Page 24 of Heart Like Yours

“Shh! Keep it down, will you!”

“Sorry!” she squeals, her eyes bouncing between me and the bar.

“Don’t look at him! You’ll make it obvious what we’re talking about!”

“I havesomany questions!” Lilly narrows her eyes at me. “This is where a heads-up text would have been helpful! If I had known this was supposed to be a juicy update kind of night, I wouldn’t have invited him to stay.”

“Well, forgive me for being a little frazzled. Believe it or not, I was tryingnotto think about him.”

Lilly wiggles her eyebrows and giggles. “Frazzled, huh? The kiss was so good that it short-circuited your brain?”

I open my mouth to sass her, but Garrett interrupts me.

“Two margaritas,” he says before quickly disappearing again, and I watch over my shoulder as he heads back to the bar for his drink.

“Isn’t there a song about what happens after two margaritas?” Lilly teases.

“Hush you,” I choke, reaching for my drink and fighting the urge to hum the damn song. “Drink your one marg and do not mention the kiss while he is here.”

She groans. “Fine. But don’t you dare think you’re off the hook from spilling all the details.”

“Didn’t think so,” I grumble just as Garrett returns.

“Areyou crashing at my place, Paige?” Lilly asks a few hours later. The game ended a while ago, the Bobcats winning seven to three. Based on the way my friend keeps grinning down at her phone, Dominik is probably on his way home now. Since he not only lives in the condo building next door just like Lilly, but also lives right across the hall from her, I have no doubt that he has plans to “celebrate” with her.

“No, you are free to congratulate your boyfriend without scaring my precious ears.”

“Oh, thank God. Neither of us is good at keeping quiet.”

Garrett chokes on his water, a blush staining his cheeks as he tries to catch his breath.

“Sorry.” Lilly laughs, looking down at her phone when it lights up. Her knee bounces wildly and I shake my head.

“Get out of here. Tell Dom we said nice game.”

She doesn’t wait to be told twice, jumping from her seat and scurrying around the table to give me a hug.

“Thanks for the drink, Gare!” Lilly calls out before rushing for the door.

“I’m glad they have each other,” Garrett comments as we watch her leave.

“Yeah, she deserves someone like him.”

Silence falls and for the first time since I got here. The tension between us builds until it’s practically stifling.

“How are you feeling about going to New York next week?” Garrett asks and I huff, running a hand through my hair.

“Excited but also nervous and honestly a little scared,” I admit.

“Understandable. This will be my fifth business venture and I still feel nervously excited.” A small smile tugs at his lips, making the dimple on his cheek poke out. “Leo is looking forward to finally meeting you.”

“The feeling is mutual. He sounds like he’s a good guy.”

Over the past few weeks of waiting for the sale to be finalized and getting things ready on our end for the new company, I’ve had quite a few conversations with Garrett’s friend Leo Henderson. While I haven’t met him in person, over the phone he gives the impression that he’s one of those guys who will get along with anyone. He’s a natural people person, even over video chat.

“Yeah, Leo’s one of the best guys I know,” Garrett says wistfully, a far-off look glazing over his eyes as he leans back in his seat and crosses his arms over his chest. My eyes drop to his bulging biceps and no matter how hard I resist, I can’t help but admire with envy the way his black shirt clings to the muscles.The traitorous organ in my chest skips a beat, knowing all too well now what it feels like to be held in those arms.

And now I’m thinking about kissing him again.

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