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Luna blinked. “Why would you say no?”
“My thoughts exactly,” Will replied.
Well, well, will you look at that. The good detective was playing dirty.
“I’ll let you ponder that, Detective. Some soul searching now and then is healthy, I’ve heard.” I fished a cherry from the bottom of my glass, looking at him over the rim. Sometime during the exchange, he’d moved his hand to the backrest of my seat. One of my shoulder blades was pressing into his bicep. He laid his palm at the end of my other shoulder blade.
“I’ll put in a good word for you,” Luna informed him.
“I’d appreciate that, Luna,” he said, without taking his eyes off me. He was drumming his fingers on my back, and the muscles strummed tightly together.
“I’ll get going and leave you to enjoy the rest of your girls’ night. Paige, let me know if you need help installing the alarm.”
As he pushed his chair back, our thighs touched. The contact electrified me, sending a bolt of heat from the tips of my breasts right to my center.
“Have fun,” he called before he left. I had a feeling it wasn’t the last time I’d be seeing Will Connor.
“Holy Moses,” Luna exclaimed. “That’s one hot man. Wanna tell me why you’re not going to the wedding with him?”
“I just met him.”
Luna slurped from her cocktail, rolling her eyes. “I think we can rule out him being a serial killer. He’s asked you to a wedding, not a dark alley.”
“I know. But he’s just... I don’t know. Kind of cocky, asking a woman you just met to a wedding.”
“Honey, a man who looks like him can afford to be cocky. Why don’t you tell me the real reason you’re not all over him? You were saying the other night that you’d like to give dating a real shot. Here comes a bachelor who looks like a god, and has a sense of humor and a good job. Explain yourself, friend.”
I pondered this. “I think I’d prefer dating someone whose job doesn’t include the possibility of getting hurt.”
“Oh,” Luna said softly.
“I don’t know... it’s silly. I just don’t like that kind of worry.” Luna would know all about it. We’d been friends since the time my dad was still in the Army.
“Well, it makes more sense than you not being into the kind of hotness Will Connor has going on. I wonder if he’s got a six-pack.”
“He does,” I confirmed. “Felt them when we were on the motorcycle. Had a great excuse.”
Luna ra
ised her glass. “That’s my girl. How’s the inn coming along? Found a handyman?”
“Sent requests to three, waiting to hear about their prices. I’ve made a list of repairs needed—that I could tell, at least. It won’t come cheap. I also want a new coat of paint. Apparently newly painted spaces haul a 5 percent higher price on average.”
“Thank God you don’t have to live there. Living in a place that’s being renovated is my own personal hell.”
Luna had renovated her house last year.
“Was worth it though. I’m still jealous of your place.”
We hung out another two hours at the bar, long after happy hour passed. I’d missed this. In Paris, I’d made a few friends, but I’d never grown as close to anyone as I was to Luna and Faith.
Once we both decided we’d had enough cocktails, we each hopped in a cab.
But by the time I arrived at my apartment, I felt wide awake. So instead of slipping into bed, I started sorting through some old clothes I planned to donate. I should have done this in Paris instead of hauling everything with me, but I hadn’t had time. I set aside a scarf I knew Mom would like, and a lace cardigan. I ended up with a sizable pile of clothes for charity. I filled my largest suitcase with them, which I set by the entrance door, and looked around at my home. I hadn’t wanted to let go of this apartment, so I’d sublet it while I was away. The apartment was in a two-story U-shaped building that boasted an inner courtyard with ferns, small palm trees, and a pergola. The living room was small, but the white kitchen appeared more spacious than it was. As a plus, it boasted a walk-in pantry where I stored clothes.
The occupants hadn’t been careful. Some walls were chipped in places, others had grease stains. My mother had suggested I find another place to live when she’d seen it. She’d also made another offhand comment that had stuck with me.
“Oh, honey, Dad and I bought our house when we were your age. And we had you a few months later.”
