I wasn’t surprised that she wanted to get right to our discussion. The book had been her pick. A why-choose hockey romance with three heroes and one very sexually satisfied heroine.
Becca, Candace, and Mac started talking at once while I laughed and Joan covered her face.
Larry had just very loudly said, “I thought I was going to die when they started going at it in the locker room after winning the championship. And with their skates still on. That’s some athleticism right there,” when Jack walked up to grab our drink order.
“Hi, Jack!” Becca called brightly.
Mac tried to smother her laughter but wasn’t terribly successful. In fact, most of the women looked highly amused at the, frankly, fearful look on Jack’s face.
His gaze found mine in an expression that clearly telegraphedWhat the fuck?before he mumbled out, “I’ll give you ladies some more time.”
Then he turned and bolted back behind the bar.
Giggles erupted, including mine as Larry looked around in confusion. “What? Was it something I said?”
“Yes, you heathen,” Mac said, whacking Larry on the shoulder. “You scared him off. Bonnie, you’re on the end. Will you go to the bar and order some drinks, please?”
“Yep, I can do that.”
We decided on some champagne to toast Chloe.
Jack was busy when I arrived. So I slid onto a leather stool—my stool, if I remembered correctly—and waited.
He approached cautiously, and a laugh burst out of me.
“We’re really ruining the vibe of this place, aren’t we?” I finally managed through my giggles.
His gaze warmed as he watched me get a hold of my amusement. “Nah. You were actually very popular the last time you were here."
“I was?”
“Oh yeah,” he said. “A whole fan club and everything. You don’t remember them cheering for you?”
“What?” I sat up, alarmed. “No!”
Jack chuckled and then slung a towel over his shoulder. He leaned in close, those distracting forearms resting on the smooth bar top between us. “Whatdoyou remember from that night?”
My eyes searched the immediate area like I might find the answers—or my memories—floating around somewhere. But there were only liquor bottles lining the wall behind the bar and warm bulbs dangling from a modern light fixture above our heads.
“Not a whole lot, actually,” I admitted, attention focused on the wood grain in front of me. “A Long Island iced tea when I got here. Chatting with some people at the bar.”
I remembered not feeling well at one point. Then that vague craving for the Indian restaurant down the street. And then all the things I didn’t want to admit. The flashes of memory from Jack’s apartment. His quiet words. The brush of his fingers against my temple. My tears on his jeans.
“Hey,” Jack said, tipping my chin up to look at him. “You don’t have to beat yourself up about that. It’s behind you, right?”
I nodded, forcing away all the tangledwhat-ifs. All the things that could have gone wrong that night. The way I’d been reckless with my safety.
“What can I get you and your troublemakers over there?” he asked, making me smile.
His finger was still under my chin, making it hard to concentrate for a completely different reason. “A round of champagne to celebrate the birthday girl, please.”
“I’ll bring it over. You go have fun.” His thumb swiped my chin softly before he released me to my friends.
Drinks and discussion continued amid lots of laughter. Kayla brought out Chloe’s cake and served it while we sang “Happy Birthday.” The tourists at nearby tables joined in, and a few even sent drinks over for us as the celebration went on.
A while later, Candace checked her watch and did her best to call everyone to order. She let us know that for our next meeting we would be reading a very popular romance book that had recently been adapted into a movie. We were planning to have our monthly book club discussion and then go see the movie together in November.
Joan groaned. “I think I’ll sit this one out.”
