Grant shook his best friend’s hand, but Derek didn’t miss the way his brow furrowed. “Thanks, but there’s nothing to congratulate yet. I need to find a perfect ring and then, you know...ask her.”
“Guys are dropping like flies around here,” Chris said. “Pretty soon there won’t be any single guys left to stand outside and flirt with the pretty women.”
“Hey,” Derek said, holding up his hands. “I’m not getting married again anytime soon.”
Rick looked up from the clipboard he’d been writing on. “Really? Because I’ve heard a few things about that woman you were stuck in the elevator with.”
That got everybody’s attention in a hurry. “You sure as hell didn’t hear that I’m marrying her.”
“No, but rumor has it you were making googly eyes at each other during the last Village Hearts meeting.”
“Googly eyes? Are you fucking kidding me with that?” Derek laughed. “There is no way in hell Jess used those words.”
“No, but she said there was so much sexual tension between you she was surprised the air wasn’t sizzling, and that made me want a steak so I stopped listening after that.”
“She was hot,” Scott said, as if Derek needed a reminder. “You guys were stuck in there for a while, too.”
“While I tended to her injury.” That was an exaggeration and it did nothing but remind him of how soft her skin was.
“She’s a little out of your league, though,” Scott continued.
That struck a nerve, though he did his best not to let it show. Yeah, she was out of his league. No matter how much he tried to tell himself it was a bullshit phrase that didn’t mean anything, it really did. While the chemistry between them might sizzle like a steak when they were together on neutral ground, he was a burger and she was filet mignon. Wrapped in bacon.
“Good thing I’m not looking to play ball, then,” he lied.
As he’d hoped, the playing ball reminded them they’d been talking about Red Sox tickets and—other than a lingering, skeptical look from Jess’s husband—they jumped back to that topic.
Derek tuned them out and then headed upstairs. The way this day was going, it wasn’t going to be long before somebody threw a cigarette butt in a trash can without putting it out or got upset because a cat was sitting in a tree, so he was going to grab a snack while he could.
She’s out of your league.
They lived two very different kinds of lives, and it wasn’t just about the money, although that was a big part of it. Her life was her own, to plan and live exactly how she wanted it and she seemed to like it that way. His life wasn’t his own and hadn’t been for a very long time.
Since he surprised her with the call during the day on Monday, they’d spoken on the phone every night. On Wednesday night, he’d put his cell phone out of reach and tried to focus his attention on the TV screen to make the time pass. He felt as if he was rushing into something that could be a dead end, and he was determined to put a little space between them. Maybe cool things off.
But when his phone rang, he couldn’t help walking over to it and as soon as he saw her name on the screen, he’d forgotten about his doubts and answered. They talked about their days and expanded on the ideas they’d brainstormed at dinner. Last night they’d discovered they both watched a legal drama series and they’d watched together—almost perfectly timing hitting play on Hulu. Her voice on the phone as she tried to guess at the show’s twists and turns wasn’t quite as good as having her on the couch next to him, but he hadn’t minded.
When it was just the two of them, whether they were having a dinner or talking on the phone, it was easy to forget that nothing about their lives seemed compatible. And tomorrow, when he finally got to see her again at Kincaid’s, he knew he’d forget everything but her the second she stepped into the bar.
One kiss and it was too late, he thought as he stared into the pantry with no idea what he was in the mood to eat. It was too late to go back and let her leave the charity meeting without a word from him. Or, hell, to go back to the day they got stuck in the elevator and take the stairs instead.
It was too late to wonder if he should get too serious because he wasn’t sure if he and his kids could ever fit in her life. And it was definitely too late to take back that kiss because he knew, no matter what happened, he didn’t really want to.
Even though he knew he didn’t have much of a shot at going the full nine innings, when it came to Olivia, he wanted to play ball.
Chapter Six
Olivia couldn’t remember the last time she’d been to a bar. Probably in college, which was when she’d discovered that in Boston, any establishment with a television and a liquor license was a de facto sports bar if a game was on the screen.
She might have missed Kincaid’s Pub entirely if Derek hadn’t given her such good directions on top of the street address printed on the promotional materials. Her Lyft driver had found the address with no problem, but it had taken her a few seconds to spot the small sign over a glass door flanked by two high and long glass windows in a very unassuming building. Clearly Kincaid’s didn’t feel a need to announce their presence to the public at large.
But when she stepped inside, she was met by the kind of establishment she’d been expecting. Brick and wood, with sports photos and fire memorabilia hung on the walls. There was a massive U-shaped bar, and the place was probably only a few more customers shy of their occupancy limit.
Even though it was probably an exercise in futility, she looked around for Derek. She also kept an eye out for Jess or anybody else she’d recognize from the board, but mostly she was looking for him.
Her thoughts had been spinning out of control since she left him at the restaurant. She’d even had trouble concentrating on work all week, which was problematic, to say the least. And every night, she waited for his call. She started thinking about it as she put her work away—or even before then, if she was honest with herself—and changed into her comfy clothes. Would he call? She’d found herself practically vibrating with anticipation as she waited. And on Wednesday night, when he hadn’t called, she’d thought maybe he was with his kids and tried to put him out of her mind. That hadn’t worked and when she thought it was late enough so small kids would be in bed, but nottoolate, she’d taken a deep breath and called him before she could change her mind.
It was the same feeling she’d had when she pulled open the door to the bar tonight. Compelled to go in and see him, but knowing she had to do it quickly before she could change her mind.
