Page 25 of Falling Inn Love
“I never get out,” she tells me. “I’m a homebody with Kase.” She scrunches her face. “I’m probably going to be a dork.”
“Are you worried about leaving him?” I ask.
“No, not at all, not with Margie. I trust everyone at the inn. I just feel strange not being with him, I guess.”
“I think we both need this evening out more than we realize.”
“I think you’re right. Let’s go have a good time,” she says excitedly.
“Let’s do this,” I say, picking up my black leather jacket and purse. “Ready?”
When Margie and Kase drop us off at the tavern, Mellie quips that it feels like our mom is dropping us off at the school dance, and we all laugh.
“Evan can bring you back later.”
My heart surges with the thought and I tug at my hair nervously as we get out of the car.
The tavern has the feel of a woodland cabin and it vibrates with energy. There’s music playing that energizes me and makes me want to let my hair down, so-to-speak, and actually connect with others again. The smells of delicious food make me realize I haven’t eaten since an early lunch.
“Have you ever heard Evan and his band play before?” I shout to Mellie over the buzz of the chatter and music.
“No. But I hear they’re really good.” She scans the room. When she spots Evan at the front of the room with his band, warming up, she waves and he waves back.
He’s wearing a black fitted t-shirt that stretches at his biceps. The t-shirt reveals the tattoos snaked across his arms in an intriguing and complicated pattern I’d like to trace with my fingertips. I’m in another world watching him, thinking about him wrapping those strong arms around me, making me feel protected. He’s only kissed me twice and I already want more.
Across the room, his green eyes stand out against his dark hair and neatly trimmed beard. His head lowers as he begins to strum on his guitar, his fingers gliding over the strings, which makes me imagine what that would feel like to have those fingers on me.
His head raises and his eyes meet mine. Then he winks. He freaking winks at me, and my stomach dips. I smile and wave.
“I’m excited to see him play,” I say to Mellie as we slide into a high top table by the bar. The server comes by and hands us menus. “I’ll be right back to take your order,” she tells us.
“I’m starving,” Mellie says. “How about you?
“Definitely could eat,” I say, scanning the menu.
When the server returns, we order burgers and fries. Then I order an Old Fashioned and Mellie asks for a Mojito. I can’t even remember the last time I had a cocktail. Coffee is usually my favorite drink of choice.
“So, you’re a writer?” Mellie asks, raising her voice above the music and chatter in the background.
I’m not sure how much I want to tell Mellie about me, but as my biggest wall has already come down with Margie, I feel much less anxious when I tell her, “I’m an author, actually. Contemporary romance.”
“That’s impressive.” She nods and smiles, as the server brings us our drinks.
I shrug. “Right now I’m struggling to publish more, but I’m hoping to land another deal with a publisher. My agent is working on helping me with that.”
“Speaking of deals, what’s the deal with you and Evan?” She takes a sip of her Mojito.
“I like him. A lot.”
She nods. “He likes you, too. I’ve never seen him like this with anyone.”
I laugh a little and shake my head. “I don’t know if I can do this, though. I move around a lot.”
I look over at the band again, trying not to stare at Evan. Except my eyes catch his, and the smoldering gaze he sends me startles me. I quickly look away.
“So, why are you on the move all the time?” Mellie asks.
“Well… It’s complicated.”
