just leaving,” Maya said, looking at the obviously intoxicated man.
“Glenn, are you bothering my customers again?” Riley asked and the man shook his head. He suddenly slipped an arm around Maya’s waist and she pushed him off with so much force he fell down.
“Oh my God,” she said as Glenn struggled to get up. “I’m so sorry… I didn’t mean to…” she started before Riley shook her head.
“Don’t apologize, it’s not your fault,” she said. “Glenn, go home already.”
By now, Glenn was on his feet and the way he was looking at Maya made her realize that he was out for blood.
“You damn bitch,” he hissed.
Suddenly, he as charging at her and the entire bar erupted in chaos. Riley was yelling at him and the security guard at the door was trying to rush to where they were without knocking over any tables. Out of nowhere, Maya saw an arm around Glenn pulling him back away from her and pinning him to one of the tables.
“Hey buddy, the lady said she didn’t need your help.” Maya’s heart skipped a beat when she saw her knight in shining armor. It was the ‘hottie’ Riley had referred to earlier. Glenn pushed him away and got up before staring daggers at Maya. His gaze shifted from the guy to Maya and then back to the guy.
“What makes you think you can just attack me like that?” Glenn asked as he staggered, struggling to gain his balance.
“You were charging at her. I just did what any man would do,” the stranger said as he looked at Glenn.
“Not for a fat bitch like this one who thinks that she is too good for me!” Glenn was once again moving closer to Maya.