“Let me get you a drink. To make up for it.”
“No thanks. I can buy my own drinks.”
“How about a game of pool?”
She started to walk away but turned back with a sly smile. “I don’t want to embarrass you.”
“Oh? A challenge? I love it. Let’s make it interesting.” He placed a hundred-dollar bill on the edge of the table. “You beat me and that’s yours.”
“I don’t need your money.” But a hundred dollars would pay for her phone for the month, and she’d already spent a huge amount of money paying a ton of bills that needed to be paid months ago. With the shortened hours at the diner, and no other money coming in from the band yet, she wouldn’t be able to cover all of her bills each month. She’d need to dip into her advance, and it could end up disappearing very quickly.
He taunted her by waving the bill at her.
“Fine. But let me warn you up front, I’m an excellent player.”
He laughed at her comment.
“I warned you.”
He racked the balls and broke them with a hardthwak! His skills were impressive, sinking five balls before missing one. Now it was her turn. She wanted to be done with him, so she cleared the table, ball after ball, and then sunk the eight ball. “Game.” She picked up the hundred-dollar bill and stuffed it into the front pocket of her jeans.
He stood with his mouth open, stick hanging loosely in his hand. “That’s bullshit. You hustled me.”
“No, I didn’t. You’re the one who asked me to play, and I warned you I was an excellent player.”
“You didn’t make it clear that you played at a professional level. This was supposed to be for fun.” He held out his hand. “Give me back my money.”
“No. We had a bet. If the situation was reversed, would you give me my money back? No. You would have made me pay. Don’t try to bully me just because I’m a woman.”
“I said give me my fucking money back.” He took a step toward her, but she didn’t back down, even though he was easily twice her size.
Lucas was suddenly between them, standing taller than she’d ever seen him. His chest seemed to be twice as broad. His usual soft blue eyes turned an icy steel, while his upper lip held an angry sneer. “Back off. She played a fair game. She called the eight ball in the side pocket, and she didn’t scratch. I heard her warn you how good she was right from the start. Twice. No one hustled you.”
Shock made Sindy’s eyes widen. Lucas had obviously been there at the start of the game. He’d been watching her. And listening. Was it because he was jealous?
“You’re the one who needs to back off,” the guy said. “Mind your business.”
“She is my business. She didn’t hustle you. You’re hustling her. You got a problem with her. You got a bigger fucking problem with me.” Lucas took a step forward, so they were almost nose to nose, and his broad, puffed-out chest nudged the guy.
A crowd gathered and Sindy spotted Mason. He swooped in to pull Lucas away, but Lucas wasn’t budging. The other guy’s friends also intervened before security came and broke up the confrontation.
“Sit back down or I’ll throw everyone the fuck outta here,” the bouncer barked.
“I just paid $300 for VIP bottle service upstairs,” Lucas said, adamantly. “I’m not fucking going anywhere.”
“Then get back to your table.” The bouncer turned to the other guy. “And you, sit the fuck down.”
The guy scoffed and threw a dirty look over his shoulder at Lucas before he and his friends sulked off to the bar.
Sindy watched the entire situation transpire, almost in a state of shock. She’d never seen Lucas so irate, and she was touched that he came to her defense so vehemently, without hesitation. It made her heart melt for this man she cared so much for. She took Lucas by the arm and brought him to the balcony so she could speak to him without the noise of the crowd. “Why did you do that?”
“The guy was getting in your face, Sindy. I wasn’t going to let him bully you.” He said it as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
“Thank you.” She smiled softly, her legs turning wobbly at how much he affected her. “I appreciate that, but I don’t want you getting into a physical altercation. What if you would have hurt your hands?”
The corners of his mouth turned upwards. “My hands are fine.”
She lightly ran the back of her hand across his cheek. “What if your cheek got scuffed, or one of those beautiful blue eyes got blackened?” Her heart was beating so fast. The combination of the picturesque skyline behind them, the stars above, and the blatant act of chivalry left her filled with romance and longing.
