“One drink. Should I follow your car?”
“No need to. I live here.”
“Here? As in this complex?”
“On the other side of the courtyard. If you don’t mind going to a dive bar, there’s one a few blocks away. It’s about a five-minute walk. The place gets busy on the weekends, but it should be quiet on a Sunday now that the game’s over.”
She hesitated for a moment, then smiled again. “Lead the way.”
As they walked together, he took a deep breath. After a long workday and the cloying smells of Araceli’s apartment, the cool night air came as a welcome relief. He almost reached over and took Victoria’s hand, like he’d done so often when they’d walked on the beach in Baja, but he stopped himself in time.
You’re sharing a drink as friends. Got it? Under no circumstances are you to hit on her.
When they got to JJ’s Tap, his shoulders tightened. What if his cousins had decided to stop in? This bar was their usual go-to. He didn’t want to deal with long explanations or make Victoria feel awkward. Thankfully, he didn’t see anyone he knew.
The place was dark and dingy, with a wood-paneled bar, the usual beer signs, a couple of TVs, and a few pool tables. No DJ or dance floor. No hipster craft brews or small plates. Just a place to hang out, shoot pool, and grab a beer.
Other than a group of guys playing pool, the bar was nearly empty. Rafael got their drinks—a beer and an amaretto sour—and led Victoria to a small table in the corner. But when they sat down, he fumbled over what to say, now that they were alone. Talking with her had always been easy, but they’d never had so many boundaries before.
Fortunately, the wedding was an easy topic. “Any new demands from Missy?”
She gave a short laugh. “How did you guess? She called me this morning. Never mind that I was wiped out from running my ass off on Saturday night. Now she wants a signature cocktail for the event. Something Christmas-y, but not too tacky. Sophisticated yet festive. But also easily adaptable into a mocktail, since she can’t drink.”
Though she didn’t sound thrilled about the prospect, he saw it as another way he could help her out. “I could come up with a drink if you want. Like a variation on a mistletoe martini or a cranberry orange cocktail.”
Her face lit up. “That would be great. Maybe I could come by the restaurant some night after work, and we could experiment. I’d put the booze on Missy’s tab.”
“Sure. Let me talk to my brothers and figure it out.” He never would have admitted it, but he was secretly glad Missy was such a demanding bride. If she’d just wanted a simple wedding or if she’d hired an actual wedding coordinator, he wouldn’t have been able to spend as much time with Victoria.
“Thanks.” She placed her hand on his, making his senses tingle. “You’ve been great about this. I know it’s a huge time suck.”
“It’s kind of fun. A challenge.” He raised his beer bottle. “Here’s to a kick-ass wedding.”
She held up her glass in a salute. “Only two weeks left. Then we’ll be free.”
Two weeks.
He suddenly wished he could slow down time. Once the wedding was over, he wouldn’t have an excuse to hang out with Victoria. Even if she was having fun with him now, their connection would end as soon as the job did.
Chapter 17
When the bartender announced last call, Victoria checked her phone. Ten to midnight. She’d been at the bar with Rafael for almost two hours. The first few minutes had been awkward, but once they started discussing Missy’s wedding, they fell into an easy conversation. Though Rafael’s hand occasionally brushed hers, he kept things platonic. No diving back into old memories. No suggestive comments. They talked as friends as they bonded over the wedding from hell.
But when she stood, the ground swayed. She grabbed her chair.
“Are you okay?” Rafael asked.
“I don’t get it. I only had two amaretto sours, and I had plenty to eat at Araceli’s.” Though she was a lightweight when it came to booze, this was extreme, even for her.
“You didn’t drink any of her Christmas punch, did you?”
“Two cups? Maybe three? But it was mostly fruit.”
He laughed. “Mostly rum, you mean. That punch is intoxicating as hell.”
She stumbled slightly, then grabbed onto his arm. “Sorry.”
“No problem.” He helped her navigate around the table, waving goodbye to the bartender as they left.
