Page 100 of Love On and Off Set

A bell rang out.

Julie tapped the screen on her phone which had remained dark all night. “Damn, last call. How the fuck did that happen?”

Brody laughed. “You arrived after midnight, and we’ve talked up a storm? They’re open extra late just for tonight. Normally we’d have been booted by now.”

Julie pouted. “I got all dressed up, and no one even saw me.”

“Hey.” He gave her a look of outrage. Clearly faked. “I’m not no one. Robbie is definitely not no one.” He met my gaze and winked.

Heat raced to my cheeks.

Julie again blushed nearly the color of her ruby-red silk blouse. “I’m just sticking my foot in my mouth over and over tonight.” She pressed a hand to mine. “First you rescue me with Polly, and then I insult you—”

“No insult. I promise.” I squeezed her hand. “And I do believe I would forgive you just about anything.”

“Bless your dear Canadian heart.”

I cocked my head.

“Oh, I’m a dual citizen now. But when I first came here years ago, to work on VJ, I was American. Well, I’m still American, obviously. But now I’m Canadian as well. Not by birth, but definitely by love. And I love Oregon, but it’s not really home anymore.”

I hadn’t even registered she was American. She didn’t have any trace of an accent. Whether that was because Oregonians didn’t have one or because she’d had it trained out of her, I couldn’t guess.

Oregonians? Was that right? “Oh, okay.”

Polly swung around to collect our plates and glasses. “You want anything else? Kitchen’s closed, but I could swing one more drink.”

Julie held up her hand. “That was the perfect amount of food, drink, and revelry. Thanks so much, Polly. We had a great time.”

I didn’t even mind her including me in the we because I had truly enjoyed myself.

“Well, get home safe.” Polly headed off.

“Oh.” Julie checked her phone. “I need to order a ride.”

“I’d offer, but you’d have to walk twelve blocks to get a ride back and over seven.” Brody stared up at the ceiling. “Did I get that right?”

Julie laughed. “Something like.” She gave me a smile. “I live in Yaletown.”

“We could walk you home.” I hoped I wasn’t overstepping or that she might think I was weird.

She blinked. “Really.” She glanced down at her feet. “At least I remembered to wear sturdy boots. The weather forecaster called for snow.”

Brody eyed me. “Don’t you live in the west end?”

“Coal Harbor? Yeah.”

“Oh, so do I. Which is probably why I saw you down there earlier tonight.” He turned to Julie. “We can walk you home. Then Robbie and I can hop a bus home. They’re free tonight.”

I would’ve paid, but his words triggered a memory about free rides on New Year’s Eve.

Then we did just that. With Julie holding our hands, we walked her to her Yaletown condo. She’d put her beret on, and with only the light from the streetlamps, she wasn’t recognizable. Just a woman holding two men’s hands. Nothing weird about that in Vancouver.

Once she was safely settled—with Brody and me declining an offer for a nightcap—we headed out. Just a few blocks north to West Georgia Street.

“You really want to take a bus?” I caught sight of the massive line in front of The Georgian Hotel. Most of those people would be taking the bus right over the Lion’s Gate Bridge to West and North Vancouver, respectively. If we took spots, others might not get on.

Brody eyed me. “I’m up for a good walk. And we can talk.”