Lila laughed. “My brothers used to eat everything not nailed down. So I’d hide my snacks in my room. Then we got mice.” She shuddered. “But that was also an excuse to get a cat.” She turned to Hector, a sly look on her face. “Do you like cats, Hector?”
Hector paused and glanced at Evan and Will, all of them apparently thinking the same thing.
“Do you?” Evan asked. “I do. Ilovecats.”
Will nodded, smirking. “Oh yeah. Me too. Love ’em.”
“I like dogs better,” Daniel said, the innuendo going right over his head.
Kenzie’s cheeks were pink, but he saw the laughter in her eyes.
Hector’s embarrassment was awesome to behold. “I do like cats. And dogs. I like all animals, really.”
“Way to be smooth, man,” Evan murmured.
“Dick.”
Evan poured himself another beer and sat back, enjoying himself immensely. When was the last time he’d had so much fun? Being with Kenzie and her friends felt good. Natural. He wasn’t forcing anything. He liked her friends and enjoyed the competition. He hadn’t been bowling since his Marine Corps days, but damn if he wouldn’t do this again. With any luck, he’d get Kenzie to join him.
He stood up on his turn, ignored the mockery behind him, and almost missed a step when Kenzie, in a loud voice, said how nice he looked from behind. He stopped mid-stride, turned, and took in the ladies’ jeers and Daniel’s disgust. Which had him laughing.
Then he turned back, tuned everything out, and bowled a strike.
“Man. That was nice.” Daniel nodded.
He slapped the guys’ hands and winked at Kenzie. “For you, lovely lady.”
“Oh, kiss off.” She stomped to her lane and bowled a spare.
A voice called out, “Evan?”
He turned to the see his old boss staring at him in surprise from a few lanes away. “Hey, Vanessa.” The cool blond wore jeans and a T-shirt that said “Go Vegan” and looked like a runway model. She had the mind of a computer and the tenacity of a bull shark. He liked her, especially now that he wasn’t working for her. “Hey guys, be right back,” he said to his friends.
Vanessa met him in the middle and held out a hand. A no-nonsense boss, she’d been the professional anchor he’d enjoyed when putting his advanced accounting skills to good use. But when the hours grew too demanding, he’d known it had been the right time to leave.
She shocked him by pulling him closer, her grip tight, the other hand on his shoulder, standing much closer than he’d ever been to her. After a split second, she let go of him and stepped back. “Sorry. I’m supposed to work on my personal development skills with coworkers. Thought I’d try it with you since we’re more than passing acquaintances. I don’t think it worked.”
He stepped back with a laugh. Same old Vanessa, dissecting everything, even a simple greeting. He wasn’t surprised to see her husband frowning at her. Evan waved. “Hey, Cam.”
Cameron nodded, his arms full with their toddler. Behind him sat his rowdy brothers, part of Vanessa’s loud, extended family. “Cam, you going to let him get away with that?” one of them yelled.
“Ignore the cretins,” Vanessa said, both dismissive and cold. Her family laughed, apparently used to being dissed.
“So how’s business?” he asked, itching to get back to Kenzie.
“I’m glad you asked.” Vanessa started in on a few clients she wanted him to consult for, and he tried to figure out when he could fit them in and why the Danvers were having problems working with Harry, who’d been newly promoted at the firm, when Daniel tapped him on the shoulder.
“Dude, it’s been like fifteen minutes. You’re up.” He looked at Vanessa, nearly straight in the eye she was so tall. “Who’s the babe?”
Vanessa narrowed her gaze on him, but before she could say anything, her little girl tugged at her leg.
“Mama, up.”
“She got big,” Evan said, though he’d seen her daughter a few months ago. He had a special affection for the small girl, named Jane like his own mother.
Vanessa picked her up and smiled, and the look softened her. “Yes. My little genius is now running and getting into everything, aren’t you, Jane?”
Her daughter looked just like her, a blossoming beauty. But though Evan had always considered Vanessa pretty, she did nothing for him. Not like Kenzie could without trying.
