He isn’t paying for her, nor is he getting his check. Unless she’s paying for both of theirs, which, call me old-fashioned, should not be allowed. Paying her bill, she slides the signed receipt across the bar, then hops off her barstool. She pauses behind it to tell her companion something, and he leans forward to wrap an arm around her shoulder. She hugs him back and says something else close to his ear before stepping out of his embrace. The man gives her a wide smile as she turns to leave, checking her phone once again as she weaves through the maze of tables.
She has a few more feet to go before she’s back in the lobby. As if my intense gaze is a magnet pulling her eyes to mine, she glances in my direction. I can tell by the way she hesitates that, even in the dim light of the bar, she can make out that it’s me.
I nod in greeting, and with just a tight smile sent my way, she hurries out of the door. Nothing like what she gave the douche at the bar.
7
Olive
“Thank you so much.” I reach out and retrieve the coffee cup from the barista as she smiles and slides it across the counter. As I take a sip, I turn away, releasing a content sigh. I always opt for the super sweet, sugary lattes, and this one is delicious. Plucking my phone out of my purse, I check for a text from Cade. We’re supposed to meet up to explore the city.
Nothing yet. He isn’t a morning person, so it isn’t unusual for me to be waiting on him to get up and ready for the day.
I push the door open and step outside. The sun warms my skin, and a small smile pulls at my lips. The feeling that today is going to be a great day settles into my bones. I was so worried last night while I was at dinner when I didn’t hear from Benny. I kept checking my phone, willing a text to come through. By the time I was leaving the restaurant, Iwas ready to start making calls to hunt him down. The relief I felt when he finally texted me back when I got to my room still makes my breath catch, and now I feel like I can relax.
I take another sip as I unlock my phone, deciding to text Cade instead of waiting, when something down the sidewalk catches my eye.
Nate, shirtless and sweaty, is jogging toward me. Nate in clothes is one thing, but sweaty and half-naked is mouth-watering, and I think my knees might buckle at the sight.
The grip on my cup tightens when he stops in front of me, his heaving chest from his deep breathing drawing my attention lower. His broad, sculpted chest, covered with a slight blanket of dark hair, is beckoning me—I almost reach out and run my hand down it, but stop myself at the last moment.
“Hi.” His deep voice yanks my eyes up to see him push his sunglasses into his hair and watch me with a cocky smirk. It’s then I realize my jaw is basically hanging open.
“Hey,” I reply, much more breathlessly than intended—as if I’d been the one on the run.
“You’re up early.”
I give myself an internal shake to not embarrass myself more than my ogling already did. “I like mornings,” I say lamely.
He crosses his well-defined arms across his chest and glances away from me. His stare fixes on something down the sidewalk, tone gruff when he says, “Yeah, it didn’t seem like you had a late night with your date.”
I rear back in surprise and confusion as his eyes find mine again. “What are you talking about?”
Licking his lips, he takes a half step away from me. “I saw you last night. You don’t have to lie to me. I saw you with that man.”
A laugh pops from my chest as I roll my eyes. “You mean Thomas? The man whose boyfriend is here for a work conference?”
I would find the myriad of emotions that cross his face humorous if I wasn’t so annoyed at his assumptions.
“His boyfriend,” he repeats softly as his jaw muscle twitches and brow furrows.
“Yeah.” I can’t keep the frustration out of my confirmation.
His face scrunches as he looks down at his feet, his hands finding his hips. “I’m a fucking idiot.”
The memory of him from last night slips into the forefront of my mind. I frown as I replay it. I saw Nate and Ian in the bar. And the look on Nate’s face when I was leaving…it was not a friendly one. I was excited to see him and almost went over to say hi, but his expression stopped me in my tracks. Eyes narrowing on him, I hold up a hand. “Wait, is that why you were mean mugging me as I was leaving? You thought I was on a date?”
He scoffs. “I wasn’t mean mugging you.”
“You totally were.” I tilt my head to the side in bewilderment. “But why were you mean mugging me?”
Nate presses his lips together as he once again looks away from me. After a moment, he flicks his sunglasses back down over his eyes and gives me another smirk. One that confirms I’ve called him out.Was he jealous?
“Have a nice rest of your morning, Olive. Hope I see you soon.” Then he pivots and takes off down the sidewalk, and I have to admit, the view from the back is just as good as the view from the front, and I feel a little light-headed.
My gaze follows him as the thought of seeing him later sends electricity zipping through my nerves, settling in my core.
Jolting me from the effects of that interaction, my phone vibrates in my hand. I shake my head to clear it as I open the text.
