Free On the Rocks by Erin Duffy Page A

is that what the other guy did to make you so mad? I know some dudes are into it, it’s really not all that strange. Have you looked on the Web? There’s all sorts of stuff on there that . . .”
    “What happened to you respecting my privacy?” I asked.
    “I did. For the first ten minutes of our getting to know each other. Will you tell me now?”
    “Good-bye, Bobby.” I wove through the crowd and grabbed Grace’s arm as she chatted with Wolf. “I’m going to head home,” I said loudly so she could hear me over the crowd. I chugged my beer and handed her my empty cup.
    “What? Why? Aren’t you having fun?” she asked.
    “I am, I just . . . I don’t know. I’m a little overwhelmed. I need to break myself in slowly, and I think I’ve had enough for one afternoon. Am I too old to develop social anxiety problems?”
    “I don’t think you have social anxiety. You just need to go slowly, that’s all. You haven’t been out in a while. I totally get it.”
    “Are you sure you won’t mind?” I asked, fidgeting with my watch as if I had somewhere to be.
    “Not at all. I’m happy you’re here, and you came out, and you met the guys. That’s all I asked for. Do you want me to come home with you?”
    “No. You stay. I’ll be fine. Thanks again for forcing me to do this.”
    “ ‘Force’ is a nasty word. ‘Encouraged.’ ”
    “Strongly encouraged.”
    “Just don’t email Ben, okay?”
    “I won’t,” I replied. I wasn’t entirely sure I believed me, but I wanted to.
    “Good girl. Go relax, I’ll see you in a bit.”
    I hugged her and waved good-bye to Wolf as I headed for the exit. I had just hit the sidewalk when I heard someone call from behind me. It was Bobby, trotting down the road, his awkward gait revealing that one thing Bobby was not was an athlete.
    “Hey, Abby,” he called. “Why don’t you stick around?” He gestured over his shoulder back at the bar.
    “I have to get home.” It was only a partial lie.
    “No, you don’t,” he challenged.
    “How do you know that?” I was never a good liar.
    “Because unless you have some sort of emergency unpacking problem, you don’t need to be in an empty house right now. I think you’re avoiding me,” he teased. He crossed his arms across his chest and smiled at me. Bobby was charming in a strange way. In the way that made me want to keep talking to him, but to not really be nice when I did. I’m pretty sure that’s not how you go about getting guys to like you as a friend or anything else, but it was the only way I knew how to be.
    “Why would I avoid you? I don’t even know you,” I replied with a shrug.
    “Oh, so you want to come back to the bar and talk to me? I’ll tell you all about myself.”
    “Maybe next time. I’m just a little tired.”
    “I’m starting to get the feeling that you don’t like me.”
    “I didn’t say that.”
    “Then you do like me.”
    “I didn’t say that either.”
    “Can I buy you a beer?”
    “No thanks.”
    “Please?”
    “Well, in that case . . . no.”
    “Okay, suit yourself. I’m just trying to be friendly here and make you feel at home since you don’t know anyone, but if you’d rather be alone, that’s fine. I’m sure I’ll see you around.” He shrugged, finally giving up on breaking me down. Little did he know that someone had beaten him to the punch a long time ago.
    “What makes you say that?” I asked before he walked away.
    “What?”
    “That you’ll see me around?”
    “I live down the block for starters,” he said.
    “Oh yeah, I forgot. Look, I really just want to relax for a little. It was nice to meet you. I’ll see you later,” I said as I waved him off.
    “As you wish,” he said as he turned and headed back to the bar, leaving me on the sidewalk.
    When I got to the house, I walked in, went into my bedroom, removed my laptop from its case, and set it gently on the bed in front of me. I turned it on and opened my Gmail account, waiting to see