Page 57 of Wild Bliss

Callie’s brows rose in obvious surprise. “I thought you weremore of a white wine girl.”

Should she even stay? It might be a better idea to leave anddrink alone at her place with the freaking ghost.

How was she going to tell her sister she’d been a completeidiot? That she’d been played?

She should have known. This shouldn’t come as a completesurprise to her. It was how her life worked. What the hell had she beenthinking? She wasn’t even close to their league looks-wise, and neither ofthose men would want a schoolteacher for a girlfriend. Sawyer had been plain.Wyatt had lied.

“Vodka tonic it is,” Callie said with a nod. “I will beright back.”

Callie hustled off, and she saw her stop at a booth to herleft. Callie leaned over as though whispering to whoever was in the booth.

Everyone would know because she’d been stupid enough toannounce it to the world.

Sabrina Leal—schoolteacher extraordinaire—had told the wholetown she had a boyfriend, and he hadn’t even shown up to their first date.

She was not going to cry.

Well, she would, but she wouldn’t do it here.

When she got home she would cry her eyes out and figure outhow to put on a brave face when her dad asked her how things were going withWyatt.

Her dad? Was she an idiot for calling him her dad? Hewasn’t. He was Elisa’s dad. Sabrina’s father had never wanted to see her. He’dleft and never looked back. He hadn’t sent her birthday cards or called to seehow she was. He’d walked out and left her with a cold, unemotional mother.

“Hey, aren’t you supposed to be on a date or something?” Afamiliar blonde slid into the seat across from Sabrina. Gemma Wells was dressedfor a date night in a white silk blouse, a rope of pearls around her neck andher makeup done perfectly. “Your sister mentioned this was a big thing foryou.”

Gemma worked with Elisa. She supposed it wasn’t shockingElisa had mentioned her sister had a date since it rarely happened. She had tobe set up with guys. She couldn’t find her own.

Her brain sought for any other explanation than the truth.But there wasn’t one. Lies would only get her into more trouble. “He changedhis mind.”

“Changed his mind?” Gemma asked.

“Who changed his mind?” Holly Burke turned in her seat. Shewas at the table to the side of Sabrina’s booth, and she wasn’t alone. Therewas a large man with longish dark hair, a slightly smaller one with gold-blondneatly cut hair, and a baby girl in a high chair. Alexei Markov, Caleb Burke,and their little girl, Amelia.

Sabrina should have remembered Bliss wasn’t a town wherepeople kept to themselves. They weren’t in high tourist season, so everyoneinside the cozy pub was a local and everyone would be interested in gossipabout the new girl.

She’d kind of wanted it when she’d thought Wyatt would behere. She’d wanted to sit in Trio with her hot guy and know everyone wastalking about the new couple in town.

Pride goeth before the fall. She could hear her mom say thewords, see the judgment in her eyes.

Had it only been a couple of hours before that she’d satwith her sister and promised to ignore those voices? She sniffled and forced asmile on her face. “Wyatt was supposed to meet me for dinner, but it turns outhe has other things to do. It’s okay. I don’t mind eating alone.”

The big Russian leaned over, his head cocking to the side tolook around his partner. “Wyatt Kemp? He asks you to dinner and does not show?We are certain he is all right and has not had the accidents?”

She wasn’t sure why Holly’s husband was so concerned. Alexeiwasn’t the doctor in the group. Dr. Burke was, but he showed zero interest inanything but getting Amelia to eat her dinner.

“Oh, it was no accident.” A bit of anger was starting tothrum through her system. There had been no need at all to tell her he caredabout her. He could have had his weekend of sex and fun and she would have goneon her merry way. She wouldn’t have opened herself up the way she had. Theyboth could have come out of this thing with whole hearts, but some men needed atrophy.

It wouldn’t be her tears.

“It was not?” Alexei stood and moved close to Holly, who hadturned her chair.

Callie came rushing in with her vodka tonic. She placed itin front of Sabrina. “There you go, sweetie.”

“Damn. Did my kids drive you to drink, Teach?” Max Harperstopped as he was making his way across the dining room. She’d seen the Harperssitting with Nell and Henry and their baby as she’d walked in.

Sawyer called her Teach. He growled it when he wanted herattention on him. Said it softly when he kissed her. Winked at her as he saidit when he was feeling playful.

Damn it, they were going to get her stupid tears.

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