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“Yeah,” Nola said, her serious expression falling apart like a dried-out scone as she started to giggle. “That one’s been done to death.”
Thea—who had been in exactly that situation—flipped off their best friend. “Exactly, come up with your own globally embarrassing moment.”
“I’ll be sure to work on that,” Astrid deadpanned.
“That’s the spirit,” Nola said as she glanced down at the clock on her phone and sighed. “Time for me to go relieve Aunt Gilly behind the bar. I swear, I worked less hours at the law office. God, I hope someone buys this place soon and hires an actual staff rather than guilt-tripping relatives and close friends.” She stood up and gave Astrid a considering look. “You gonna be okay?”
Was she? “As long as we keep our clothes on like we agreed, I’ll be fine.”
“Oh!” Thea said. “We don’t use that F word.”
All three of them busted out into giggles because that had been Thea’s most-used word up until her sister’s over-the-top reality TV wedding. That was where she’d finally stopped pretending everything, no matter how bad, was fine and had met Kade, who was beyond fine.
“Okay,” Astrid said. “I’ll go on this date and everything will be okay.”
Nola and Thea both looked at her, but they didn’t push. They’d do that later, but tonight they’d give her space. God. They really were the best friends. Astrid had no idea what she’d done to deserve these two absolutely wonderful idiots in her life, but she was damn grateful for it.
“Oh wow.” Nola made a low whistle. “Looks like our cue to leave is here.”
Thea looked past Astrid, and her eyes rounded behind her glasses. “Yep. I’m outta here,” she said as she hurriedly got up and pushed her chair in.
Astrid didn’t need to turn around to know who had just walked into the pub, but she couldn’t stop herself. When she did, she was glad she was still sitting down.
Yeah, Cal was wearing jeans that showed off his deliciously thick hockey thighs, and that was bad enough. What made it worse was the fact that he was wearing the pink sweater he’d had on that first night. She knew exactly how soft it was—and how hard he was underneath it. There was no way she was going to stop thinking about that fact tonight.
And that’s when she knew her plan to keep her clothes on during this non-date date was in extreme jeopardy.
You can do this. The last time was the last time. Really.
Nola and Thea disappeared faster than tickets to an Ice Knights playoff game, which left Astrid sitting at the table in the corner like a lump on a log.
Girl. Pull it together. Also, keep your panties on. You can do it.
Determined to stay calm—fine, calm-ish—and fully dressed, she stood up, smoothed her suddenly clammy palms over her skirt, and started toward Cal. They met in the middle of the bar, right next to the blinking neon sign of a pig with wings hanging on the wall.
“Wow,” Cal said, his gaze practically eating her up. “You look great.”
She was about to return the compliment when the first notes from that damn banjo came out of the pub’s speakers again, and she flinched.
Cal’s eyes darkened with concern. “You okay?”
“Fine,” she said, not sounding a bit convincing even to her own ears. “Just hate that song and I’m hungry.”
He lifted an eyebrow but didn’t call her on it. “Mikey’s been telling me about the best place in the city to have dinner.”
“Does it happen to be a little family place about three blocks from here?” she asked.
He cocked his head. “How did you know?”
“His ex-wife owns it, and truth be told,” Astrid said as they started toward the pub’s door, “she makes the best spanakopita I’ve ever had.”
“Well, that’s all the recommendation I need.” He fell into step beside her, matching his steps with hers but still managing to reach the door first and holding it for her. “After you.”
His gaze dipped down to her mouth, making her step falter, her heart speed up, and her nipples stiffen.
Keep it together, Astrid. Panties stay on.
Panties.
