Page 16 of In Spades

I took a gulp from my glass as Chase sat down, two stools to my left.

“Hey, darlin’,” he said to Bridget as he loosened his tie.

Her fingers fidgeted nervously with the hem of a bar towel. “Hey. You drinkin’ alone?”

Chase nodded. “Steve’s taking Erica out tonight. He made reservations at Revanche.”

Bridget looked at him a moment longer. “Good for them.”

“Yeah.” Chase’s voice was low. “Real good.”

Thankfully, the cook slid a plate into the window, catching Bridget’s attention and breaking the trance. I cleared my throat while Bridget slipped away to grab my meal.

“Chase, right?” I said turning to him. “From the inn yesterday?”

A slow smile crept across his face. “Solomon. Thought I’d find you here.”

I raised my eyebrows. “Am I in some kind of trouble or something?”

He turned the screen of his phone toward me. My face stared back at me. It must have been the photo Bridget took. “Not unless you call five crazy women discussing your bangability trouble.”

“Bang-a-what?” My voice went up an octave like some sort of unfortunate reverse puberty.

Bridget reappeared with a burger that made my stomach growl. “If it makes you feel better, I gave you a great score.” She smirked as she grabbed a bottle out of the ice chest behind the bar and popped the top.

Chase reached out to grab the bottle and their hands touched. It was like watching a slow-motion movie sequence. His thumb brushed the backs of her fingers and lingered. “I appreciate it, darlin’.”

Bridget jerked her hand away like she had been burned and hurried off to check on the patrons on the other side of the bar.

I grabbed a fry off my plate and took a bite. “She your girl?”

Chase stared at Bridget, pausing and swallowing before he said, “Nah. She’s not mine.”

We turned away from each other and went back to staring at the liquor shelf behind the bar. Kristin wasn’t lying—the burger was damn good. The company was a bit odd, but I didn’t mind. Most people found me to be a bit odd considering I kept to myself all day, every day.

“Alright,” Chase said, clearing his throat. I had made it halfway through my burger before he spoke again. “Be straight with me. What’s your interest with Kristin?”

“What do you mean?”

Chase drained the last drops out of his bottle and set it back on the dented oak bar. Were those boot marks on top of the wood? “You were sniffin’ around her car yesterday, and today I hear from Bee that you’re name-dropping her at our bar.” There was a dangerous edge to his voice. “Who sent you? Cheryl or Bill?”

I wiped my mouth with the paper napkin. “What are you talking about? No one sent me. Yesterday I asked Kristin where was good to eat in town and she mentioned this place. I stopped at her car to see if she needed a hand.” I shrugged. “Didn’t mean to freak her out.”

Bridget eyed us suspiciously from the other side of the bar. Apparently, she didn’t take kindly to newcomers crashing the bar and asking about pretty girls.

“Did I set off some kind of small-town gossip chain or something?” I said, on a laugh before washing down a fry with a sip of beer.

Chase stood up and dropped a few bills on the bar before stuffing his wallet back into his pocket. “Nah, but we take care of our own.”

“Is that a threat?”

He shook his head. “I have no reason to threaten you. Like you said, you’re just a guy out for a bite to eat.” He waved at Bridget then pushed the barstool in. “Just like I’m just a guy who’d do anything to protect his friends.”

5

KRISTIN

“Logan, Kylie, Hunter—homework!” I called out from the kitchen sink as I dried the last few dishes from supper. “Zoey, grab your backpack so I can go through your folder.”

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