Samantha reached across the table, stole a few potato crisps off Dylan’s plate, shoved them in her mouth. “Oh, I bet you’ll be up there before the night is over. Peer pressure can be brutal.”
“Peer pressure? Woman, spare me.” He leaned into the table, thick eyebrows raised. “We can bet all you want. How ‘bout a day, or wait…how ‘bout the entire weekend off? If I stand my ground, don’t step a single foot on that stage; I’ll take the weekend off. And should I happen to get up there and make a complete fool of myself—which by the way won’t happen—you can take it off.”
Samantha cackled, helping herself to more of his crisps. “Fine. Prepare to lose.”
A waitress hopped over to the table, delivered a plate of scrumptious fish and chips to Dylan’s sis and brother-in-law, then Samantha popped up, the seat scraping the hardwood floor beneath her. “Be right back. Apparently my bladder is ticked off I’ve had two pink ales.”
“No, babe.” Liam chuckled, his eyes clinging to her. “You’re just a cute lightweight.” He smacked her backside as she moved past him. “One of the many reasons why I love you.”
“One of the many reasons why I love you too, babe,” she said, all tongue-in-cheeky like before disappearing through the crowd.
Dylan and Liam talked as they ate, and Liam once more tried to convince his brother-in-law to sing at least one song. “Come on, dude. You’re not gonna make me be the only guy at this table that goes up there…right?”
“Wrong,” Dylan said through a sardonic laugh. “Not one person in here can convince me to go up there.”
“You play hard, dude. I’ll give you that.”
“Look who I found wandering around.” Samantha returned to the table, voice so laden with enthusiasm, anyone would have jumped to the chance to see what had her so giddy.
And to Dylan’s—ahem—surprise, the woman he’d successfully avoided all damn day, was standing next to his sister, who was wearing an annoyingly wry smile on her face. “Dylan, you remember this beauty from the coffee shop yesterday, right? The Early Brew Crew gave her the 411 on all things Destiny-related at—”
“I know her, Sam. Thanks.” Dylan tried, but couldn’t pry, not even one eye off Chloe. Even worse, he couldn’t keep that twisted smile from forming on his face. His neighbor was dressed in a pink tank top and jeans, sandy-colored locks falling in soft layers around her bare shoulders—why did she have to look so…perfect?
Liam stood up with his hand extended to shake Chloe’s. “Hey there, I’m Liam, Samantha’s husband. Your name is?”
“Chloe. And it’s wonderful to meet you, Liam,” she said, shaking his hand.
“Chloe?” Bewilderment lit up Samantha’s eyes. “Man, I love that name. Reminds me of one of my favorite authors. I told Liam we’re naming our firstborn Chloe.”
“May be kind of awkward if your first born is a boy, though.” Dylan’s declaration was power-packed with what most would call sarcasm.
He called it truth.
Samantha’s eyes flicked up then down. “Chloe, why don’t you have a seat next to my jerk of a brother, also known as Mr. Never-ending Sarcasm.”
Dylan stood and pulled out the chair for the woman he’d still been unable to peel his gaze away from. “Shocked to see you here. I actually walked to work today so mynoisemakingbike wouldn’t wake you.”
This time hewasbeing sarcastic, even though it was indeed true.
“Oh? I was wondering why you didn’t answer your door this morning after I noticed your bike parked in the front.”
“Was there something you needed?”
“Well, yeah I—”
“Wait,” Samantha interjected, nose crinkled. “Are you his renter?”
Chloe’s chair scraped the floor as she scooted forward. “Oh, well, yes I am.”
“Interesting.” Samantha nodded with a grin that hadI’m a freaking meddlerpainted all over it.
Dylan leaned back in his seat, fingers tapping the table. He was nervous, but as far as he was concerned, no one but him knew that. “She’s only renting for a few months, Sam.” That revelation had him wishing a few months equaled a few more months after that. But why? He’d only met the woman two days ago.
“So tell me, Chloe. Are you some sort of a reporter? I mean, the other morning you mentioned you were trying to gather information,” Samantha asked, cramming fish then chips in her mouth.
“Sort of.” Chloe seemed to gawk over the plate of food Samantha was devouring.
“Are you hungry, Chloe? I can order something for you…fish and chips?” Dylan wondered if the woman always salivated over food.
