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“Piazza,” he acknowledged.
Vicki’s expression subsided from shock to surprise.
Sal dropped his hand as his ga
ze moved from Marisa to Cole. “You two are together.”
It was a simple statement, but there was a wealth of curiosity behind it.
Cole felt Marisa go tense beside him and knew there was only one thing to do. He slid an arm around her waist before responding, “Yup. Not many people know.”
Actually, it had been a party of two until seconds ago. And even then, he hadn’t been sure what was up. That kiss had come out of nowhere and packed a punch even bigger than the one in the storage room.
Sal cleared his throat. “Marisa and I haven’t been in touch since the break—”
“Lots of things can happen around a breakup.” Cole made it a flat statement—and deliberately left the implication that he and Marisa had started getting acquainted at the same time that she and Sal had broken up.
Sal looked affronted, and Cole tightened his arm around Marisa as she shifted.
Sal twisted his lips in a sardonic smile. “Well, I—”
“Congratulations, I suppose,” Vicki piped in with an edge to her voice.
Marisa smiled at the other woman. “Thanks, but we really haven’t told many people about our relationship yet.”
Cole kept his bland expression. Oh yeah, Marisa was with him. After this was over, though, he’d be quizzing her about their supposed liaison, including that kiss... Had she only planted one on him because she’d spotted Sal and Vicki?
Sal gave a forced laugh. “I guess a little partner swapping is going on.”
Cole fixed him with a hard look.
Glancing at Marisa, Vicki narrowed her eyes and thrust her chin forward. “Be careful, sweetie. He’s not one to commit.”
“Which one?” Marisa quipped.
As Vicki’s mouth dropped open, Cole found himself caught between laughing and wincing. They were a train wreck waiting to happen—or a hockey brawl.
“We’re here for a corner booth and some dinner,” Sal said grimly, his gaze moving between Marisa and Cole, “so we’ll cede the bar to you two. Nice running into you.”
Without a backward glance, Sal and Vicki headed toward the rear room of the crowded bar.
Cole figured that with any luck, he wouldn’t catch a glimpse of the other couple again, which left Marisa and him to their own private reckoning...
Marisa slipped away from the arm around her waist, and her gaze collided with his.
“I’d hate to meet you in the ring,” he remarked drily.
She sighed. “You already have.”
“Yeah,” he said with a touch of humor, “but that time Jordan was there to protect me.”
Marisa compressed her lips.
“Well, this is an interesting turn of events,” he drawled.
She seemed flustered and shrugged. “Who knew that Sal would show up with Vicki?”
“Since this is a sports bar, and he’s a sports agent, not so far-fetched. Besides, it’s not what I’m talking about, hot lips.”
