Free Finding Me by Mariah Dietz

her pen back in her apron, she lifts the napkin and blows on it provocatively. My eyes widen at the deliberate message she’s sending him, and I reach for my whiskey as she slides the napkin in front of Danny. “In case you want to have some fun.” She winks and then turns without acknowledging me or Fitz.
    “It’s good to know that some things never change,” Fitz says with a grin as he takes his shot glass. “I think she’s lying to you about not doing that very often though, D. That looked like a well rehearsed move.”
    Danny crumples the napkin in his fist and laughs in agreement.
    “A toast to Miguel,” Fitz says, raising his glass in the air. Danny raises his shot glass to meet it.
    “I have something against toasting to things and people I don’t know. It’s bad luck.”
    “I know Danny because of Miguel,” Fitz explains simply, nodding his head toward Danny.
    I’d like to point out that I connected those two dots, but sigh quietly as I raise my glass as they wait for me. “Okay, to Miguel.”
    I wince as the alcohol burns my throat and warms my breath.
    “Have you spoken to Miguel lately?” Fitz asks, setting his glass on the table.
    “No,” Danny shakes his head. “I haven’t seen him since he met Grant when we were in New York last year.”
    “I heard that ended badly.”
    I know little about Miguel other than that he’s a trainer and a Greek God reincarnated. At least, that’s what Fitz assures me of.
    “It’s nice that you guys can be friends after dating the same person. Last year a girl invited us to a roach restaurant because my older sister had made out with her ex. Granted, he hadn’t been her ex at the time. At least I don’t think he had been …” I stop and try to recall if that clarification had ever been made.
    “What?” Fitz cries.
    Danny chokes on his drink of beer, and begins coughing, his face turning a bright shade of red. “Harper, I swear to God, you live under a damn rock! Danny’s not gay! Are you paying attention?”
    “Miguel! Ex boyfriend! Left to travel as a trainer with his lover. I was paying attention!”
    “His lover wasn’t Danny!” Fitz exclaims and then begins laughing uncontrollably as he mutters half coherent words.
    “You aren’t gay?” I ask, looking to Danny.
    “No. No, I’m definitely not,” Danny answers, shaking his head. He releases a good natured laugh as he continues to shake his head.
    “I’m sorry. I wasn’t trying to imply anything,” I reply quietly, feeling my cheeks heat.
    “No hard feelings, but I think we should toast to something else now,” Danny says with a faint smile still curving his lips.
    “Um…” I glance behind me at the large flat screen that shows the fighters being interviewed “…who are you hoping wins?”
    “It’s not so much that I’m hoping for anyone to win. It’s who I am hoping loses .”
    My lips twist into a smile. “Alright, who are we hoping loses?”
    “Callan the Canary.”
    My eyebrows raise as I look to Danny. “He goes by The Canary?” I turn back to look at the screen. “Canaries aren’t predatory birds.” The words leave my mouth as the TV turns to a man dressed in a bright yellow suit with huge aviator sunglasses and blond hair. “He looks like the Man in the Yellow Hat.”
    “Who?” Fitz asks, scrubbing his jaw as his eyes shift between the TV and me.
    “Curious George,” Danny answers.
    I look at Danny. My surprise for him knowing who the fictional character is shifts when I find him looking back at me without his constant smile, but an intense stare. It’s a look that I haven’t seen from anyone in months, one that I feel conflicting emotions about seeing again, especially when it’s not from him . I blink a couple of times and look at the shot glass on the table that has become my drink of choice because of all that it embodies. The sight of it alone clears my head of Danny. “Alright to The Canary losing!” I say, lifting my glass and quickly shifting