Page 6 of Fortune's Control
“You ready for another round?” she asked.
“Bring it,” Aiden said. He picked up my bottle, swirling the contents. “Hell, you barely touched yours.”
A certain someone distracted me.
“I’ll take a fresh one. Also, see that lady at the bar? The one that just walked in.” There was no mistaking who I spoke of. She was the only patron at the bar. My three nosy friends craned their necks to get a better glimpse. “Whatever she orders, put it on my tab. I’ll cover for her.”
“You sure? She hasn’t ordered yet, Shane. You’ll end up with a mighty big bill if any friends show up,” Diane said.
I appreciated her concern, but knew no friends were coming. “I don’t care if she buys everyone a round.”
“You want me to let her know who it’s from?”
“No, she’ll know it was me, and thank you for helping.”
Beside me, Aiden whistled. “Looks like I’m not the only one scoring tonight.”
“Dean, do me a favor and punch your brother for me, will you?” I asked. Dean obliged. “Much appreciated.”
“Ow, what the hell, man? It was a compliment.” Despite the complaint, Aiden’s laughter joined ours.
Jack nudged my elbow. “Okay, are you going to tell us who that is?”
And give them an opening to keep bugging me? “Nope.”
*****
Diane set the check down, and my curiosity took over. Eating a Caesar salad and a diet soda took her two hours.
“It’s good to see you out here with us.” Deanleaned back in his chair, resting his head in both palms. “You’re in danger of turning into a hermit.”
My empty house was too big for only one person. Sophie rarely visited Fortune’s Creek and stayed in the garage apartment, far from me, when she did at all, and our parents would never come home again.
I scoffed at Dean’s statement. “Says the man who can’t stand people. Also, you see me all the time. Yesterday was baseball, and we went fishing last weekend. So lay off and go wrestle another gator.”
“Will you three stop saying that?”
Dean’s demand only brought on more jokes. We all knew he worked hard at his job, but the image was too damn perfect.
Lilah glanced at me and then at each of my tablemates. She leaned forward, and a foot touched the ground, wavering between approaching me or leaving the restaurant. Instead, she settled back into her chair, put her elbow on the table, and rested her forehead on her fingertips.
Jack shoved his hand in my face, snapping his fingers. “You’ll tell us who she is, or I’ll invite her over here.”
I believed him. Jack’s aimlessness was only for himself. Years of deciding what was best for the other reared up at inopportune times. “Accident or no, I can still kick your ass.”
Jack’s jaw tightened at my comment, but he didn’t push. “I wrestled.”
Aiden coughed. “Peaked in high school.” He coughed a second time. We all laughed, even Jack, but the distraction didn’t work. “Tell us who she is, or I’ll ask her out myself.”
Aiden’s dark hair and eyes attracted women everywhere he went. In high school, Sophie described him as a better awakening than the animated Robin Hood, whatever that meant. Her crush disappeared once Jack entered her life, whichbugged me in an entirely different way.
“Don’t even think about it. Lilah is off limits.” I didn’t have the right, but the image of her dating Aiden left me swimming in jealousy. The three leaned in close, and I repeated my words back to myself.
“She has a name,” Dean said.
“And he likes her,” Jack added.
“Go ask her out.” Aiden slapped the table. “You two have done the googly eyes routine all night. Just get up there and ask.”
