Page 61 of VOGUEish

“I don’t want to look fine. I want to look sexy.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

Isabella liked Ryder the moment she met him.

First, he was a little over six foot and built like one of those football players who easily makes his way through a crowd. All broad shoulders, bulging muscles, shaved head. What’s not to like about that?

Second, he knew his fashion, complimenting her on her Mostra Mary-Jane pumps first thing. The guy actually knew the difference between Manolo Blahnik and Bottega Veneta.

Which made what he’d just said startling. “You just want to be friends?” Isabella questioned. “Was it something I said?”

The waitress glided to a stop in front of their table and winced as if she’d caught Isabella’s last sentence.

“If you don’t mind, hold off on our meals for a while,” Ryder told the waitress as she placed their drinks on the table. He glanced at Isabella. “Is that okay with you? Do you have any place you have to be?”

Isabella was confused. If anything, this was where he should tell the waitress to cancel their orders. Gah. “No place that can’t wait for an explanation.”

After the waitress walked away, he continued. “It wasn’t anything you said or did.”

“Then what?”

He exhaled a breath. “I’ve known Chandler a long time. He’s as straightforward and honest as they come.”

Isabella raised a brow. “That’s good to know, but I’m not sure what it has to do with us.”

“I called him this afternoon for thoughts on where to take you to dinner, and by the time I ended the call, I had the distinct impression he regretted setting us up.”

“I can’t imagine why he would. We have valid reasons why we never dated.”

Ryder shook his head. “As his friend, I won’t poach his territory.”

Isabella took a calming breath and exhaled it. “Even though I just told you we’re not a thing?” She fidgeted in her chair and managed to knock her purse on the floor.

They both ducked under the table to pick it up at the same time.

“Even so,” he said. “It’s Bro Code 101.”

Flats. She’d probably do something equivalent if she and Chloe ever ended up in a similar situation. “Fair enough.” She grabbed her purse and sat up.

Ryder sat back and folded his arms across his massive pecs as if settling in for a long conversation. “Now that we’ve cleared that up, I have an offer to make.”

Her ears perked up. “What kind of offer?”

“Bro Code aside, I live to get under Chandler’s skin. And I do believe there’s some payback due him for setting me up with someone as fantastic as you and then ripping you out of my grasp with his inability to get in touch with his emotions.”

Isabella glanced around at the other customers sitting with their lovers, or children, or parents, or friends. Were any of them on a first date? “I just don’t know,” Isabella said. “He didn’t seem the least bit jealous of the idea of me meeting you for dinner.”

“Not that he showed you.” He picked up his martini. “But trust me, it bothered him.”

“He’s not right for me,” Isabella said stubbornly.

“Are you sure about that? Or are you as out of touch with your emotions as he is?”

Gah. He sounded like Ms. Birdie. “It’s complicated.”

“Complicated can be overcome if the reward is great enough.”

“That’s exactly what Ms. Birdie said to me the other day. Have you two been chatting?”

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