Page 419 of Hate Mates

Ifind my fiancée and her date at a table by the window.

Deep in conversation, they don’t notice my approach until it’s too late.

I’ve arrived, and they’re both going to regret me finding them here together.

I yank out an empty chair and have a seat, making myself comfortable. I smile at my beautiful soon-to-be-wife. “Hello sweetheart. Having fun?”

Once she’s past the shock of my sudden appearance, Colby practically snarls at me while the guy’s head oscillates like a fan scanning back and forth between us.

“What’s going on? Do you two know each other?”

The idiot looks as stupid as he probably is. I wink at him. “Of course we do. She and I are getting married in three weeks. Aren’t we darlin’?”

Colby gives me her death stare, perfected over the years since she’s hated me from the moment she met me. She answers through clenched teeth. “No. We’re not.”

“Cold feet again? Don’t worry. We’ll work it out.”

My sympathetic tone irritates her more, and she tries to jump up. Anticipating her attempt to escape, I grab her wrist. The tiny bones are fragile in my huge fingers, and I squeeze just to the point of her being uncomfortable. I’d never seriously hurt my wife.

She gasps yet her companion does nothing but stare. Proof he could never take care of her the way she needs. If anyone else ever touched her, I would make damn sure she would be the last thing he felt before he died.

He finally rips his gaze from my claim on her and stands up. “I…I didn’t know you were getting married. I don’t want to get involved in this.”

With flustered movements, he grabs his jacket from the back of the chair and his wallet from the table, bumping his water glass hard enough some of the liquid overflows onto the wood. Without even an effort to clean up his mess or say goodbye, he takes off.

What a loser. What did she ever see in him?

This time she sighs. She knows she’s lost, and I’ve won. Just like always.

I release her arm and pick up the menu he abandoned, perusing the offerings. Nothing spectacular in their selection, but I’m starving so I’ll have to choose something.

“What are you doing?”

Disgust drips from her voice. I smile in response because that always gets her riled up. “Ordering food. Isn’t that what you do in a restaurant when you’re hungry?”

She rolls her eyes. “Why do you always have to be such an asshole?”

“You know you always bring out the best in me, angel.”

“I’m leaving.”

We both know her threat is idle. I will chase her wherever she runs just like I’ve proven in the past. “Order something.”

“No.”

Now I’m getting cross from my hunger, and I stare into her gorgeous blue eyes. “Order something.”

Her huff is all for show. She grabs her own menu and studies the options in silence. Only the white-knuckle grip she has on the slick paper reveals her anger.

A waiter stops at our table, frowning in confusion from the idiot’s departure and my arrival. I want to talk to him as little as possible. “He left because he realized dating a cheater never ends well.”

Colby jerks her head up, pointing first to herself and then to me. “I’m not a cheater because we’re not together.”

The man ignores her outburst too as he scribbles down my drink order. “I’ll also take the salmon with red potatoes and Brussel sprouts.”

He nods as if my choice is excellent before turning to my fuming bride.

“And for you, ma’am.”

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