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“Stay out of this,” snapped Brian.
April turned in her seat to face him. His eyes were bloodshot with alcohol and his shirt and hair were in equal states of disarray. “Brian,” said April. “You’re drunk, leave us alone. I’m a grown woman for crying out loud.”
“You’re coming home with me,” said Brian.
“No,” said April. “I’m not going anywhere with you until you stop behaving like a jealous teenager.”
Brian yanked the back of the chair on which April was sitting and she felt it teetering onto two legs. Before she had a chance to react, a man’s body had wedged itself between her and Brian, stabilizing the chair before it spilled her onto the floor.
“Is there a problem here,” said the man to Brian. It was the handsome stranger who had been stealing glances at her.
“Yeah,” said Brian. “It looks like you’re the problem, buddy.”
Brian shoved the man’s shoulder, but the momentum was quickly redirected as the man sidestepped and Brian stumbled forward.
“I’m going to ask you to leave,” said the man.
Brian laughed. “Are you going to make me?”
“I’d rather not have to, but you don’t seem to be giving me much choice.”
Brian reached out once more and gripped the collar of the man’s jacket. The man’s eyes remained calm and focused and in one swift movement, he gripped Brian’s fingers and twisted his arm behind his back. Without a further backwards glance, he led Brian towards the door.
“April!” shouted Brian. “Tell this clown to…” But his voice quickly faded as they marched away. From behind, they looked like a pair of old pals, one helping the other through the crowd after too many beers.
Marisa’s wide eyes locked onto April’s. “What the heck was that? That guy was like a ninja, did you see that?”
“How do you think Brian knew we were here?” asked April, but before Marisa could answer, the guy in the suit was returning, looking unfazed.
April and Marisa watched stunned as he walked casually over to them. April gawked at the tall stranger as he came to stand at their table.
“Hi,” he said. “Are you okay?”
At that moment, April and Marisa’s friend, Tracey, returned from the bar with a fresh round of drinks. “Hey, guys,” she said, looking the handsome stranger up and down. “Did I miss anything?”
2
The man’s name was Max Connor. He explained to April that he had merely escorted Brian out and instructed the bouncers not to allow him back inside.
“Do you work here or something?” asked Marisa.
The man smiled. “Something like that.”
“I’m sorry he caused a scene,” said April. “Is he okay?”
“He’s going to wake up feeling like hell tomorrow, but they’ll take it easy on him. We called him a cab. Is he a friend of yours?” asked Max.
“My fiancé,” said April, wishing for all the world that she had had the sense to see this side of him before that had become his title.
Max nodded as though he understood all this without being told.
“Well,” he said, tipping them a salute, “I’ll leave you ladies to the rest of your evening.”
“Wait,” said Marisa. “Why don’t you join us for a drink, it’s the least we can do.”
Max smiled, “I’d love to,” he said, “but I’m about halfway through an incredibly boring meeting and if I’m not there to hurry things along, it might carry on all night.”
One more charming grin and he was gone, casually taking up his place at the table of smart men and women who now seemed to be bickering over something. His gaze caught April’s once more and in them, April sensed his regret at not being able to spend the rest of the evening with her and her friends instead.
