She considers that, her brows knit. The bartender strolls by, waggles the bottle, and we lift our glasses, asking for refills.
“If I’m Indiana Jones,” Katie counters playfully, “I need a hat, don’t I?”
This woman.Even on a terrible day, her spark and fire haven’t left her. “You sure do. We’ll make it our mission to procure an Indiana Jones hat for you,” I declare.
She hums, tapping her chin. “Do you think there are any hat dealers open in the city right now?”
Where there’s a will, there’s a way. Plus, we aren’t living in the middle of nowhere. Presuming she lives here again. I can’t resist finding out, even on her not-wedding night. “Are you back in the Bay Area?”
“I sure am. Moved back seven months ago.”
That makes me happy, but a little sad too. I growl, crossing my arms. “And you didn’t even look me up.”
She waggles her hand, showing me her engagement diamond. “I met him a week after I moved. Also, I’m going to sell this and donate the money. Plus, hello! You have a kid. Jillian mentions you from time to time.”
“I do have a little girl,” I say, grinning as I picture my little bear. “Abby is the apple of my eye and the love of my life. I’m great friends with Abby’s mom—we get along like thieves. But just because I have a kid doesn’t mean I’m off the market. Au contraire. I’m as single as the day is long.”
Holy hell, I am flirting shamelessly with a woman who was about to walk down the aisle today and tie the knot with another man.
That ought to be the yellow flag to end yellow flags. And yet, I’m just as eager to chat with Katie tonight as I was seven years ago.
Riddle me that.
“You’re single?” The woman in white leans closer, lifts her glass, whispers conspiratorially. “What do you know? So am I. Cheers to that.”
She clinks her shot glass to mine, and I tap back.
It feels like a legitimate toast, like we’re both truly pleased to be free.
Hell, considering her ex-fiancé, maybe sheisglad to be unhitched.
We both drink some liquid fire, breathe out hard, and put the glasses down at the same time. “To being single in the city,” I say. “And you know what? This is San Francisco. I bet there is someplace in the city where we can get you a hat and a whip.”
She runs her thumb over the empty glass, her smile a bit naughty. “Well, I have no doubt there’s someplace in the city where we could get a whip right now.”
I wiggle my brows. “Would you like a whip, darlin’?”
Her eyes twinkle with mischief. “Oh, there you go again. Dipping into the accent for fun.”
“Seemed the perfect time. You like the reappearance?”
She bobs a shoulder. “Depends on the reason it’s making a reappearance.”
“Ah, seems it sneaks back when I flirt with a gorgeous woman,” I say, putting that out there.
Yup, I am flirting with a jilted bride, and judging from the happiness in her eyes, it seems like exactly what she needs.
Maybe it’s what I need too.
But tonight isn’t about me.
It’s about her.
“So, youareflirting with me?” she asks, like she needs and wants the confirmation.
I smile. “Seems I am.”
She takes a beat, eying me up and down. “Good. Keep it up.”
