Page 63 of One Sweet Day I Found You

Courtney excused herself. “Thanks. I’ll be right back.”

With lipstick refreshed and hair combed neatly back in place, Courtney took her time as she squeezed among the other patrons to return to her table. It was standing room only near the bar.

She glanced up. A White Sox vs. Cardinals game played on the flat-screen television over the bar, and every so often, a few people clapped or cheered when one team or the other did something right.

Courtney smiled. This was turning out to be a good night. She was glad to meet more people from the area. She thought it wouldn’t take long before she could call herself a local, too. It was great to make some more girlfriends in town.

Too bad about Nick. But a girls’ night out was always good for the soul.

Stop talking to yourself, Courtney thought.You sound like your mother.

It was the alcohol talking. She laughed at herself.

Then, out of nowhere, a voice interrupted her thoughts. “Courtney? Courtney Price? Holy moly, is that you?”

Courtney’s jaw dropped to the floor and she turned.

Austin.

He spoke again. “Are youkiddingme? What are you doing here?” Austin set down his cocktail and held out both hands for a hug. “Bring it in, Price! Come here!”

Courtney barely moved, unable to hide her shock. “Uh, wow.” She could hardly think straight.

He moved in closer, obviously buzzed. “Come on, Courtney, this is a crazy coincidence! For old times’ sake.”

Courtney just stared. Why was the guy she’d cried over for months now causing this stone-cold reaction in her? And where in the heck had he come from? Seriously, she was four-and-a-half hours from Chicago. Why in the world was he here?

He stepped in closer and finally, she surrendered and accepted the embrace. It was awkward, to say the least.

She pulled away and stared up at his handsome, masculine features. “Uh, you’re a long way from home, aren’t you?”

“Eh? Not really. Few hours. You know how it is. I’m here for a bachelor party. Trey’s getting married.”

That brought Courtney back to earth. She snorted. “Oh. So that’s actually happening?”

Trey was one of Austin’s best friends. They’d been roommates for years. Trey and Lexi had been engaged for nearly as long. “Yep. Finally.”

“Strange choice of venue for a bachelor party,” she said.

He flashed a mischievous grin. “Nah. Actually, it’s not that kind of bachelor party. We’re behaving. Steak dinners. Bottomless drinks. Chartered a fishing boat today. I caught a few big ones.” He made a face.

Courtney snorted. “I’ll bet you did.”

Austin laughed appreciatively. “Anyway, yeah, Lexi’s snapping the whip from almost three hundred miles away.”

“Ah.” Courtney grinned. “That sounds like her.”

Austin laughed and took a sip of his martini.

Courtney studied his longish, yet tidy, dark hair, swept back from his face and held in place with product. He was tan and the tasteful, button-down shirt camouflaging his ripped chest looked to be made of silk. She had to admit, he still looked good.

So why did she find herself not the least bit attracted to him? She would’ve given her left arm to be getting this sort of attention from him a year ago. Now, all it seemed to do was bounce off her like she was a flipping trampoline.

Austin stood back and sized Courtney up. “I have to say, Courtney, you look amazing. Still working out, I see. Whatchya been up to? What are you doing up here?”

Courtney grinned in spite of herself. She was eating this up. But it didn’t feel right. She leveled her tone.

“I took a job writing for the Wisconsin Visitors Board this summer about Door County. I work with a videographer. She’s over there.” Courtney indicated toward their lively table of fashionable young women with a nod.

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