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Chapter Three: Jamie
∞∞∞
Sighing, I close the door and walk to my car. I’m not looking forward to tonight. Mainly because I’m gonna ask my cousin what exactly she was thinking when she fixed me up with that guy. It’s been a helluva week again and I had multiple double shifts. One of the other nurses tried to get me to trade shifts with her tonight but I am so damn tired, I can’t even think straight.
That doesn’t mean my cousin is getting away with fixing me up with that guy. What a jerk! I should have called her right after I got home and read her the riot act. But I was still reeling from the sexy bartender’s offer.
Dark hair and hazel eyes that danced with humor were apparently my kryptonite. Especially when combined with a body that was so damn thick and muscular, he could probably bench press me. And I’m no lightweight.
Tanned, wicked sense of humor and sexy full lips, shaggy brown hair. All of my dreams this week have been taken up with the smart ass who offered himself to me on a silver platter at the same time as he told me I wasn’t his usual type. Too uptight.
There’s obviously some kind of issue with my self-esteem or I would have told him to go to hell no matter whether he made my poor little kitty wake up and purr.
I park my car and take a deep breath. Most of the lights are off again in Stacy’s Sweets. I can see the girls milling around and I almost turn around. But I just want to get this over with. And maybe the guilt will bring my cousin and my best friend around to my way of thinking. Which is I don’t need a man.
My mind drifts to Rafe. Even his name is sexy. I blow out a breath. Maybe my cousin’s right and I just need to get laid. I don’t even like Rafe but I sure as hell want to jump him.
I step out of the car, slamming the door. Then I stomp up to the store, hoping I can hold in the scream that’s begging to get out. Primal screams are great stress relievers but not in public!
As soon as I push the door open, every eye in the place swivels to me expectantly. “Great,” I mutter under my breath. “They’re all primed for some good gossip and it has to be mine.”
My cousin, Harvey and my best buddy, Amanda both head for me, smiling.
I hold my hand up to stop them. “I need a drink. Preferably alcoholic and something to eat before we get into this.”
Both of them stop, pouting. At least Amanda is. She flips her blond hair and her lips pooch out.
Harvey on the other hand is just glaring at me but she turns and heads for the food. I hang up my outerwear and slip into a booth, dropping my head to the table.
Harvey and Amanda plop down across from me and Harvey pushes a huge platter of tacos and salad at me. Then she shoves a wine glass at me. “That’s Ruth’s famous elderberry wine. I know you love it when she makes it. Eat up. I have this awful feeling you’re gonna give me bad news about Rick.”
“Is that his name? I didn’t know.”
She stares at me. “What the hell were you two doing? Did you meet him?”
I nod my head since my mouth is stuffed with pork tacos with slaw.
“Well, that’s good, I suppose.”
Both of them eye me speculatively. I don’t answer, don’t even look at them. My eyes stay fixed on my plate until I’m finally done and then I sit back, stuffed.
“Damn, Sophie makes some good tacos. I gotta remember to ask her for the pork taco recipe. Those are so good with that pickled slaw on them.”
Harvey rolls her eyes. “Now that you’ve filled your belly….talk.”
“Well, for starters, your guy started bragging about himself as soon as he sat down. He didn’t even introduce himself. And then he sucked his drink down in one minute, stalked off to the bathroom while he stared at his phone. And disappeared, leaving me with the bill for our drinks.”
Both of them stare at me, wide-eyed and with their mouths hanging open.
“Oh my god,” Harvey whispers. “What did you do?”
“I finished my drink and tried to leave.”
Amanda pops up. “What do you mean tried to leave? What stopped you?”
“The most infuriatingly rude man on the planet who trapped me in the booth and wouldn’t let me out.”
Harvey grins, taking a sip of her wine. “What did he want?”
