He bit his lip and folded his arms across his skintight V-neck. “Ohhh.”
“Are you going to introduce us then?” Hunter asked. He hooked his hands behind his head and smirked up at Mitch.
“Sure, this is Mitch. He lost his contacts while inebriated, so I walked him home.”
Quinn made a sound like he was swallowing a snort. Mitch unfolded his arms and shook Quinn’s hand, then Shannon’s. His shy smile wavered as he took Hunter’s hand, and when Hunter let him go, Mitch casually wiped his palms on his jeans.
“Are you kidding?” Shannon asked, narrowing her eyes at Mitch. “You think a spinal fracture is contagious?”
Mitch glanced at his hands, frowning. “It wasn’t—”
Shannon shook her head. “It’s just rude, is what it is.”
“Yeah, okay.” Mitch backed up a few steps and glanced at me. “Uh, bye.” He hurried away.
Hunter’s eyes closed, his hands balled tightly, and his nostrils flared. Shannon reached out and patted his hand, but he whipped it away from her, jerking his chair back.
“What the hell was that, Shan?” he cursed under his breath. “You always think you need to come to my rescue. I don’t need you to. I don’twantyou to. Why is it you can’t see that I’m just fine on my own?”
“But—”
Hunter was already rolling around the table and toward the front door. “Mitch, man, wait up a sec.”
“Quinn,” Shannon said, blinking rapidly as if to hold back tears.
Quinn sidled over and wrapped an arm around her. “You meant well, darlin’. I know.”
I should move. Do something. Anything. I was just making things more awkward by watching, even if it was my instinct to observe.
My wet pants still clung to my legs, so I skirted toward the restroom. I passed Hunter at the door just as he caught Mitch’s attention.
“Look man, I spilled my coffee before. I know I have sticky hands—I’m assuming that was the reason for wiping them.”
“God, yes, it was.” Mitch rubbed the bridge of his nose with the back of his hand. “I’m sorry it came across differently... ”
“No worries.”
I made my way to the bathroom and dried my pants as well as I could under the air dryer. After a couple of minutes and a rather quizzical look from an elderly man, I gave up. The pants would have to go into the wash as soon as I got home anyway, and home was only a quarter-hour walk. I’d say my goodbyes and leave. Maybe this was a sign that I should be home working.
I left the restroom and paused this time as I passed Hunter and Mitch. Mitch’s gaze slowly travelled down Hunter’s tattooed arms. He gave him a cute, crooked smile. “Well, have a good day!”
Hunter flexed his arm muscles as if he were aware of their appeal. “Yeah, you too.” He rolled back in a swift move, and I jumped to avoid colliding. “Liam. Nice friend of yours. Sorry about the drama.”
“I was tempted to pull out my notebook and start recording it all.”
He laughed.
I actually wasn’t joking.
We approached our table. Quinn’s voice rumbled through the air, his words hitting me with a slam.
“There’s just something... off about that Liam guy. He’s too stiff and awkward. For all his brains, he doesn’t have an ounce of smarts around people. I mean, you saw him just now. He couldn’t even stick up for that guy. It’s no wonder he seems not to have any friends—” Quinn jerked in his seat. “Ouch, what’d you kick me for, Shannon? That’s going to leave a bruise.”
I stopped at the table, but didn’t bother to sit. Why stay where I wasn’t wanted? And besides, I had more important things to worry about. Like getting out of these pants and writing my column.
“Ah, crap.” Quinn saw his mistake. I stopped him before he gave me an insincere apology. If he was sorry at all, he was just sorry he got caught.
“No, it’s okay, Quinn,” I said. “For all your social ease, you don’t have the brains to know when to shut up. I get it.”
