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CHAPTER 3
Jake’s Pub was originally a hole in the wall sort of joint, where people went for beer and good cheap food. But back when it originally opened there was a very limited selection of bars, and so, Jake’s boomed.
What once was a tiny place between a mattress store and a nail salon, now had expanded three store fronts, and had an outdoor bar with TVs and a fireplace.
Rachel, after much begging, agreed to come with me to Jake’s to meet up with Owen. She’d been on the outs with her boyfriend, and didn’t want to go anywhere, but I’d been her wing girl on more than one occasion and she owed me.
After many outfit changes, I decided to go simple-sexy, with tight blue jeans, a black spaghetti strap tee, and black wedges. I took particular care in my make-up, concentrating on my eyes since I considered them my best feature, and leaving my hair in loose waves.
It was only a little awkward when Rachel showed up wearing practically the same thing, and the fact that we had the same dark hair and tanned skin, made us look like synchronized twins.
“Should I go change?” she asked when she saw me, but having met up there, it would have been ridiculous to go home at that point.
“Maybe no one will notice,” I said.
“Yeah, maybe,” she groaned, her eyes darting around the room to see if anyone was looking.
Being that it was a warm night in June, the place was packed, every table taken. I looked around, but saw no sign of Owen. When the hostess came to greet us, I told her I was waiting for someone and wondered if he might be outside.
“I doubt it,” the girl said. “There are a lot of guys out there, but they’re pretty rowdy, so I’m not sure if he would be in that group? Either way, I only have one table and it’s out there, so you can have a look for yourself.”
“Sure,” I said, and we followed her through the crowded restaurant, out a set of double doors, and onto the covered patio.
She’d been right. There was so much commotion and noise, it was hard to see through the throng. My watch said it was nine-fifteen. He should be here by now, if he didn’t forget he’d invited me. Sort of.
We were seated at a large round table on the outer perimeter of the patio.
“Your server will be right with you,” the hostess said, leaving us with two menus.
Rachel picked hers up and started scrolling through it, scrunching her nose at everything on the list. “Is your guy here?”
“I don’t see him,” I said craning my neck to look around.
“I think I’ll have the oysters.” Rachel’s phone buzzed and she looked down at it. With a roll of her eyes she threw it back in her purse. “This jackass won’t leave me alone.”
“Tom?”
“Yeah. Some girl from work has been calling him. He says they’re just friends, but I don’t believe it.”
“Rach, I’m sorry. I had no idea.”
“Now he won’t stop calling me, telling me he’ll stop talking to her. Well, why not stop when I asked you to in the first place!” she yelled at me like I was the offender. I shrugged my shoulders, keeping my eyes glued to the menu for fear that Rachel might take out her boy issues on me.
“Hey sexy,” I heard a voice by my right ear. “You smell nice.”
I groaned and looked at Rachel, who had a hanger on her left shoulder, and she threw me an equally annoyed look.
The guy next to me laughed and leaned against the table. I turned to him, ready to let him have it, when my eyes locked on to his gorgeous green ones. Those incredibly long lashes fluttered over somewhat glassy eyes, and I could tell he’d imbibed one too many.
Still, I was glad it was Owen, and not some other weirdo here to hit on me.
“Looks like you started the party without me,” I told him, throwing a glance at the Bud Light in his hand.
He chuckled and took a sip. “Maybe a little. Don’t worry, I can hold my alcohol. Besides, I thought you’d be here over an hour ago. What took you so long?”
“You know, I had to sexy myself up.”
“I doubt that takes any effort,” he said, his voice taking on a husky tone that touched me down in my very core. He sat on the barstool beside me and I automatically turned my body to him. And when he reached over to play with the black beaded bracelet on my wrist, his warm fingertips just barely grazing my skin, I shivered.
