Page 103 of Twisted Knight

Everyone at the table turns as Chad approaches, grin wide, swagger on full display. “Ladies,” he says and holds his hands up. “I have no intention of interrupting you, but I saw you here and wanted to help you celebrate whatever it is you’re celebrating.”

“We’re not celebrating—”

“Yes, we are. We’re celebrating Rowan having a new man,” Caroline says, cutting me off.

I sputter, and my own expression probably matches Chad’s. “There is no new man,” I finally get out and roll my eyes. “Caroline has an overactive imagination.” If I could reach her under the table, I’d kick her.

“Well. Okay. Um…” Chad looks crestfallen, and I hate the sight. “Enjoy your drinks.”

“Chad. Wait.” I rise from the table and jog the few feet toward him.

He stops and gives me a puppy-dog smile. “Have a good night.”

“Don’t be like that,” I say. “She was joking. There’s no new man. Life’s too busy in general to have a relationship. You of all people know how crazy work is.”

Why do I feel the need to fix things? To lie? To not hurt his feelings when me having a serious boyfriend might do the trick and stop him thinking we’re going to get married someday.

“I know.” He gives a nod, but his smile doesn’t match his eyes. “I’m not giving up hope, Row. We make a good team at the office. We’d make an even better team outside of it.”

I force a swallow over the guilt lumped in my throat. “Chad…” I sigh, wishing there was something I could say that would deter his interest without hurting his feelings.

“It’s okay.” He takes a step back. “No need to explain.” Then he looks over my shoulder and waves to my friends. “Have a good time.”

He walks off, and I return to my table with a stern look for Caroline. “Seriously?” I ask.

“What? You’ve let trusty Chad down seven ways from Sunday and he’s still not getting the hint,” she says.

“He’s such a nice guy though,” Victoria pipes in. “Kind and sweet and clearly head over heels for you.”

My mind immediately thinks of a different man who is exactly the opposite. Calculating. Dominant. Arrogant.

“Who knows when it comes to Chad?” Sloane asks and I roll my eyes. “I said I’d never date or fall in love with Jeremy and now we’re taking about what kind of engagement rings I like. Stranger things have happened.” Her grin is huge, and I couldn’t be happier for her.

But this is the last conversation I want to be having so I’m grateful when Caroline says, “So…” The mischief in her eyes has me on edge. “Talking about strange things…”

“What?” Victoria asks.

“Do you care to tell us about the bathroom of The Local last week?” Caroline asks, her eyes on mine and her eyebrows raised right along with the taunting corners of her mouth.

“I haven’t been to The Local in … oh,” Sloane says as she realizes Caroline is talking to me. “The bathroom, Row? Really?”

I put my hands up and laugh. “Nothing happened in any bathroom. I swear.” I make the statement as my mind dizzies.

“Really? Because Gregory said one minute you were arguing with some guy who bought you a drink. The next you went to the bathroom. The same bathroom that he overheard a guest complain to the server about that a man and a woman were arguing in. And a short while later, you come out, sit for a few minutes, and then say you have to leave.” She folds her arms over her chest. “The only reason I’ll accept that you bailed on Greg was because Holden fucked you good and hard in the bathroom.”

I almost spit out my wine. I think we all do.

“Um. Wow.” Oh Jesus. Who else did Gregory tell this to?

“That’s all you have to say for yourself?” Caroline asks. “Oh, did I mention the guy Gregory described? He sounded a lot like someone who looked like Holden Knight.”

Shit. “Can we not say that so loud, please?” I ask and hold my hands up. “I plead the fifth.”

“So it’s true then?” Caroline lifts her brows.

“We were arguing,” I confess, which gets a round of whoops from our table along with people looking our way.

“In the bathroom,” Sloane states.