Page 65 of No One Wants That (Blitzen Bay)

“We’re good,” Elle says, pushing me toward the door. “Thanks for the offer though.”

I look back at Jim as Elle keeps pushing. “Why are you taking me away from him? He’s cute enough. Is he an asshole?”

“He’s a good guy, but the last thing you need is to add a third guy to the mix. Stop rebounding around like a pin ball. Ladies’ night, Kit. Ladies.”

“There’s a booth in the back,” Raine says, trying to wrangle us in that direction. “Everyone move before Kit tries to hook up with anyone else.”

We’re headed over to the booth when Elle stops dead in her tracks. “Holy hell! Stop! We can’t stay here.”

She ducks behind us and pulls the three of us into a human wall in front of her. Without even knowing what she’s talking about, I throw up my arms to block her.

“What?” I say, my eyes darting around the room. “What’s happening?”

“Two o’clock on the couches next to the grizzly bear,” she whispers from behind us.

My eyes find the life-sized bear statue in the corner of the bar and look below it to find Trip Walker, Elle’s ex-fiancé’s dad, staring right at us.

“Oh God,” I say. “I thought we’d seen the last of him.”

“Who?” Millie says, looking over her shoulder at Elle. “Ex-boyfriend?”

“Worse,” Elle whispers. “My ex-fiancé’s dad. Can we go to another bar?”

“Too late,” I say, moving a few inches to the left to try to block Trip’s line of sight. “He’s already headed this way.”

“No use trying to hide from me, Noelle,” Trip says as he saunters toward us. “There’s no escape. I mean unless Nash is here to stuff you into the back of his truck and speed you away from the scene again.”

“Funny,” I say, glaring at him as I push Elle farther behind me.

“Or has Nash finally wised up and dumped you before you left him at the altar, too,” Trip says, leaning down and peeking around me until Elle can see him clearly.

He gives her an arrogant, little wave. I want to punch the smug look right off his face.

Elle straightens up and tries to walk over to him. Millie and I pull her back—each with a hand on one of her shoulders.

“The last time we saw each other,” Elle says, leaning against us, “I thought we agreed to ignore each other if we happened to meet again.”

“The last time we met you were with Nash,” Trip says, leering at Millie. “This time you’re with a very beautiful woman.”

“Ooo,” I say, shoving his shoulder. “Settle down, grandpa. We’re all taken.”

“Taken is a matter of perspective,” he says, giving Millie’s body another scan. “Are you taken, too?”

“All of us are,” Millie says. “And what are you? Like sixty? None of us are suffering from daddy issues, asshole. Try your worn-out moves on someone else.”

“Yeah, maybe like at a community center,” Raine says, placing herself between Trip and Millie. “I think they have classes for senior citizens. You might meet someone your age there.”

Trip grabs Raine’s shoulder. “What did you say to me, you little bitch?”

Millie yanks Raine behind her and slugs Trip in the face with such speed that I’m not even sure it really happened until he yelps and falls to his knees.

“Come at her again,” Millie says, standing over him, “and you’ll need to be carried out of here.”

“Holy crap, Millie,” I say, grabbing her arm and pulling her back. “Forget about Butch. I think I might be crushing on you now.”

“It happens,” Raine says, stepping in front of Millie again. “I’ve been in love with her since our first day training together.”

“Brady!” Trip yells as he struggles to get to his feet.

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