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Joi threw her hands up in the air. “He has no idea you are tweaked at him. At least give him a chance.”
i’m out with joi.
where can I meet you?
why do you want to meet?
c’mon. it’s important.
all right. come meet us at epic grill.
c u in 20.
I put my phone down. “He’s on his way here.”
“Thatta girl! Talk it out. I’m sure everything will make sense soon.”
A huge grin was plastered over her face as if she’d won the lottery.
She kind of had won the lottery. Unlike me.
* * *
Brodie entered the bar like he’d been born in the place. That’s how confident he was, never looking out of place, never facing a moment of faltering confidence.
What must that be like?
I watched him over Joi’s shoulder as he scanned the bar, looking for us. When his gaze met mine, my heart nearly pounded out of my chest. Damn him.
“Ladies,” he said with a quick peck on my lips. He shook Joi’s hand, leaving her beaming like she’d solved the world’s problems.
“Brodie! So nice to meet you,” she gushed.
That was the effect he had on women.
He took a sip of my drink and raised his eyebrows. “Whoa. Going for the hard stuff.”
When I tore my gaze from his magnificent face, I saw Joi gathering her things.
“You guys. I am just exhausted,” she said with great drama. “And I have another early day tomorrow.”
She gave Brodie a squeeze on the arm, which she clearly enjoyed, and leaned to hug me.
“Don’t be a bitch,” she whispered in my ear.
I made a silent plan to kill her first chance I got.
“Good night all!” she sang as she sauntered out of the bar.
That left just Brodie and me, staring at each other. He climbed into Joi’s vacated bar stool and shook the ice cubes in her half-drunk scotch.
“So,” he started, “what was with the quick exit this morning?”
He didn’t waste any time, did he?
I shrugged one shoulder. “Big day. Yeah, I had a big day. In fact, our testing went really well today—”
He held his hand up to stop me.
“No. That’s not why you left.” He looked serious. “I need you to be honest.”
Well, shit.
If he wanted honesty, he was going to get honesty.
I took a sip of my drink and straightened my back. “I overheard you planning your move to San Francisco.”
I looked at the ice melting in my drink, leaving wavy lines as it mixed with the booze.
He ran his fingers through his hair and sighed loudly. “So you just leave? Without a word?”
I chewed on my bottom lip. “What was there to say? I heard all I needed to.”
He looked up at the ceiling as if he were counting to three. Then he turned on his barstool to face me directly. “I’m sorry.”
I shrugged. The sooner this ended, the better.
He continued. “I’m sorry you heard only part of the story.”
“What else is there to know?” I asked.
“That I want you to come with me. To San Francisco.”
