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“I’m not sure, but they’re headed over here so we should get to see firsthand just how interested Chet is.”
“You both suck as wingmen,” Chet said.
“Hey. Don’t be so quick to judge.” Drew smiled at Baylee as the two women joined them. “Hey, babe.” He gave her a lingering kiss as she sat in the chair beside him.
Meg claimed the only chair left at the table, which happened to be next to Chet. She took off her coat and hung it on the back of her chair. Her hair swung toward him, the scent of vanilla warming his senses.
“Hey, fellas,” Baylee managed once her lips were unoccupied by Drew’s. “Garrett said he’s down a server tonight, so he askedus to go to the bar and order when we are ready.” Baylee looked around the table. “I know Chet knows Meg, but have you met Tyler?”
“We’ve met,” Tyler said. “How are you, Meg?”
“I’m good, thanks. Nice to see you, Tyler.” Meg smiled at him.
“How’s the leg?”
“All good.”
Chet was almost overwhelmed by the desire to put his arm around Meg and pull her close. He took a sip of his beer, if only to keep his hands occupied. What was wrong with him? Meg and Tyler were merely having a friendly conversation, and a completely benign one at that, and yet Chet’s instincts were to show the room he wanted to be the only man whose attention she sought.
“What can we get you to drink, Meg?” Drew asked.
“I asked Garrett for a soda. He said he’d bring me one.”
Tyler stood. “I’ll get us another round. Want me to order for everyone while I’m up?”
“Thanks, man. I’ll do a burger with Saloon Fries.” Drew looked around. “Does everyone know what they want?”
“That sounds good to me, too,” Baylee said.
“Same.” Meg nodded.
Chet nodded, too, not trusting his voice, his thoughts, or even his body at the moment.
“Five burgers with Saloon Fries coming up.” Tyler headed to the bar.
Drew put his arm around Baylee and whispered something in her ear. She giggled.
Chet looked away. The public display of affection only intensified his awareness of Meg beside him. Even so, he jumped when she turned to him and spoke.
“Hey, you. I didn’t know you’d be here tonight.” For a brief moment, she placed her hand on his shoulder, then dropped it, resting both hands in her lap.
His whole body warmed to her touch, radiating from that one tiny point of contact. He turned in his chair as well, her face becoming the only clear thing in his vision, all else around her a blur.
“Yeah.” His voice cracked. So far, their interactions had been friendly banter full of teasing, and the subtle ways kept things on the surface between them. The way she looked at him now made him think of the texts she’d sent the other night.
Soft.
That was it. There was a new softness to her, and this time it was in person.
No need to question what this meant. He was in trouble.
He found his voice again. “Tyler invited me.”
Meg smiled. “He seems nice. Baylee called me and, I wouldn’t have exactly called it an invite but more of a ‘get your butt over here now’ kind of command.” She looked at Baylee who was now swatting Drew on the leg and pretending to push him away when clearly getting closer was what she wanted.
Meg rolled her eyes and looked back at Chet. “They’re disgustingly adorable. You get used to it. Sort of.”
A server breezed by their table, set down Meg’s soda, waved, and kept moving.
