Page 85 of Just a Heartbeat Away

She saw the let’s-get-the-hell-out-of-here eyes that Grace was throwing her way across the table, and Via was grateful. She needed to get home, get in the bath and squee her face off.

She said her goodbyes around the table, kissing Sadie and Shelly on the cheek and squeezing Cat’s hand. She slid her coat on, arranged her scarf and bag and stepped up to the bar to say goodbye to Christian. She gave Rachel and Greg a wide berth, not wanting to mess up whatever flow they had going on; apparently it was much more subtle and complicated than she’d ever thought and she didn’t want to risk anything.

“Bye.” She waved over at Christian.

“Hold up a minute,” he called, mixing a drink and flashing her the one-minute symbol.

Via looked over her shoulder, saw Grace talking with Shelly still and figured she had a minute to spare.

A second later, Christian was in front of her, wiping his hands on his bar towel and leaning toward her. His salt-and-pepper fade was crisp, his shirt ironed and his tattoos tantalizing. He really was handsome. But Via felt no flutters. No swelling of feeling. Not a single tingle.

“So, what’s the deal, Via? Are you single or what? You’re breaking my heart over here.”

Her eyes widened at his sudden honesty. She’d figured he was the kind of guy who flirted with everyone. He was a bartender; there were big tips in it for him after all.

“Oh, ah.” She stumbled over her words before she looked back up at this man. She didn’t really know him, and he didn’t really know her. What did she have to lose here? Without even really consciously deciding, the words were tumbling out of her mouth. “I’m single. But I’m not free. I’m really, really into someone.”

Christian hung his head in mock defeat. He looked back up at her. “That old guy who bought you a beer? Really?”

Via couldn’t help but laugh. “He called you old, too.”

Christian snorted. “Figures. He’s as threatened by me as I am by him.”

She smiled at his candor.

Christian peered at her from squinted eyes. “I’d tell you he’s too old for you, but I think I’d be cutting off my nose to spite my face.”

Via laughed again. “Have a good night, Christian.”

“Yeah.” He sighed. “You, too. See you next Friday.” He took a step away from the bar and then leaned forward again, pointing at her. “You’re paying for your beer next time.”

Still laughing, she nodded her head. “Fair enough.”

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

SEBASTIANFELTLIMBER,energized and off-kilter as hell as he, Matty and Crabby pulled up to the softball field the next day. This was their last game of the season. He was wildly disappointed that he wasn’t going to have an excuse anymore to see Via dancing around the bases, diving for line drives and knocking the ball back to Queens.

He’d been supercharged when he’d gotten home from the bar last night. Matty had subconsciously picked up on his dad’s energy and had been a little hellion for an extra hour past his bedtime. But Seb hadn’t cared.

He’d just blatantly flirted with Via DeRosa. And she’d flirted back.

I’m attracted to older men,she’d said.

There weren’t a ton of other ways to interpret that statement.

Seb let out a long, slow breath and hauled Matty out of the car and hooked Crabby up to a leash.

He knew that if he looked for an issue to worry over right now, he’d find it. Their age difference was ridiculous; she was too young for a real commitment. And he had so much baggage, a real commitment was pretty much the only thing he was looking for.

But it wasn’t those thoughts that swirled in his head as he led kid and dog to the bleachers. No. It was that sly smile she’d given him across the table when they’d been texting. It was the V of exposed, golden skin above her trim little blouse. It was the way she’d so naturally leaned into him. He’d been praying last night that she didn’t look down at his lap. He was pretty sure her eyes would have bugged out of her head had she known he’d popped wood just from watching her drag a finger through the condensation on her beer glass.

Seb wasn’t ashamed. He was heated and loose; he felt like he could play four games of softball back-to-back. Something pumped through his veins, hard and fast, and Seb liked it.

Seb spotted Via in the dugout, stretching and chatting with Sadie, and it was enough just to see her, for the time being. She was here. He was about to go over there. He felt like there was a wolf in his chest, sniffing the air for a mate.

He finally understood why they howled at the moon.

Because flirting was so fucking fun.

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