Page 9 of Along Comes Trouble

She’s right, of course. All I need is one gin and tonic to get me tipsy and if I chug the damn thing, I’ll be drunk before the night even gets started. Considering I never drink and drive, I’m putting myself in an awkward situation .

Colton finishes off his beer and orders another. “Aww. Poor little bunny .”

I glare at the infuriating beast and pointedly take another small sip before putting my drink beside my plate and turning my attention to the other end of the table. Just because I’m sitting across from Colton doesn’t mean I have to look at him. I listen as David catches Sarah up on his life and Sarah’s discomfort fades with every passing minute. She looks downright happy as she listens to David talk about his wife and children. It’s good to see her like this and I start to feel a little bit better about the evening until I catch Colton glowering at me .

“What?” I ask .

“Just trying to figure you out .”

“I thought you already had me figured out. I’m a stuck-up bitch, remember?” I tap a finger on my chin. “Or wait. No. I’m a scared little bunny. Or maybe, I’m a stuck-up bitch of a scared little bunny. No. It can’t be that. Those two things don’t make sense together .”

Colton purses his lips. “You’re the one who called me an asshole .”

“You’re the one who tricked me into thinking I was talking to your sister .”

Colton opens his mouth to speak and then clamps it shut before tipping back his beer and looking away. Sarah glances at us, concerned, before David captures her attention again. I sit, quietly ignoring Colton while the table laughs and converses. I can’t help but chuckle as the friends tease each other and share stories about their past. Just when I think this evening might be salvageable, I catch Colton staring at me again. I turn away. He might not be mature enough to put our differences aside for Sarah’s sake, but I am .

Or at least I think I am .

The more I try to ignore him, the more I’m aware of him. For as many times as I pull my attention away, it wanders right back. This is not the exciting night of drinking that I signed up for. My hopes of a spectacular ‘something’ happening tonight have crashed and burned so hard that I’m filled with nothing but charred ashes, courtesy of the jerk sitting across from me .

I fake a yawn and lean forward to catch Sarah’s attention. “I think I’m gonna go .”

She looks uncertain, blinking rapidly as she tries to figure out what to do. I can tell she doesn’t want to leave, yet .

“You stay.” I smile. “I’m just more tired than I thought I was .”

Relief softens Sarah’s features. “A raincheck ?”

“You know it .”

I say my goodbyes and stand, only for Colton to stand as well. “Tessa. Wait .”

I pause, my haughtiest expression in place. I don’t have words for him and when he doesn’t speak either, I roll my eyes and turn away. He grabs my arm and pulls me a few steps from the table. I yank my arm free, ready to tell him exactly what I think of him, but the look on his face stops me. His features have softened. His eyes bounce across my face and he lets out a long breath .

“I watched you talk Sarah into coming over here when you two first walked in. She was ready to leave and you didn’t let her.” He glances at his sister. “Thank you for that,” he murmurs before giving me his full attention again .

I blink. “It was nothing .”

“Oh, it was something.” He forces a smile. “And it only happened because of you, so thank you .”

He looks so genuine, I don’t know what to say. I settle on, “You’re welcome .”

He bobs his head but doesn’t speak, so I turn and walk away. When I glance over my shoulder, he’s still watching me, the strangest look on his maddeningly handsome face .

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