Cole caught my gaze and lifted his brows. "Not at all," headded.
Annette glanced between us and threw back her head with a hearty laugh. "You two are a hoot. Just a hoot. I love it. You must be having a whole lot of fun together," she said before aiming a manicured finger in my direction.If you only knew, Annette. If you only knew."Next Thursday. I'll stay open late foryou."
We watched while she retreated to her group, and I shot a glimpse across the table before turning my menu to the draft beer list. "So, that'sAnnette."
"Dude." Cole barked out a laugh. "She's going tostay open late foryou."
The implied meaning was heavy in hiswords.
"She has a few ideas about things." I blew out an irritable sigh. "I don't agree with all ofthem."
"That's not an idea, my friend. That's a heat-seeking missile." He glanced to Annette's group at the bar. Every woman was staring right at Cole—even the married ones—and if they didn't get their ovaries off him, I'd throw the fuck down. "She wants to climb you like atree."
"There will be none of that," I murmured, shaking my head as I reread the beers. As if I didn't have this list committed to memory after a lifetime in thistown.
"Yeah, I figured as much." Cole dropped his arms to the tabletop, laughing. "But she's under the impression you're bending her over a stack of books nextweek."
"For fuck's sake, McClish, don't you think I know?" I snapped. "That's why you're coming withme."
"You're looking to me for protection?" he asked, tapping the mint green polo shirt stretched tight across his lean chest. "I thought I wasn't allowed around knives orshotguns."
"You're not," I replied. "But I need a buffer. I haven't been alone with Annette in tenyears."
He chuckled. "Based on the scene I just witnessed, she hasn't received the message you'resending."
Bringing my fingers to my forehead, I rubbed my brows until some of the frantic energy built up inside my mind dissipated. I couldn't handle all this lust, jealousy, and aggravation in one evening. I wanted to drop my head into Cole's lap and let him drag his fingers through my hair until I forgot my name. I wanted him and that want was infinitely greater than sexual desire. I wanted to fuck him straight through the summer but I also wanted to wrap my arms around him and never letgo.
"I mean, she seems nice," Cole continued, "in a willfully blind sort of way. But then again, maybe she thinks you're playing hard to get. You aren't exactly an open book, myfriend."
"Fuck. You're right." I whistled for the bartender's attention. "JJ," I called to him. "Double whiskey on the rocks." I glanced back at Cole and found an expectant grin on his face. I held up two fingers. "Make that two doublewhiskeys."
"I hate to be obvious," Cole started, "but is she aware that she isn't yourtype?"
"Yes." I spun the salt shaker between my palms. "I don't hide who Iam."
"I wouldn't expect you to," he replied quickly. "But that only confirms my original suspicions about darlingAnnette."
"Which were?" Iprompted.
"The bitch has balls," he said,laughing.
"No, she's…" My voice trailed off. "She's a good person. The trouble with living in the same small town your entire life is that everyone knows your story, and everyone forms opinions of their own. And they're not alone. I know everyone else's stories, too. I have opinions about many of them." I tipped my head toward the bar. "Lincoln, the guy with the Patriots hat? I've seen him at gay bars in Portland. Often enough to know he likes the leather and Levi's scene. He's married with two kids. Then there's Fitzy, the big guy blue t-shirt? His son is going through an opioid addiction treatment program. Third time. His wife doesn't want the son back in the house after treatment on account of him stealing everything out from underneath them and selling it to buy pills. Fitzy comes here most nights to keep from arguing with her about it, and I can't say I blame him. And you've got Brooke-Ashley over there. She went to college somewhere down south, somewhere fancy and prestigious. Graduated the top of her class, found herself a big job in New York City, the whole deal. But she moved back home two years ago, and hasn't said a word about it to anyone. Some people say something terrible happened to her. Others say her father has symptoms of early-onset dementia, and she gave it all up to care for him at home." I spread my hands out in front of me. "She decided to go by Brooke when she moved away, but everyone around here still calls her Brooke-Ashley. That's how it goes in smalltowns."
Cole rested his elbows on the table and it required profound restraint to keep from tracing the muscular lines of his forearms. "Which opinion has Annette formed aboutyou?"
I stared down at the salt shaker because I couldn't manage another glimpse at Annette's crew. I didn't want to get thrown out of The Galley for fighting women. "It's her position that, because I went out with a girl or two in high school, I'm notthoroughlygay. You know, that there's a chance I could go straight for the rightwoman."
JJ set two glasses on the table, making no effort to keep the liquid from sloshing over the sides. "Good luck with this," he said as he walkedaway.
Cole shook his head as he mopped the spilled liquor with a paper napkin. "What's with all the gold star pedants these days? My God. They're worse than the evangelicals with their concern-trolling."
"I don't know, man." With a shrug, I gulped my drink. Every ounce of that liquor was going to backhand me in the morning but I didn't care about that tonight. "But she's not the one forme."
Cole considered his glass and took a quick sip. "Good toknow."
"Yeah? Why?" I asked as jealousy boiled up again. "Is she yourtype?"
He tipped his head to the side, a half-smile tugging at his lips. "No. I'm not into the perky-bubbly-pushy cheerleader types," hesaid.
