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“To making partner,” he said.
She clinked her glass against his and took a sip. The smokey sweet scent filled his nose, and he tasted the faint honey mixed with citrus and smooth finish.
“Quick, tell me something you’re not good at. I’m starting to feel inferior,” he said.
With a faint smirk she moved away from the bar to a small courtyard beyond the glass room, its walls covered in ivy. He followed her toward the table farthest away from any other patrons, and they each took a seat. She didn’t seem to notice the attention she attracted while walking through the bar. Even now as she sat with him, several others looked over.
“I’m not a great cook,” she said. “I can hardly boil pasta.”
Smiling, Finn tried to imagine her barefoot in his kitchen and had to adjust in his seat. The vision didn’t include her cooking.
“What about you?”
“You already know I don’t like to lose, but since it doesn’t happen often, I’m not very gracious when it does,” he said.
“Give me an example.”
“Alright, several of my family members have cabins up at Lake Anna. Have you ever been?”
“No.”
“It’s only a few hours’ drive but feels like a world away. No traffic, small town, big lake, lots of great hiking, and quiet.”
“Sounds like bear country.”
“Maybe a few. Anyway, every year we all meet up there and do our annual family relay race. The teams are always different, and it never mattered if I were paired up with my sister or brothers. My team always won. One year, they even made me tie my hands behind my back for the swim.”
“Very impressive, but since you’re a SEAL, I sort of expected that.”
“Right, then last year, something went wrong. The teams had grown, with my sister Charlotte getting married, then Rory, and now Conner.”
“So the new people have thrown off your game?”
“Even worse. We did siblings versus spouses, and they annihilated us. It was pathetic. I’ve never heard my sister curse so much, and it gave their spouses such bragging rights. None of us can wait until this year when we can redeem ourselves.”
“Was it rigged? Are your siblings whipped, or did they all marry SEALs?”
“You know, if I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes, I wouldn’t have believed it. And yes, Conner especially because it’s still newish. He is a total pushover for his fiancée. That’s my dad’s fault.”
“Your dad competed?”
A server dropped off their burgers with waters, and he found something else to like about Hailey. She liked to eat. Picking up her burger, she took a huge bite and groaned. He noticed she’d been nursing her whiskey, but maybe she knew she needed something to eat first. Smiling, he dug into his burger before she prompted him to continue his story.
“It’s my dad’s fault my brothers are such devoted saps. My father set a high bar for his sons, to be men with integrity and total wimps with their wives.”
“So your mom runs the show.”
“For sure. I mean, they’re a team, but she calls the shots. Why are you letting me ramble so much about my family? Why did you agree to have lunch and a drink with me?”
For the first time, a shadow of doubt fell across her face.
“I just, uh, appreciate you not fighting me every step in this case. I admit I thought you were going to be terrible to work with. And I was hungry.” Her gaze lingered on him, and he wondered if there was something more she wanted to say.
Leaning forward, he focused on her eyes and tried not to notice the wisp of blond hair that had slipped out of her tight bun.
“It’s my pleasure to get to learn from you, Hailey. I knew you were going to be annoyingly impressive, but you have exceeded my expectations—which I will deny if anyone asks.”
A slow smile spread her plump lips, and her cheeks turned the faintest shade of pink.
