*Brady, 34- Workplace Romance
Pros:
Really fun
Flirty
Played the long game
Cons:
Playboy
Obviously wants to hook up
This story with Brady starts about a year ago. I had just started my new job and saw him in a zoom meeting. My eye immediately went to his little box… I definitely thought he was cute. We don’t work for the same company, but we work with each other. He owns a boutique investment bank, and we’re in the same networking groups. The first time we met in person, I could tell he was into me. He has this way about him… flirty eyes, good banter…
I was in a relationship at the time so obviously I wasn’t even thinking about anything happening between us. He would text me every once in a while if we were supposed to be at the same event.
B: “Am I seeing you later?”
Sometimes I’d go. Sometimes I wouldn’t. Sometimes I’d go for a bit and pull an Irish goodbye.
I got a little rush out of knowing he wanted to see me, but I also kept my distance.
1) I had a boyfriend
2) I wanted to keep my professional life and personal life separate.
A lot of people in these networking groups are friends outside of work. But I just prefer to keep that boundary up. If anything- it just made him like me more. I became kind of a ~mystery to him, and like most guys, he liked the chase. The more I learned about him, the more I realized- this guy pullssss girls. He picks up girls when he’s out, he picks up girls at networking events. He’s basically a playboy.
We were doing a business card swap at one of these events- you had to pull someone’s business card out of a bucket and meet them for coffee/lunch/drinks. Everyone’s going around the room and reading out the name on the card they pulled. It’s my turn.
Me: “Brady”
Just my f*cking luck.
He makes eye contact from across the room, raises his eyebrows, and smiles. He texts me.
B: “I guess you owe me drinks now”
Me: “Not how that works”
Every time he texted me about actually getting drinks, I had some sort of excuse. Whether it was legitimate or not. He teased me for always being busy. The months go by… we still haven’t gotten drinks, I go back to the streets become single for the first time in 8 years, and I get on the apps. I’m swiping, swiping… and I come across his profile on bumble. I take a screenshot and send it to him.
Me: “This guy looks familiar”
B: “You better have swiped right”
Me: “Idk, you’ll have to find out”
B: “I haven’t used these apps in so long. You’re really gonna make me swipe through a bunch of profiles until I find you?”
Me: Shrug emoji.
A few minutes later I get a notification. It’s a match… wow I’m so surprised. I didn’t see that coming at all.
B: “So are we finally going out for drinks?”
Me: “Yeah let’s do it (laughing emoji)”
Marriott finally opened their hot new rooftop bar, Hip Flask. My entire professional circle was hyped on it. We planned to get drinks there on Wednesday. We had another networking thing on Tuesday. Obviously we were together for a lot of the event. (How do I not look suspicious?? This is what I was trying to avoid).
Anyway, it was the most gorgeous day. Early summer. The event ended right before sunset and we were just across the street from Hip Flask. A few of us decided to grab drinks on the rooftop. We were with a group but pretty much only talking to each other. It was fun, I let my guard down and just enjoyed the $20 margaritas.
B: “So are we coming back here tomorrow? Or do you wanna go somewhere else since we’re here now?”
Me: “First of all- let me ask you. Are we doing our long overdue networking drinks tomorrow? Or is it a date? Because if it’s a date- you know, you’re gonna have to formally ask me.”
Okay yes, I was giving him a hard time. But I was only half joking. The days of letting guys get by on the bare minimum are over. No more “Wanna hang later?”/ “What are you up to?”… cringe, cringe, cringe. If you like a girl, grow up and ask her out.
He sat on the edge of his seat and leaned in.
B: “I would really like to take you out. Would you want to get drinks with me tomorrow?”
I smirked.
Me: “Yeah, I’d love to”
He laughed. “Good.”
The night was winding down and I was ready to go. My car battery died the day before, so I didn’t have my car with me. I was gonna take an Uber, but of course, my brown parents were like “why waste money on an Uber, we’ll pick you up.”
I said my ride was here and said bye to the rest of the people that I ignored was with. He said, “well, let me walk you down.”
We get in the elevator, and I can literally see the wheels turning in this man’s head. It was very obvious he wanted to kiss me… but I guess he was… nervous?
He pushed the button for the Lobby. I looked at him and said “You should probably kiss me before we get down there.”
When I say this guy’s pupils dilated………………
He grabbed my face, and we kissed.
Three seconds later - ding- the elevator doors open. I walk out, turn around and smile. (Perfect timing and execution on my part.)
Am I…………Beyoncé ???? … is this MY Renaissance era?
Dating 101 Key Take Aways:
Guys don’t get the privilege of spending time with you if they don’t give you the respect of asking you out.
