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Grace looked to her right – Ella’s six o’clock – and the blush in her skin deepened.
Because it washim. Suit guy. Standing in the hotel bar, looking even hotter than he had in the rain.
“How old do you think he is?” Lucy asked. “Thirty something? Forty?” She shook her head. “Forty’s too old, right?”
Grace’s eyes connected with his. She waited for him to look away, but he didn’t. She could feel her pulse throb in her neck.
“Forty’s fine,” Ella said. “I think. What’s the equation again?”
“Half his age and add seven,” Lucy said. “So if he’s forty, you need to be twenty-seven.”
“What’s two years too young? It’s fine,” Ella said loudly. Grace grimaced, hoping he hadn’t heard.
Luckily, her friends were distracted by the server carrying their tray of drinks over and their conversation paused. The three women took their cocktails, and the two guys took their drinks.
“It doesn’t matter if he’s sixty or sixteen,” Grace said, taking a welcome sip of her cocktail. “I’m not interested. Remember?”
She glanced up at him again. Their gazes clashed, and he smiled before looking back down at his phone.
He’d taken his jacket and tie off and rolled his sleeves up. He was leaning on the bar, a half-drunk whiskey in front of him. She wondered what brand it was, mostly because growing up, whiskey had been her life.
The barman said something to him and Suit laughed.
He had crinkle lines around his eyes. How could wrinkles be attractive? And yet they were, if you were into that kind of thing.
“Of course you’re interested. You can’t stop looking at him,” Ella said. “And no wonder, he’s gorgeous.”
“I wish he’d look at me,” Lucy complained and her boyfriend chuckled.
“You’re attached. And anyway he’s probably married,” Grace pointed out. What guy that age and with a body like that wouldn’t be? “And I’m definitely not into that kind of thing.”
“I can’t see a ring,” Lucy said, craning her head to look.
Could she stop already? This was getting embarrassing. “That means nothing. A lot of guys don’t wear them.”
“Then we should ask him,” Ella suggested, giving Grace a grin.
“Don’t you dare.” Grace widened her eyes in horror.
“Did she saydare?” Ella asked Lucy.
“I think she did,” Lucy confirmed, her eyes sparkling.
Ugh, not this. As freshman, Dare used to be their favorite game. There was one rule – if you got dared you had to do it.
“I didn’t mean it like that.” She was backtracking now. They were way too old for this game.
“A dare’s a dare,” Ella said. “Now come on, you’re single and maybe he is too. I dare you to flirt with him. Ask him if he’s married.”
“She won’t do it,” Lucy said.
“If she doesn’t, I’ll go ask him.” Ella looked like she meant it, too. She grinned at Grace. “Come on, it’s my birthday. Give us some entertainment.”
Taking a long sip from her cocktail glass, Grace let out a sigh. There was no way she wanted Ella to ask him about his marital status. She knew her friend too well. She’d embarrass Grace then pull her over.
And no. That wasn’t happening.
She put her glass on the table. “I’ll talk to him for five minutes,” she said. “And then you two have to promise to shut up about him and any other guys for the rest of the night.”
