My eyes widened as I turned to look at him.“You drink cider?”
He shrugged, the trace of a smile playing at his lips.“Sure.Why not?”
I struggled to reconcile this new information with the image of him I'd built up in my mind.Dour, no-nonsense Carter was surely a whiskey neat or craft beer kind of guy.Not fruity cider.
“I just...didn't expect that,” I admitted, suppressing a nervous laugh
His stormy eyes met mine, a glimmer of amusement in their depths.“I do try to keep people on their toes.”
The waitress arrived with our drinks, the tart, crisp scent of apples wafting up from the frosted glasses.My stomach clenched as a memory washed over me.
“A cider?Really, Liv?”Ethan's voice dripped with contempt as he looked down at my glass.We were out with his work friends, crowded around a high-top table at some trendy gastropub downtown.
My cheeks burned.“I like cider.What's wrong with that?”
Ethan rolled his eyes, taking a long swig of his craft IPA.“It's so basic.”
His friends laughed, and I shrank into myself, wishing I could disappear.I'd spent hours getting ready for this night out, carefully selecting a little black dress that hugged my curves, painstakingly applying my makeup to achieve that “effortless” look Ethan preferred.And now, with three simple words, he'd reduced me to an awkward teenager again.
“Come on, babe,” Ethan said, snaking his arm around my waist.His fingers dug into my hip in subtle warning.“Time to grow up and drink like an adult.”
I forced a laugh.It sounded shrill and false.“You're right, of course.I'll have whatever you're having next round.”
“So, Olivia, how are you settling in?Carter working you to the bone yet?”
Callie’s voice halted my trip down crappy memory lane.I laughed, grateful for the distraction.“It's been great, actually.Challenging, but in a good way.And Carter's not nearly as terrifying as everyone made him out to be.”
“Hey!”Carter protested feebly.
“Face it, man,” Emmett said, clapping him on the shoulder.“Your reputation precedes you.Remember that time you made an intern cry because he brought you the wrong kind of pen?”
Carter winced.“That was one time.And in my defense, who uses ballpoint pens to mark up blueprints?”
I laughed along with the others, but I noticed Carter’s shoulders stiffen.Everyone saw him as a grump, but there was more to him than that.I'd caught glimpses of it over the past few weeks—moments of unexpected kindness, flashes of dry humor, a genuine passion for his work.
“Well, I for one am grateful for Carter's exacting standards,” I said, raising my glass in a mock toast.“Makes my job easier when everything's organized just so.”
Carter looked at me.Surprise, gratitude, and a hint of something warmer flashed across his face.Heat crept up my neck, and I quickly looked away, taking a long sip of my cider.
The conversation continued, bouncing from work gossip to Emmett's latest misadventures in home-brewing.It had been ages since I'd had this much fun.
As the night wore on, I became increasingly aware of Carter beside me.The heat of his thigh pressed against mine, the rumble of his laugh vibrating through me.Every accidental brush of his arm sent sparks skittering across my skin.
Get a grip, Olivia.
But I couldn't deny the growing attraction.It wasn't only physical, though God knows the man was unfairly handsome.It was the way his eyes lit up when discussing the finer points of sustainable design.The way he listened with quiet intensity when others spoke.The rare, genuine smile that transformed his entire face.
“Earth to Olivia.”Wick's voice cut through my musings.“You still with us?”
“Sorry, what?”
Wick grinned.“I was asking if you wanted another round.But you seemed pretty distracted.”
“Oh, um, no thanks.I should probably head out soon.Pete's probably crossing his legs by now.”
Wick snorted into his beer.“That dog's got you wrapped around his little paw, Liv.”
I stuck my tongue out at him like the grown woman I was.“Damn straight.And I wouldn't have it any other way.”
