Page 18 of So in Love
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Crystal doffedher coat and hung it on the hook on the side of the booth before sliding into the seat at The Arch and Vine in downtown Ribbon Ridge.“Sorry, I’m late.I got stuck in traffic coming from Newberg.”
Alaina, who was next to her on the bench, turned her head.“What were you doing there?”
“I needed to get a prescription filled, Miss Nosy, and that’s the closest Walgreen’s.”She blew a kiss at her bestie and looked over at Kelsey and Brooke on the other side of the booth.“What’d I miss?”
Brooke tucked her blonde hair behind her ear.“Not much.We were just speculating on what might’ve happened with Jamie after we left on New Year’s Eve.”
The server, a young guy with a pierced eyebrow and several tattoos and a wicked sense of humor, brought a pitcher with three glasses plus a sparkling water for Alaina.
“Thanks, Duke,” Alaina said, looking wistfully at the hard cider she couldn’t drink since she was pregnant.
“I’ve got buffalo tots on the way.You gals ready to order?”he asked.
They all put in their orders while Crystal poured the cider, then Duke left.
Alaina sipped her sparkling water and looked askance at Crystal.“So what did I miss on New Year’s Eve?You stayed there with Jamie Westcott?”
Crystal’s insides instantly heated and twisted as she sought to keep those lurid memories at bay lest she reveal anything.She shrugged, hoping her expression was as cool and aloof as she intended.“We hung out for a bit.”
Kelsey and Brooke both stared at her as if they didn’t buy it.Shit.
“What she’s leaving out,” Brooke said, “is that we all played pool—with Sean and Tori.Crystal kicked everyone’s ass.”
“With The Humiliator, no less,” Kelsey interjected.
Alaina’s brows rose.“Wow.”
Crystal pressed her lips together, still feeling protective about her new pool cue.“His name is Hugh now.”
Alaina’s eyes lit with mirth.“I see,” she murmured.
“It was awesome,” Brooke said, smiling.“Anyway, there seemed to be this undercurrent between her and Jamie.”
Hell’s bells.Crystal searched for a decent excuse.Or defense.Or whatever.“That’s just because we were the only single people there.”
“That’s true,” Kelsey said.
Alaina waved her hand.“Eh, Crystal’s at a lot of parties with a lot of single people, and I don’t necessarily get avibe.Were they flirting?”
“Seemed like it,” Brooke said.She smiled at Crystal, but it faded as she perhaps realized Crystal didn’t look enthused about this conversation.
For crying out loud, if she acted like this was a problem, Alaina would just read more into it.“We probably did flirt a bit,” Crystal said.“Like I said, we were the only single people there, and weweredrinking.”She summoned a smile and a little laugh for good measure.
“Speak of the devil,” Alaina said, nodding toward the door.“Look who just came in.”
Crystal darted her gaze in that direction as both Brooke and Kelsey turned their heads.
Jamie walked toward the bar and exchanged words with George, the bartender.He wore a dark wool peacoat, which he shrugged out of and hung on a hook on the corner of the bar before taking a stool at the bar.A burgundy V-neck sweater hugged his shoulders and reminded Crystal of his amazing biceps.Had she really looked for a measuring tape the other night so that she could find their circumference?
She jerked her attention away from him before she exposed what had really happened.Which was stupid.Her friends would never be able to glean the reality from her facial expression, even if she drooled while looking at him.
And if she thought about that night, abouthim, for too long, that just might happen.
Luckily, she had just the subject to distract all of them for a good while.After taking a long drink of cider, she smacked the glass back on the table.“Wait until you hear about my meeting with Darryl today.”
Kelsey curled her hands around her glass as her eyes grew animated.“Right, I forgot you were seeing him today.Do tell!”
