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“I know.” Josh rubbed his jaw and stared at the floor. His eyebrows drew down in the middle. It was his thinking face. “Do you know what would make Lindsay say that?”
My mind was blown. I couldn’t imagine. “Stress?” That was the word being bandied about a lot lately. In reference to me, of course, but maybe it was Lindsay who was really stressed and she was projecting. Maybe she was really overwhelmed with all the wedding stuff. And becoming the new sibling to Brick and Janet. Heaven knows I’d be running scared.
He nodded. “But why make up a story like that and send me out here?”
“Maybe to mess up our date.” Tanner gestured to the table. “Which you’re obviously really good at.”
“Shut up, Tanner,” Josh said over his shoulder, barely looking at him.
“Um, no,” Tanner said, his voice rising in volume. “I’m starting to think it wasn’t Lindsay who concocted some ridiculous story to show up here and ruin our date. This is all you, buddy, and I’d like you to leave.”
Josh stood and squared up to Tanner. “No. Lindsay did beg me to come find Margot, but I’m going to do you a favor and ignore the fact that you just called me a liar. I’m here out of concern for Margot, so stay the hell out of it.”
Tanner threw down his napkin and stood. “I’m staying the hell in it! Margot ismygirlfriend. This isourevening together you’re wrecking. Andyou’rethe only threat to my girlfriend here.”
“Oh, yeah? Well if she’s supposed to beyour girlfriend, why was she kissing me today?”
I scrunched my eyes closed, leaned back, and braced myself. Before Tanner could ask with hurt written all over his gorgeous face, I blurted, “I did. I’m sorry. And I kissed him a little bit last night, too, but that one wasn’t really my fault. None of it meant anything, though. I was just performing a scientific experiment to analyze an expected outcome.”
Tanner shook his head and pivoted to Josh. “See? She just said your kiss didn’t mean anything. Get out of here. Now.”
Josh whipped his head around. “Dude.Shut up. She said a lot more than that. You have no idea what’s going on. This has nothing to do with you. Go back to standing naked in your store window.”
Tanner’s face flushed red, and he stepped to Josh until they stood nose to nose. “I’m saying this for the last time. Leave now or I will make you leave.”
My pulse pounded. I didn’t want either of them to get hurt. But how could I stop them? Things were escalating quickly. Although a tiny sliver of me was flattered that they cared enough to fight over me.
I stood up between them. “Josh, thank you so much for your concern. I appreciate it. I will talk to you later.”
He leaned toward me and put his hand on my arm in a slow, deliberate motion. “Maybe we’ll do more than kissing when we talk next.” His husky whisper was plenty loud enough for Tanner to hear.
Tanner’s jaw tightened, and he shook his head, his face aflame with anger. “That’s it. I’ve had it. You obviously need to be schooled on your manners since apparently you were never taught any.”
Josh stepped around me to face Tanner. “Oh yeah? You want to take this outside?”
Tanner closed the distance between them until they were mere inches apart. “Oh, yeah. I do. I can tell your face wants to get pummeled.”
“Bring it, pretty boy. I will knock you to the ground with one punch.”
I wiggled my way between them. I threw my hands out to land one on each solid chest. Every head in the restaurant seemed to be turned in our direction. “You guys, stop. This is ridiculous. You sound like you’re in some bad student film.”
“It would be a good student film!” Josh yelled.
“What are you even doing here?” Tanner leaned around me and my outstretched arm to glare at Josh. “Pack your bags and go back to London, you unpatriotic jerk. You never cared enough about Margot to stay.”
Josh escaped my hand and went around me. “You don’t know anything about it.”
A vein on the side of Tanner’s head pulsed. “I know enough to know you suck.”
Josh rushed Tanner who fell to the floor with Josh on top of him. Diners stood and craned their necks for a better view. I glanced around for a waiter or someone with an ounce of authority who could break up the fight, but all three of the waiters in sight were watching Josh and Tanner wrestling on the floor with folded arms and amused expressions. I guessed restaurant brawls were as commonplace here in NYC as they were in the movies.
Tanner and Josh rolled into the legs of our table, and the glasses sloshed water onto the cloth, but didn’t topple. The men were grunting and grappling, but they seemed evenly matched. They were pretty ineffectual at actually landing any blows. It was hard to tell them apart in the fray. I grabbed for the man closest to me who happened to be on top at the moment. I put a hand on each broad shoulder and tugged. It was Josh. “Josh. Stop this. Please.”
He stilled at my words and lifted himself away from Tanner. He rolled over and sat on the floor, breathing hard. I held my hand out to him, and he grabbed it and stood. I helped Tanner up, too, and he pulled me in for a hug. “I’m sorry,” he said into my hair.
“Hey!” Josh turned aggressively like he was going to have a go at Tanner again.
I threw a hand out, and it landed on Josh’s chest as he charged forward. I looked up to see everyone in the restaurant was staring at the three of us. Some had their cameras out.
