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Andy suspected the answer to all of these questions was no, and yet a little seed of insecurity kept her silent every time there was a perfectly good opening to just say, “Hey, Luke, you know those sensory issues I have? They’re related to my autism” or “So you know that dude from the poster on your living room wall? I’m like him.”
And on the subject of walls, Andy suddenly realized she was staring at one again. At some point in her woolgathering, she’d shifted her gaze from Luke, and the man had moved on to chatting with Kyle. Something to do with cross-promotional opportunities with the Sin Spot.
Kyle gestured towards the Surf Suds display. “I’m thinking we should set up another one of these in the lobby with the rest of the club merch. Maybe include some soaps in contest prizes and giveaways.”
“Yeah, man. Mare would love that. D and I will get going on another one of these bucket fixtures.”
“Sounds good. Well, I better be off. Ladies’ night at the club. Should be a wild one.” Kyle gestured to the thin white shirt he wore under his blazer, then winked at Andy. “A wet one too.”
Catching his meaning, she smiled. “Sounds like a case of turnabout being fair play.” Andy congratulated herself on the flirty quip as Kyle chuckled.
Luke also seemed impressed, shooting her a look that said, “Not bad. I’d give that line a B+.” Or at least that’s what Andy imagined it said.
“So you gonna come defend your wet T-shirt crown tonight?” Kyle asked Luke before sliding a wry glance Andy’s way. “I don’t know how he does it, but this dude manages to beat me every single time in my own club.”
It was the pecs. Andy was certain of it. Luke knew how to move ’em, and he did so with reckless abandon.
“Maybe I will.” One of the pecs gave an energetic bounce. “Actually, we should all go. We deserve a night to cut loose after all our hard work. What do you say, Andy?”
“Huh?” Her gaze flew up from the man’s chest to find him staring at her pointedly. He gave a subtle roll of his eyes in Kyle’s direction.
“Oh, yeah,” Andy said before her aversion to nightclubs could talk her out of it. “We totally do.”
“Awesome!” Kyle said. “Then I’ll catch you two later.”
“Yep.” Andy nodded. Then immediately frowned, as she remembered why — club aversion or no — she simply could not go. “Shit, no wait! I’m getting together with Carson tonight.”
In her periphery, she caught one of Luke’s brows shooting up. This look seemed to say, “Who the everloving frack is Carson?”
Andy ignored it. “Sorry. I’ll have to take a rain check.” She offered Kyle an apologetic smile.
Which he returned with a good-natured one. “Hey, no worries.” Glancing at Luke, Kyle fisted his shoulder a couple times. “We’ll get her over to the club eventually, huh, bro?”
Luke gave a terse nod. “Sure, man. Catch you later.”
“Yep.” Kyle strode off and was barely out the door before Luke rounded on her.
“Okay, now that”—he pointed in the direction of his friend — “didnotgo well.” Andy glanced away from the irritation plain on Luke’s face. “What the hell was that?” he went on, “and for chrissakes, who the everloving fuck is Carson?”
Yep, she’d called that one.
“He’s just a friend.” Just a friend Andy had slept with once. Color rose in her cheeks.
Luke narrowed his eyes. “Alright, here’s another one for you, and this lesson applies to humanity in general. If you want to attract someone, don’t tell them you’re about to go hook up with someone else.”
“I’m not going to hook up with Carson.”
“But you are getting together with him.”
In a manner of speaking. Tonight was the first night Carson’s friend Jake was available to join one of their online gaming sessions, and Carson was super excited about it. No way was Andy bowing out.
“Cancel it,” Luke said flatly.
“No. I made a commitment to a friend.”
“So you’re just going to blow off another golden opportunity to hang out with Kyle for this Carson dude?” Luke snorted. “Must be some friend.”
Bristling, Andy yanked open one of the drawers on the new fixture table and began tidying the suits she’d shoved in earlier. “I need to get back to work.”
