“It’s not me, it’s the women. If they get one hint that Wren might mean something, they’ll insta-friend her. Then, if and when you break up, you’ll have a pack of furious women after you.”
“Wow, okay, so after you’ve picked out the bridesmaids’ dresses and booked the honeymoon, you’ll get both our divorce lawyers lined up, right?”
Waylon put his hand over his heart and gave Elias a solemn look. “Anything for you, brother.”
Elias punched him in the arm. “Fuck you.”
Waylon laughed and punched him back. But he was wrong about Wren. Yeah, she was hot, but Elias wasn’t interested in a relationship. He was having too much fun playing the field, just like Waylon. Seeing what his friends Bear and Gabe had gone through when they met and fell in love with Ellie and Rochelle didn’t look like fun—it looked terrifying. Sure, now that they’d settled down, both couples seemed happy.
Okay, more like blissed out.
But, that life wasn’t for Elias. He wasn’t interested in going through the pain it took to get to a happily ever after.
As they rode, Elias tried to get his head back into the game. But images of Wren teased him—quick flashes of her creamy shoulders. Her chestnut-brown hair. The small of her back flaring out into a heart-shaped ass under the white sheet. Her long, strong legs below his scrubs top. And her eyes—sparkling and hazel and full of mischief. The way she’d joked until she finally made him break protocol and laugh. No woman—smokin’ or not—ever got far enough under his skin to make him lose focus when he worked. Especially a woman he’d just met. A woman whose number he’d memorized at a glance from her paperwork.
Tempted to text her first, Elias put his phone away.
It was a struggle,but Elias managed to stay focused for the rest of the day, in spite of Waylon’s occasional teasing.
Right up until the ambo pulled into Riversong’s parking lot for their coffee break.
Elias deeply regretted telling his brother that he’d mentioned Riversong to Wren when Waylon smirked and raised his eyebrows.
“Think she’ll still be wearing your scrubs top while she’s ordering her coffee?”
“She won’t be here.” But his heart sped up foolishly when his feet hit the gravel. No way would Wren be there just a couple hours after meeting him.
But what if she is?
Jesus, play it cool.
Elias tried to remember when a woman had affected him so quickly and so hard and couldn’t.
He also couldn’t help looking around the shop when he walked in, but the prettiest women he saw were April standing in front of the espresso machine behind the counter, and Rochelle in her usual window seat, typing away on her computer.
No long-legged, hazel-eyed beauty holding his scrubs top in sight. Elias tried to ignore his irrational disappointment.
“Hey, guys,” April said, turning around with two to-go cups in her hands. “Saw you pull in. Give me another minute to get your other drinks.”
Tim practically pushed past Elias, Waylon, and their third teammate, Andy to get to the counter first.
“I hope mine’s ready already, gorgeous.”
April barely shook her head at his flirting, which was unlike her. She’d always had fun bantering with the guys who flirted with her, but ever since the drive-by shooting at Riversong last winter, she acted subdued. With one exception—Shane Foti. With Shane, she’d gone from pretending to be exasperated even as she smiled and blushed, to outright avoiding talking to him. Shane still came in often, still tried to engage with April, but the wall she’d put up was higher and rockier than the red sandstone cliff overlooking the St. Vrain river outside.
Shane was another of Elias and Waylon’s friends from childhood, and it was hard for Elias to watch how April’s cold shoulder affected him. Despite being as close as brothers, Elias only knew a little of Shane and April’s history growing up.
“Here you go,” April said as she set the last two drinks on the counter. “Whose turn is it to pay?”
“Mine.” Elias stepped past Tim and paid while the other guys grabbed their to-go cups. He took out some cash and stuffed it into the old-fashioned tip jar on the counter, which got him a genuine smile from April.
“Thanks, Elias.”
“You’re welcome. How are you?”
“Good,” she chirped. “Business is picking up again, finally.” April’s smile remained but her eyes turned a little sadder.
Elias felt a tap on his shoulder and he jumped as his heart sped up.
