Page 13 of No One But You

“Oh, please. No burden at all. And just call me Diane.”

I drove back to the motel, showered with my slides on because who knew when the shower had seen a sponge or soap last, threw my things into my bag, and checked out early. Thank you, Diane and Kaye.

I drove back to town to the pub. Meeting new people would be a good thing. It was time to step out of my comfort zone, and making friends would be a good first start.

Chapter 5

Kora

Darlene, Summer, and I sat at a high-top table on the patio of Jerry’s Pub. The night was calm and a perfect sixty-five degrees. Mild for a late May night. We shared our typical pitcher of margaritas and a platter of nachos.

“So, finish telling us about this hunk who helped you with your tire.” Summer said as she took a large sip of her margarita and held my attention.

“I don’t think I said anything about him being a hunk.” I replied and raised a brow. Ever since Summer joined us, she kept finding ways to bring Kai into the conversation.

“Well, I used my amazing inferring skills.”

“Wow. Inferring. Fancy word,” Darlene answered.

Summer turned toward her. “I know. My teacher friends should be very impressed.”

“They are, and if you use a little alliteration, they might buy the next round of margs.” I shook the now empty pitcher in front of Summer’s face.

“Well since hunk didn’t do it for you, how about handsome, hot hunk?”

“Good alliteration.” Darlene held up her margarita glass.

Summer clinked hers against it. “See. I have been listening all the time you both get your teacher nerd on.”

“Whatever. I’ll be back.” I pushed my chair away from the table and went to the bar. Quicker service this way, and I really needed to have some space. Summer was being weird. Well, weirder than normal. I leaned on the bar and showed the empty margarita pitcher to Trevor.

He gave me a thumbs up, so I watched the baseball game on the flat screen television on the wall while I waited. It was getting crowded in the pub, and the bar was busy. Since it was before seven, everyone was taking advantage of the tail end of happy hour. Good business for the pub.

Finally, Trevor placed a fresh pitcher of margaritas in front of me. “Thanks, Trev.” He nodded and slapped the bar as he went to fill the order of one of the servers. I picked up the pitcher and made my way carefully through the maze of bodies.

The cornhole tournament must have started because the crowd got tighter as I got closer to the patio, making it more difficult to get through.

I stood tall and twisted and turned through the crowd, concentrating hard on keeping my pitcher of margaritas away from the onslaught of arms and people.

Suddenly a man backed up, and as he turned, he ran into me. “Dammit.” I seethed as half the beer from one of the glasses he was holding sloshed all down my front, and a good amount of the margarita as well.

“Shit. I’m so sorry,” he apologized.

I stood with my arms in the air, one open and the other with a now half-empty pitcher. The rest of the liquid seeped down my arms and through my shirt.

Damn, it was cold. Really cold. At least the drinks they served were the best—nothing but quality at Jerry’s.

No decent words came to my mind, so I bit my tongue to keep a string of curse words from flying.

A chuckle that sounded vaguely familiar entered my ears as my gaze slammed into the beer spiller’s. His disheveled black hair and amazing crystal gray eyes caused a rock to lodge in my stomach. “You again.” Fucking seriously? Why, of all the men I could have had spill their beer down the front of me, it was—what was his name—Kai from this morning?

Kai was still blocking my path. I passed my gaze over his body, his dark jeans, and his beige flannel. He really needed to get out of my way so I could grab Summer and borrow her sweater—she always had a cute cami under everything she wore. Just in case she got hot.

“Kora, right?”

“Kai.” I gave him a nod and squeezed by.

I really needed to get to the table and as far away from him as possible.

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