Page 3 of Smitten with the Single Dad

Track ordered more pitchers, nachos, appetizer platters, and wings.

They weren’t going anywhere anytime soon.

She made sure to check her watch inconspicuously, since he seemed put out the last time she did it.

It was nearly ten o’clock now.

It was dark out and wasn’t the last ferry scheduled to leave the island soon?

She was still nursing her vodka soda, but she really just wanted—nay,needed—water. So she approached the bar. The handsome bartender with the manbun and blue-hazel eyes smiled at her. “What can I get you?”

“Just water, please. If my boss orders me another vodka, please just give me water.”

His dark brows furrowed. “Are you okay?”

She nodded. “I’m fine. It’s just been a day of nonstop drinking and in the sun. I need water.”

“Sure thing.” He filled up a tall glass with ice, then used the gun to fill it up before placing it on the bar in front of her. She drained it within seconds, then requested more.

“You sure you’re okay?” he asked again. “You sure you’re safe?”

Vica nodded again. “I am fine. Thank you though. Just out with coworkers. A goodbye party for me.”

“Where are you headed?”

“New York.”

His nose wrinkled. “Good luck with the rats.”

Smiling, she sipped her water, slower this time. “Seattle has rats too. So does Italy. It’s hard to find a place without them.”

“True. But from everything I’ve heard, the rats in New York are bigger and bolder.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

Even though the pub was packed, it was like a breath of fresh air stepping away from the eight men at her table. None of them werebadguys, per se. But they also weren’t people she would have chosen as her friends. Aleysha was wonderful and Vica hoped they remained friends even with Vica moving across the country. The rest of the guys though? She wouldn’t lose any sleep or be sad if she never saw them again.

Engineers were notoriously socially awkward. More brains than social skills, and they also thought they were better and smarter than everyone else. Not her people.

Vica was an engineer too and loved working on solar energy—as well ascreating new kinds of panels that absorbed more sunshine and converted it to more energy—but she didn’t feel as … out of touch with others the way a lot of her colleagues seemed.

She was … “Down to the world”? “Down to earth”?

Either way, she liked the simple things in life. She liked good, solid friendships, good food, and a good book. She also considered herself one of those people who could have a conversation with anybody about anything. She read a lot of articles and prided herself on the fact that she was always learning and bettering herself. So even though she might not be an expert on anything, she knew enough about most things to make small talk.

Her coworkers, however, struggled to carry a conversation and whenever they were thrust into a situation with someone who wasn’t an engineer, all they did was talk about themselves or try to prove how smart they were. It was off-putting.

But like any true introvert, she had a breaking point. She could be social and carry a conversation with anyone about anything, but she also liked her alone time.

“There you are,” Aleysha said, coming over to the bar. “We thought you left.”

“Just needed some water,” Vica said, draining her glass.

The bartender was quick to fill it up for her a third time.

“You’ve gotta come see the sky out here on the deck.” Aleysha looped her arm through Vica’s. “It’s beautiful.”

With a heavy sigh, Vica allowed her friend to lead her back to their table. Track’s eyes lit up the moment Vica returned, and Vica supressed the urge to curl up her top lip. He’d already maneuvered it so they were sitting next to each other at their long table. And she couldn’t even inch away from him since she was in the middle. So if she moved away from Track, she moved closer to Rhys, and he wasn’t someone she was interested in cozying up to either.

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