Escape

Luke’s organizing the books. He does this every day, almost as though it’s his job. Oh right, it is.

Every day people come into McNally Jackson to shop for books. Yes, even in an age when everyone has access to everything electronically, people still walk into brick-and-mortar stores to buy books. They are still willing to pay a retail markup. Some people, mostly women, still appreciate what comes with buying a hard copy of a book in person.

"Excuse me, do you work here?" asks a woman. She’s noticeably older than Luke but strikingly attractive. And with the confidence to back it up.
"Sure do, how can I help you?"
"I heard there is a book club that takes place here, is there any truth to that?"
"Yes! We meet on the first Thursday of every month. 7pm."

"We?"
"Yes, I am a proud member of the McNally Jackson Book Club!"
"Well, then I will be sure not to miss it, handsome."

Luke returns to his books for a moment, then realizes he should alert this mystery woman about the real reason most people come. But she’s gone before he has the chance. Oh well, back to stacking.

....

Fast forward to Book Club time. On tap this month: Beach Read by Emily Henry. A book about two single people who fall in love as they vacation together throughout their lives. It is a light, cheesy, romantic book, the kind that Luke despises. But you read the book for the month, that’s how it goes. Without that, the entire institution breaks down.

Luke spots the woman who approached him a week earlier. He can't help but look at her throughout the festivities. A man's eyes always find their way toward beautiful women. Especially when that woman calls him handsome. It's science.

And Luke has another thing going for him, that secret ingredient he didn’t get a chance to mention last week: wine. It’s absolutely flowing, and Luke is feeling good. After an hour of increasingly liberating group discussion, the members break off into smaller groups to drink more, catch up with one another, and drink more. 

"Well, hello there." The woman wastes no time in approaching Luke.
"Oh, hello again, I'm sorry I didn't get your name the first time. "
"Janet. It’s nice to meet you, Luke."

Luke’s taken aback; how did she know his name? Janet recognizes his confusion and taps the name tag attached to his shirt. He always forgets it’s there.

"Shit, I'm supposed to take that off after my shift ends." He puts it in his back pocket.
"So, Luke, what did you think of the book?"
"Eh, not my cup of tea. It is an easy read, which, I guess, is why we picked it. It's enjoyable but totally predictable. A cheesy rom-com, you know?"
"I couldn't agree more, I'm more into the darker romances myself."

"Oh?"
"Yes, dear. I did enjoy the group discussion here, but I’m done with that rag. Why don't we take this chat elsewhere? I know a great bar up the street."

Luke can feel a blush coming into his typically pale cheeks.

"Are you hitting on me?"
"Yes. So shall we go?""
Yes."

....

They wind up at Dead Rabbit, a bar famous for two things: having every type of whiskey known to man and having sawdust on the floor. They sit on a pair of stools. Janet raises her hand to get the bartender’s attention.

That’s when Luke first notices it, wrapped around her finger. A huge diamond on it too. How did he not see it before?

"Janet, is that a wedding ring?"
"It is, is that a problem?"
"Ummmm yes?"

"Ask your questions dear, the sooner we address them the better."
"Yup, I'm going to need that drink."

He orders a double McConnell. She sticks to white wine.

"Does your husband know you're here?"
"He knows I'm at a book club," Janet says this rather matter-of-factly, which unnerves Luke.

"So, are you guys in an open relationship or something?"
"No."
"Then why do this?"
"For the same reason that we read romance books, to escape."
"That's not the only reason we read."
"It's a bigger reason than you'd think."

Luke tries to get his line of questioning back on track.

"Are you not happy with your marriage?"
"Listen, I'm not here to talk about the life that I have at home. If I wanted that, I would've seen a therapist or just stayed at home. What does that have to do with anything? Don't you think I'm hot?"
"Huh?"
"Simple question, do you think I'm hot?"
"Yeah, you're obviously smokin'."
"Duh. Five days a week at Soul Cycle. This doesn't make itself," she says as she takes her hands down the side of her body. 

"We get it, you're hot."
"Great. What I don't get is what your issue is. Have a few drinks, make me laugh a little, take me home, have your way with me, and we move on with our lives."
"You make it seem so...systematic."
"Yeah, I guess I do. So do we get out of here or what?"

Luke’s still not quite believing what he’s hearing.

"You’re like a dude.”
"Excuse me?!"
"No, I mean, you're so aggressive. All my life I thought I wanted an aggressive alpha chick and now...I'm just in shock."
"I just don't have time to play all the little flirty games."
"Oh, come on, I'm no expert but I'd say you love playing games."
"You're right, playing games is my absolute favorite thing in the world, but I just don't have the time for it anymore honey. So won't you just be a dear and fuck me?"

Luke mulls his options for a moment but knows what his answer has to be.

"No, sorry, I think you're great and all, but I'd just feel too guilty."
"What do you have to feel guilty about? I'm the one in the wrong, I'm the one taking all the risk."
"I don't see it that way, I'm sorry. "

He stands from his barstool.

"Who says no to this?" Again she points to her body with both hands.
"Me, I guess. It was lovely meeting you."

He gulps down what's left of his double and leaves the Dead Rabbit. 

….

Fast forward a few minutes. Luke’s on a platform waiting for a 2 train back to Brooklyn. He now realizes he’s made a huge mistake.

How could he turn down a woman that attractive? And all she wanted was to flirt and fuck! Luke had never spoken to a woman like that, let alone had an offer to sleep with one.

Maybe this was the chance of a lifetime, an opportunity to experience a whole new kind of romance. Like all the lousy stories he’d been compelled to read for the McNally Jackson Book Club. Maybe the stories weren’t so lousy after all.

He turns back, breaking into a dead sprint by the time he gets back above ground. He can’t wait to take it all back, take Janet home with him, and start a steamy, lurid affair with her for as long as she’ll have him.

He bursts into the bar, but she’s not on her stool. He searches for her all over, but she’s nowhere to be found. It’s over, opportunity squandered. 

“Guess life’s not a rom-com, after all,” Luke says to himself.

Then he realizes, to make matters worse, that he’s going to have to pay double fare to get home. 

Unless he jumps the turnstile? Perhaps it’s time to start a little more dangerously…