Page 28 of The Do-Over

A floor-pounding pulse of music returned. The lines around Nate’s eyes crinkled as he leaned closer. He smelled good, not the manly, foresty scent I’d expected. Instead, it was sweet, fruity. “Is he going to be a problem? I can hang out for a minute.”

“No!” I took a deep, calming breath. “I mean, no. Thanks for offering. Everything will be fine. We’re fine. I’m fine. It’s all—”

“—fine. Got it.” Drink in his hand, he pushed back from the bar. “If you’re sure?”

I nodded, sneaking tiny glances at Brent and the nearest exit.

“I’ll see you around then.”

“Sure thing, and thanks again,” I said, but he’d already wandered off.

I ordered another mojito from the now very attentive bartender—thank you, Nate—and hunted the dance floor for Mathias. He and the little brunette were currently tangled in the PG-13 sort of dancing that was one gyration away from an R-rating.

That was my mistake. I took my eyes off the enemy, and he attacked.

Brent appeared beside me, arm wrapped around his date. “I didn’t expect to see you at a place like this.”

I took a long swallow of my second mojito. “Yep. You know me. I like to get out and have fun. I’m a fun person. Fun all day, every day. I am a fun machine.”

His gaze darted into the crowd and back at me. “Are you here with someone?”

I ignored him and held out my hand. “Hi, Brent’s friend. I’m Perci, Brent’s former girlfriend. You might have heard him dump me on the radio.”

“I’m Candy,” she said with a smile.

“Of course you are. How did you two meet?”

“Brent was at the job fair last week at the University of Houston. He asked for my number.”

“That’s great.” I slugged back more mojito and debated ordering another.

“Are you here with someone?” Brent asked again.

I wasn’t a liar by nature. In fact, given my propensity to nervous rambling, I was a terrible liar. But, right there, in that moment, with rum coursing through my veins, staring at the man who’d dumped me nine days ago (yes, I was counting), I decided lying was the perfect solution. The very best idea I’d had in ages.

“Yep.”

Brent’s eyes narrowed. “With that guy who was here a few minutes ago?”

“That’s him.” Another sip. I waved the bartender over for the next round o’ mojito.

“He’s here? With you?”

I hated the question in his voice, the utter disbelief that someone like me could be in this place with a guy like Nate. My back straightened. “Yes, he’s here with me. He had to run to the bathroom.”

The overhead lights turned into strobing multicolored flickers that beat in time to the music. My stomach resented this.

Brent smirked. “Looks like he got lost.”

My eyes tripped around the room until they landed on Nate. He stood at the edge of the dance floor, a leggy redhead standing a little too close. She threw back her head and laughed.

“He seems nice,” Candy said, all big, innocent eyes.

“Yep, I sure know how to pick ’em.” I stood, wobbled, and leaned against the bar to hide it. “Be careful with this one, Candy. He gets bored easily.”

She nodded, her expression serious. “Yes, ma’am.”

Ma’am? I snorted, and willing my legs to behave themselves, strolled past Brent and his schoolgirl date, past Mathias who appeared to be closing the deal with the brunette, and past Nate and his redhead.