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Lance: Will you relax, I’m on my way.
* * *
I pace the length of my SUV until I spot Lance parking his sports car that I can’t believe he hasn’t already put away for the season. He snags a spot in front of Terra and Mare, so I walk over there.
“So, what do I owe this impromptu dinner to?” He puts on his suit jacket and straightens the lapels.
I tug him toward the door. “Because you’re my cousin and best friend.”
We walk in and it’s dark, so I don’t immediately see which table they’re at. Then I spot them in the last table to the far right. Van’s in a button-down and slacks and looks delicious.
The hostess knows us, so she sits us at one of the shittier tables by the bar. Not that I blame them. We don’t get charged for our meals here, but Uncle Rome told us to make sure we always tip appropriately.
Lance, like the man he was brought up to be, takes my coat and holds out my chair. Just as I’m sliding into the chair, my eyes meet Van’s, and he tilts his head. He knows Lance isn’t my boyfriend, but at least now he knows I see him. I smile politely at Van and sit.
After Lance tucks me in, he leans down so his mouth is level with my ear. “He’s on his way over.” Then he goes to the other side of the table.
“Brinley.” Van stands at the edge of the table. Up close and personal, he’s drop-dead gorgeous. So handsome in fact that I open my mouth, and nothing comes out.
“Hey, Van. Good to see you again,” Lance says.
He turns his attention to my cousin, and thankfully that gives me time to collect myself. “Nice to see you too.” They shake hands. “You guys should join us.”
I shake my head. “We wouldn’t want to intrude.”
“We haven’t even ordered. Please, I insist.” He stops a waiter and asks if we can join him at his table.
I know the answer before they give it, so I slide out of my chair and grab my coat from the back of the chair. Lance’s eyebrows rise as we walk over, and Van holds out the chair next to him for me.
“I hope you don’t mind. I’ve asked my roommate and her cousin to join us,” Van says.
The dark-haired girl looks familiar, and it isn’t until Lance refers to her by name that I remember she works at Lucky’s.
“Sabrina, nice to see you.” Lance sits down next to her and ignores my glare.
“Hi, Sabrina.” I put out my hand. “Brinley Kelly.”
“I know.” Sabrina shakes my hand limply.
Why did I walk in here in the first place?
Fourteen
Brinley
Before anyone has an opportunity to say anything else, the waiter comes over to take our drink order. I order a glass of wine and Van clears his throat. I turn in his direction and he’s smiling in an almost condescending way that grates on my nerves.
“What?”
He ignores my challenging stare. “She’ll have a beer and so will I.”
My head rocks back a bit. “Excuse me?”
“Don’t order wine because you feel like you should here. Just have a beer.” Van shrugs.
“Maybe I wanted the wine,” I snipe.
His head tilts and he raises his eyebrows.
