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Wayde grinned. “Glad to make space for one of my all-time favorite hostesses.” His hand landed on my knee beneath the table.
I flinched.Well, crap. The dude was still into younger women and I had no room to escape his grabby hands.
He asked about Seattle and my career, pretending to give a shit while his fingers crept up my leg. Deciding drastic measures were due, I put my heel down on his foot and grabbed his fingers. “Wayde, I’m here with my boyfriends.”
He grinned that Wayde Kingman smile, and said, “Can’t blame a guy for trying,” as he removed his hand and stood. “If you ever wanna change careers, you know where to find me, Zelda.”
“Yeah, Wayde, that’s not gonna happen.”
He laughed, saluted the guys, and headed off to greet other customers.
“Holy shit, what a perv,” Drew muttered.
Aithan watched me. “You alright?”
I snorted. “Yeah. I should’ve known that was coming. Sorry I didn’t warn you guys. He likes his ladies young enough to be his daughters.”
“Sounds like he enjoyed you at least once,” Drew remarked.
My face heated. “Am I that transparent?”
The guys shook their heads and Aithan said, “No, he is.”
Drew said, “Clearly, he’d like to reprise the performance.”
I pulled a face and shook my head. “No thanks.”
“So just once?” he asked.
I nodded. “I was naïve.”
Our food arrived, sparing me from having to relive the details. We ate, but I’d gone from blissfully ignorant to realizing a lot of the looks darting my way were from people I knew. One of my mom’s friends, an office lady from my middle school, a couple who lived on my parents’ street, the manager at the local pharmacy, the high school librarian.
“More small-town weirdness,” I said. “I know too many people in here.”
Drew leaned close. “Feeling freaked out by their attention?”
“We can leave, if you want.” Aithan brushed his fingers across the back of my hand.
I nodded.
“You wanna get the SUV while I get the check?” Drew asked.
“Good plan. It’s probably freezing out there.” Aithan pushed his chair back, kissed me, and headed for the door.
After settling the bill, Drew and I found an open spot near the entrance and waited for Aithan. I shivered as the door opened and closed, and he wrapped his arms around me.
A few people came and went. Drew watched the parking lot through the glass doors. My gaze drifted across the crowded bar then stopped on another familiar face. I quickly turned away.
“Let’s wait outside.” I grabbed his arm and pulled him through the double doors.
“Why? Who’re you avoiding now?”
Leave it to Drew. Nothing escaped him.
“Begby’s in the bar, which means there’s a good chance Jack’s here, too.”
“The fuckers Tristan thinks jumped Aithan?” He looked around, his expression icing over, his grip tightening on me protectively.
