Turning back to the bar, he placed his hand on the back of Freya’s barstool. “Hey. You okay?”
“Yeah.” She gave him a sheepish grin. “Thank you for the rescue.”
He lifted his chin toward the bartender. “Thank your friend.” Freya’s dark eyebrow arched, and he smiled. “Your friend?—”
“Maya,” the bartender said, holding out her hand.
He shook it and then brought his attention back to Freya. “Maya informed me I had a girlfriend, and that she needed me.”
A pretty pink stained her cheeks. “Well, I appreciate your acting skills. That guy...” She shook her head.
His gaze shot to her wrist, looking for any sign of bruising. “Are you okay? Are you hurt?”
Carmichael snickered, and he shot a glare at his friend over Freya’s head before turning his attention back to her. “Did that guy hurt your wrist?”
“Oh no, I’m fine.” The flush over her cheeks deepened. “Just a little embarrassed, I guess.”
“Nothing to be embarrassed about. That guy’s a tool.”
Maya scoffed. “Understatement. What can I get you to drink?”
He glanced at the row of taps behind Maya and then at the glass in front of Carmichael. His friend had a clear, bubbly drink with a couple of lime wedges. Twenty bucks said it was soda water. Off the clock or not, they were still at the resort representing Hudson Security. “I’ll have what he’s having.”
Moments later, Maya set his drink in front of him, and he took a sip. Yup. Soda water. “Thank you,” he said before turning to Freya and holding out his hand. “I’m Xander Bonetti, by the way.”
She grinned and took his hand. “Freya Hansen. It’s nice to meet you, boyfriend.”
“Pleasure’s all mine. Who knew I could snag such a pretty girlfriend?”
“Ah, a charmer, I see,” she said, a shy smile lifting her lips. “Can I buy you dinner?”
“Thanks, but that’s not necessary.” He gestured to Carmichael. “Our dinner is covered tonight. But maybe I can take you up on that offer some other time?”
As soon as the words left his mouth, he stilled.Holy shit, what the fuck just came out of my mouth?
He glanced at Carmichael, who was staring at him with wide eyes, looking like he was barely holding back his laughter.
Before Freya could respond, Maya called out, “Dinner is served, peeps.” She strolled toward them, her arms loaded with dinner plates. She placed a giant salad in front of Hazel, steak and mashed potatoes in front of Freya, and plates with burgers and fries in front of him and Carmichael. The food looked amazing, but he gave Maya a questioning look since he hadn’t had the chance to order.
“Your friend ordered for the both of you when he arrived.”
He caught Carmichael’s gaze and lifted his chin. “Thanks, man.”
“So you guys are with Hudson Security, right?” Hazel asked from Carmichael’s other side.
“Yup,” Carmichael replied. “We’re helping Mr. Ortiz with some security consulting.”
“Oh, that’s great!” Hazel said, bringing a forkful of salad to her lips. “Freya and I were working at the salon this afternoon when that guy came in and shot up the place.”
Xander stilled, annoyed at the woman’s chipper and cavalier tone. He glanced at Freya and frowned when he saw her shiver. It wasn’t cold in the bar.
“You were there?” he asked, keeping his voice low. He’d seen the aftermath. For the life of him, he couldn’t picture—no, didn’twantto picture—the woman beside him amid that chaos.
She nodded, her eyes locked on the food in front of her. She reached for her water with a trembling hand. A hand that he suddenly realized was wrapped in a flesh-colored bandage. “My client was the guy’s wife. Hazel was right next to us working with my client’s sister. It was... crazy.”
Freya’s voice shook on her last word. The impulse to reach out to soothe her, to touch her, to offer some sort of comfort was immense, but he reined it in. That wasnothis place. At all. Momentary fake boyfriend or not, they didn’t know each other. “I’m so sorry you experienced that. Are you okay? How are you holding up?”
When she turned to him, her smile was bright. Too bright. “I’m thankful no one was seriously injured.”
