Page 17 of So Wrong It's Right

What? I have to look up because I don’t believe Christopher owns jeans. And...he looks up at the same time.Okay, Stella. Smile and wave.He lifts his beer to me in greeting and smiles back.

Be cool.

Perry laughs. “Just go over there and say something and rub on him a little.” She catches my horrified expression. “I’m not saying to lick him in public. Just lean in.”

I nod. She’s right. Okay. I can lean.

The walk to the counter feels incredibly long. I belly up to the bar next to Christopher and say hey to Nash.

“You need another?” Nash already knows the answer and gets me another and then I turn my attention to my denim-wearing boyfriend. “Hey, doc. What’s a nice guy like you doing in a place like this?”

“Are you implying my bar isn’t nice?” Nash asks with a grin.

“Nash.” I flutter my eyelashes at him the way all the girls who come in here do. Why can I flirt with Nash but not Christopher? “You know I love this dive. Have you met Dr. Lockwood?” I put my arm around him. Wow. His shoulders are kind of amazing. “He’s filling in for Dr. Anderson at the animal clinic.” I waggle my eyebrows, so Nash thinks I’m just being coy about dating him. And hopefully Christopher thinks I’m just being friendly. Probably overly friendly. Probably uncomfortably friendly.

Nash flips the bar towel onto his shoulder and holds out his hand to Christopher. “I’ve heard lots about you, man. Welcome to town. I hope you’re taking good care of our girl, Stella, here. She’s a Brazen Bay treasure.”

Well, that’s not weird.

Christopher shakes his hand. “I...well...”

“What he’s trying to say is that Stella can take care of herself. Thanks, Nash. I saw Tru at the shower today. She upstairs?”

“Yeah, she’s got homework. I’ll probably close early tonight.”

“You start closing this bar any earlier, you’ll be home in time forJeopardyevery night. Why don’t you just make this a lunch joint?”

“Because then who would serve you beer in your bunny slippers?”

Christopher tells Nash to put my beer on his tab, and I sigh with relief. Okay. Going well. That was kind of a boyfriend thing to do. Unless, you were Devon who never paid for his own beer, much less mine. But this is working.

Nash goes to deal with someone else, and Christopher pushes his glasses up the bridge of his nose. “Where are your stars?”

“What?”

“You always have stars hanging off you or on your clothes.”

“I didn’t realize you paid such close attention to what I wear.”

“It’s just noticeable. The stars. Are they your signature or something?”

“Well, I do like stars. My father used to call me his “Constellation” because...you know Stella is in the middle of the word.” I shrug. “What brings you out tonight?”

He definitely doesn’t look comfortable. “I figured I should try to get out some. Since I’ll be here awhile. I’m not very good at making friends, though.” He smiles at me. An awkward, shy smile that makes something in my chest kick.

“You’ll do fine,” I say. “If you can manage a sports conversation even a little bit, Nash will take to you pretty quickly. And Nash is the man you want on your side in town. Everyone loves him.” I expend a lot of effort executing what I hope looks like an effortless shrug. “I should get back to my friends. It’s our big night out. Thanks for the beer.” I touch him again. A friendly arm thing. Just to make it look good. Not because I am fascinated by the way his V-neck tee hugs his biceps.

“Point me to the restroom?” he asks.

I send him to the back, and I’m about to return to my table when my least favorite person in the world stops me.

“Well, hello there, sexy.”

My lip curls on its own. Like I smelled something putrid. “Devon.”

Luckily, he doesn’t see the lip thing because, as usual, his eyes are planted on my breasts. “How you been, sugar?”

“My tits aren’t going to answer you, Devon.”

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