AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“You’d think, wouldn’t you?” Mia fairly growled. “Didn’t stop the barista at Starbucks from making eyes at him yesterday.”
Noah chuckled and pressed a kiss to Mia’s hair. He whispered something in her ear that made her blush, and Graham smiled and looked away.
His eyes skirted around the dim room and landed on a woman with curly blond hair. He perked up, thinking Claire had seen his text and decided to join them. But the woman turned, revealing a face that was attractive but unknown, and his excitement slipped away like an extinguished flame.
He loved Noah and Mia and enjoyed spending time with them, but they definitely fell on the reserved side. As in, perfectly content sitting at the bar, slowly nursing the one and only beer each they’d inevitably order, talking and people watching. Claire, on the other hand, matched his penchant for taking shots, telling crude jokes, and the kind of loud laughter that earned glares from people sitting nearby. She was always up for pool or dancing, and he just...had more fun when the whole crew was together.
Sitting here quiet and content to escape everyone’s notice reminded him too much of the days when he did things like that on purpose. He hadn’t felt the need to be invisible in a long time, and he had no intention of going back there.
Claire had been sleeping when he left for climbing that morning, so she wasn’t working today. She was gone when he got home to shower, though, and hadn’t answered his text about meeting at the bar.
What was she up to tonight? Mia was one of Claire’s best friends—she’d probably know.
“Talk to Claire today?” he asked.
“Yep. She called me a few hours ago freaking out about what to wear on her date.”
His eyebrows shot up. “Date?”
“Yeah. Someone from work asked her out.”
Graham hummed and took a sip of his stout. It didn’t bother him Claire was on a date, but he was a little surprised she hadn’t told him about it, especially after their conversation on the porch last week. They used to help each other in the dating department, as a matter of fact.
Usually on a night like this, they’d be unstoppable. He’d steer her away from men he got a bad feeling about (after an incident four years ago with a guy who still lived with his mother, she welcomed Graham’s intuition) and she’d scope out women who were funny and easy to talk to. They’d worked out a hell of a system, somehow making it clear they weren’t a couple at the get-go, erasing any hesitation from interested parties to approach.
Mia’s voice startled Graham out of his thoughts. “How about a wingwoman?”
“Sorry?”
“You don’t want a wingman, but you and Claire seem to get a ton of attention together. I could pose as your sister. Tell them about my kidney transplant and how my wonderful, doting brother took care of me—Oh! Want me to tell them you donated the kidney?”
Graham blinked. “Uh, I don’t think—”
“We look alike, actually,” Mia said, holding out a lock of her dark hair. “We could totally pass for siblings.”
Noah snickered, and Graham ran his palm along his jaw. “Thanks. But I’m good. I’m not looking to score a date tonight.”
Mia frowned. “Why not? There are tons of women here.”
Once again, Noah spoke quietly to her and she leaned into him with a smile. One more of those and Graham might need to relocate. He was glad they were happy and all, but he could only take so much.
“Noah and I worked hard today. I just want to relax tonight,” he lied. He wasn’t too tired to have fun, but the person he usually had it with wasn’t here.
They stayed for another hour then parted ways, and as Graham approached the condo and prepared to turn into the driveway, movement on the porch caught his attention.
Claire stood there with a man. The overhead light cast a soft yellow glow across their shoulders, and by all appearances this was an end-of-the-date drop-off. Claire had gone all out for this one—wearing one of her nicest dresses and heels. For a girl whose standard work and home uniforms consisted of scrubs and a T-shirt with leggings, respectively, a dress was high praise indeed.
Not wanting to interrupt, Graham continued past the driveway and parked along the street just beyond as if he were a neighbor. He put it in Park but left the engine running, glancing at the rearview mirror. Claire’s back was to him and the guy, whom Graham didn’t recognize, was in plain view. He was tall and lanky with light-colored curly hair. Glasses framed his eyes and he smiled down at Claire with a sort of shy expression. Claire put her hands on his shoulders and he jolted forward a little, then paused, as if suddenly unsure what he was supposed to do.
Graham winced. This was awkward as hell.
Claire’s date moved closer and put a hand on her back—way too high, if you asked Graham, and finally kissed her. It lasted all of two seconds before they separated.
Graham shook his head. If a woman was worth kissing, she should be kissed with conviction and purpose.
The guy made overly enthusiastic hand gestures as he said something, and nodded before hopping down the steps to his car, looking entirely too pleased with himself for the most pathetic good-night kiss in the history of ever.
Graham waited until the dude was down the street before he reversed and pulled into his usual spot.
