“Who got a happy ending?” asks Max with a smirk. It’s a crude joke, one I’m not sure Isabelle caught because her expression never changed. But Rose sure did. She bursts out laughing.
“Andi’s new calf,” Isabelle answers without giving his words another thought. “She was born with only one eye.”
Ignoring the talk about the calf, Max scoots his chair closer to Isabelle’s side of the table, so close that I’d say she’s boxed in between the two of us. “So, Isabelle, what are you doing tomorrow night?”
No. He. Didn’t.He didn’t just fucking ask my… Isabelle on a date. In front of me? He knows she’s my best friend’s baby sister. He knows she’s a close family friend, and he does that shit?
“Um… I don’t—”
I quickly say, “Her brother is coming into town.”
With a bright smile, she looks over at me. “He is?” She blinks. “Mom didn’t say anything.”
That’s because I just made it up. “That’s what he said.” I shrug. “Maybe it’s a surprise.” I’m digging myself into a bigger hole. Maybe I can call him later and talk him into a little visit.
“I haven’t seen him for months. Is Kelly coming too?” She turns to Rose. “You’ll love Kelly. She’s hilarious and so sweet.” I watch as she covers her mouth. “If it’s a surprise, does that mean…?”
“What? Does it mean what?”
“Is Kelly pregnant?” she squeaks and bounces up and down on the seat.
My eyes go where they shouldn’t—her tits. When I look up, my eyes meet Rose’s. Her brow is arched just as a smile slides over her lips.Fuck.
Remembering what started this whole thing, I shake my head. “No, I don’t think that’s it.”
“Oh. My. Gosh.” Isabelle bounces more. It’s making me dizzy. She needs to stop, so I do what I can by placing my palm on her thigh. It does the trick. She stops bouncing. Hell, she stops moving altogether. Now she’s staring down at my hand that’s wrapped around her upper thigh close to her center. I’d love to slide it up an inch more to see how she reacts when she’s excited in other ways. But we’re in the town bar, so no can do.
“I don’t think she’s pregnant. I think he just misses you all.”
“Aw,” Isabelle coos. “That’s so sweet. I should call him.” She reaches back to retrieve her phone from her back pocket.
I need to put a stop to this. “Isabelle, it’s pretty noisy in here.”
“Oh, shoot.” She starts to move out of the booth, but Max is blocking her exit. “Excuse me,” she says with a smile. “I’m going to run outside and call my brother. Back in a sec.”
The minute she’s gone, I grab my phone out of my back pocket and text my best friend.
Me:Tell Isabelle you’re coming home tomorrow. I’ll tell you why later.
I stare down, waiting for a response as Max excuses himself to use the john. It leaves me alone with Rose.
“So,” she says, leaning closer, “what are your intentions with my little friend?” She nods toward the seat vacated by Isabelle.
“Excuse me?”
She rolls her eyes. “You heard me.”
I don’t know this woman from Eve. I’m not about to tell her my thoughts on Isabelle Harmon. “I have no intentions.”
“You do. You just made that shit up about her brother to cockblock your friend.”
I did. I definitely did.
I shrug. “I’m just watching out for my best friend’s little sister.”
“Bullshit,” she coughs. “You just pissed all over her, and from his expression, Max got the memo.”
I hope she’s right about that last bit. Max is a player, 100 percent player. He’s not looking for anything long-term. His divorce last year was hell on earth. There’s no way he’d do that anytime soon.
