It wasn’t jealousy. That’s what I kept telling myself because I wasnota jealous man. I just didn’t want anyone stepping on my toes.
“Hi.”
I glanced over in the direction of the voice to see a gorgeous red-headed woman taking the stool beside me.
Or perhaps it was all a sign that I should go back to looking for flings and casual dates instead of relying on Morgan for a release.
I smiled. “Hi, yourself…”
As I struck up a casual conversation with the woman, I couldn’t shake the feeling that a certain someone was watching me, but I wasn’t going to look to confirm or deny it.
Later, Morgan and I sent the people we were talking to on their way—alone—when everyone finally decided to call it a night. We stepped out of the bar first, both a little tipsy, waiting for the others to hurry their asses up. We were both getting a ride from Gabe since we were a little too impaired to drive ourselves.
As we stood on the sidewalk, our arms crossed with ample space between us, my eyes shifted in her direction. “You seemed to enjoy yourself tonight…”
Morgan looked at me. “Idid. What’s it to you?”
“It’snothingto me,” I bit back.
“I see you decided not to take yournew friendhome.”
I looked away from her as a smirk tugged on my lips at the slight hint of sarcasm in her tone. I guess she was watching me after all. “Was someone jealous?”
“Please,” she scoffed. “Why the hell wouldIbe jealous?”
“Good question. Maybe because you wanted me to take you home tonight?”
“Don’t flatter yourself,” she spat.
Gabe, Lucas, and Callie stepped out of the bar a moment later and started down the sidewalk, heading in the direction of the law office parking lot where our cars were parked. As the two of us trailed behind them, I couldn’t help but notice Lucas and Callie as they walked hand-in-hand up ahead.
They werenauseatinglyaffectionate with one another.
Lucas had changed so much since Callie came back into his life, but not in a bad way. He was so damn happy all of the time. It was like her coming back to Bayport filled a void.
He was so at peace.
So content.
So…in love.
And for the first time in my life, the curiosity of what that would be like—to have someone meanthatmuch to me—suddenly crossed my mind.
I blamed the alcohol.
I shook my head and glanced back at Morgan, noticing her watching them as well before they disappeared around the corner of the block ahead of us. “I almost want to hate them for how good they are together,” she mused.
I couldn’t help but throw out another jab, if only to make myself feel better for the disgusting foreign thoughts I was suddenly having. “Really shines a spotlight on all of your personal shortcomings, doesn’t it?”
Morgan looked up at me with the usual glare she gave me when I annoyed her. “What the hell is that supposed to mean?”
I huffed out a laugh and began ticking off a list on my fingers. “You expect too much. You’re high maintenance?—”
“See, that’s one of the biggest problems with men these days,” she interrupted. “They confuse a womanhaving standardswith being high maintenance.”
I piggybacked off her statement. “Well, maybe that’s a sign that your standards arewaytoo fucking high.”
“Obviously notthathigh,” she interrupted again as she gestured to me.
