Page 14 of Here's to Tomorrow

“Yeah, I’ll take the same as Hudson, please.”

“I’ll do thirtysuperhot traditional wings,” Tanner chimes in, doing a good onceover, apparently liking what he sees because he gives me another creepy smile.

I nod. “All right, boys, I’ll be back in a bit with your food. Flag me down if you need anything in the meantime.”

I’m not entirely sure, but I think I hear Tanner say something about needing me all the time as I walk away. Asshat.

As soon as I walk through the doors to the back, I’m verbally attacked by Maura.

“Holy shit! That guy on the outside is so hot! Who is he? Is he single? Can I have him? Oh, how’d it go with Henry?”

Now I know she’s just being a brat about his name. “It was okay, I guess.Hudsonacted like he didn’t know me, but then Tucker, the one next to the guy you’re drooling over, spouted off all kinds of info about me and Hudson didn’t seem to like the fact that he knew all that.”

“Well it seems like he was trying to play it cool, something you should have done. I watched you the entire time and I could see you sweating and shaking from here. I guess it wasn’t too bad of a start. Now, what about the hot guy?” She’s bouncing up and down by the end of her question.

“His name is Tanner, he’s Tucker’s older brother, and I’m almost positive he’s a soldier.”

She claps her hands together and bounces even more. “Ohhh, I like soldiers! Right?”

She’s getting all worked up and it’s cute as hell. Maura just started coming out of her shell last year and now she’s boy crazy as hell, which I find amusing.

“Settle your ovaries, woman. He seems like a player, so maybe this one isn’t a good guy to get invested in? Plus, like I said, he’s probably a soldier and soldiers leave a lot, so there’s a good chance he won’t be around long.”

“Perfect. I’m not looking for anything serious anyway. That dillhole Aaron screwed me over and I’m still trying to recover from that. We can just have some fun in the meantime, okay?”

I’m reluctant to agree, but I find myself doing so anyway. “Okay,” I say as she brushes past me with a wink.

As much as I love my best friend, she can be exhausting. Maura’s always been one of those quiet-in-public, loud-around-her friends-and-family people, but last year, something lit a spark under her ass and she’s been on the go nonstop since. She’s been dating—something she didn’t do until last year either—so if she wants a little fling, good for her.

Now if I could find me a man, I’d be set. I’ve been single for…forever. Okay, it’s only been six months, but I think I’m ready. I’m not wanting anything like meet-the-family-let’s-move-in-together serious, but something steady would be nice. It’s not that Ineedsomeone in my life, but Iwantone. Someone to talk to, to connect with, to just…be with.

And right now there’s a hot as hell guy out in the dining room that could be that someone for me.

But, I don’t want to get ahead of myself, so I won’t be counting my chickens or ducks or whatever the hell it is people count.

Maura, on the other hand, seems to be just fine doing so. I breeze back through the doors to find her chatting it up with Tanner, not paying any attention to the other guys at the table. I laugh, because Tucker keeps glancing over at his brother and rolling his eyes. Not sure what’s going on there, but it doesn’t seem like he’s a big fan of Maura’s choice in men.

I’m gliding around the bar, refilling drinks and delivering food, when I feelhiseyes on me again. I don’t have to look to confirm that it’s him. Iknowit is. His gaze makes me feel…alive.

The hairs on my neck stand up and chills run down my spine as I casually scan my area from behind the bar, stopping on his intense green eyes for only a few seconds. Intense is the right word for them too because I have never been able tofeelsomeone’s stare before, but his—I feel it everywhere. Every fiber of my being feels Hudson’s gaze. Every fiber loves it, wants it,cravesit.

Chill, Rae. You don’t really know the guy; you just think you do.

I close my eyes briefly to try to collect myself. When I open them again, he’s standing directly in front of me, causing me to jump.

“Hi,” he says with a small frown. He shifts on his feet. Two seconds go by. “Um…” Four seconds go by. “Well, uh…” Two more seconds. He’s nervous. “Um…bathroom?”

I raise my eyebrows, silently hook my thumb in the direction of the bathroom, and watch as he practically runs away.

I barely contain my laughter.

And I thought I was weird.

* * *

Hudson

Bathroom? BATHROOM?That’s what best I could come up with? What the hell?

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