Zach and I, on the other hand, did not look good together, and he’d lose a finger if he dared to touch any part of me. He was loud and boisterous, with thinning brown hair and tiny, squinty eyes. He had enough common sense to wear a collared shirt but not enough to tuck it in. I also watched him down two shots at the bar before returning with a glass of white wine for me and a beer for himself. He stumbled over air and sloshed beer onto his shoes before I could take the glass from his hand.
Perhaps I should have taken his beer as well since he already looked to be half in the bag. My eyes finally left Miller and his date—just as he saw me staring. I felt my cheeks flame and pressed my palm against one, watching him grin. Attempting to return the gesture was useless, but I still plastered a tight smile on my face and waved at him with two fingers.
“I wonder if that bartender is single. Think she’s into threesomes? Are you?”
My attention snapped to Zach, shaking beer droplets off his shoes, and oblivious to the fact that I was trying to melt his forehead with the heat of my stare. The droplets landed on my heels, and I stumbled backward, not missing the way Zach rolled his eyes at my discomfort.
“Don’t worry about the shoes, pretty. They’ll look much better thrown over my shoulders.”
I forced the smile to stay on my face as I followed one droplet as it slid down my bare ankle. “Zach, if you honestly think I’d consider that, you have another thing coming. I suggest you make a quick exit before I dropkick you right in the balls. This was obviously a mistake I won’t be repeating.”
I made a shooing motion with my hand as his jaw dropped and a predatory grin spread across his features. “Aww. Don’t be uncomfortable. Better to find out now what I like, right?”
My mouth opened, words forming in my throat at the audacity of this doofus when the only thing that could make this night worse happened.
“Well, hey there. I’m Celeste. Miller has just told me all about you,” she cooed, looping her arm in his as her gaze darted between Zach and me. My heart dropped, and I willed my expression to stay neutral.
“Nice to meet you, Celeste,” I answered, holding my hand out. She shook it before laying her head on Miller’s shoulder and stroking his chest. I tracked the movement as the uncomfortable sensation reached a fever pitch, and I had the sudden urge to find the nearest exit and escape. “I’m Em—”
“You’re Emma. I know. Miller has been going on and on about what good friends you are. Honestly, if he hadn’t used the word friend thirty-eight times, I’d be a little jealous. But I see you have your own arm candy this evening.” She giggled, pointing toward Zach, who was busy staring at the ass of a passing server.
Seriously, what in the world was wrong with me that I couldn’t attract anormalguy?
I elbowed him in the shoulder, and he jumped, wiping his hand on his jeans before sticking it out toward Miller. “Hey, man. The name’s Zach.”
Zach burped, barely covering his mouth with the hand not outstretched to Miller. The grin Miller wore morphed into a scowl as he stared at Zach’s hand before sticking both of his in his front pockets, the slight clear. Zach shrugged and turned to Celeste, raising his eyebrows as a cringy smile enveloped his features.
“Can’t your guy keep your drink filled? Need another, doll?”
She glanced at her near-full glass, then to Miller, confusion evident as a crease appeared between her brows.
“If she needs a drink, I’ll be sure to get her a refill. Speaking of that, Zach,” Miller said, looking at his now empty beer glass and the splotches of liquid on the tile floor. “Your glass is empty.”
“That it is, dude. Let me rectify that situation.” He saluted Miller with his empty glass like he’d done him some big favor by pointing out the obvious. As he turned, Miller fisted his collared shirt, stopping him. “You don’t exactly seem like Emma’s type, so forgive me for asking, but I need to make sure you’re not going to mistreat her.”
Miller cracked his neck as Zach tugged his arm away and rolled his eyes, scoffing. “Don’t be a douche, guy,” he said before sauntering to the bar and shaking his empty glass at the bartender.
I ignored the scene, and I felt the little swooping sensation in my stomach when Miller’s possessive streak came out to play. If Celeste was on the receiving end of that, she’d grab him with both hands and never let him go. Sighing, I turned back to thehappy coupleand focused my attention on her, but Miller had another idea, meeting my eyes with a scowl that could melt steel.
“Emma. Can I talk to you? Over there, please?” He motioned to the far corner of the room, and I nodded, turning away as he graspedhis date’sarm and leaned close to whisper something in her ear. Walking in the opposite direction didn’t prevent me from hearing her tittering laugh, the noise sounding like nails on a chalkboard mixed with the high-pitched yip of a chihuahua.
I counted my steps across the beautifully decorated space, taking in the tiny succulent centerpieces on each table and the green-draped chairs. Whoever the boys hired to help with this party did a fantastic job showcasing Bev’s love of plants without making the restaurant look like a giant forest on steroids. I clenched my fists, letting my nails dig half-moon crescents into my hand before I turned around.
Miller stalked toward me, jaw clenched and features blank. As soon as he got close enough and we were out of hearing range of the other party-goers, he leaned down, grasping my arm and hissing, “What in the absolute fuck, Em?”
His voice cracked with anger as I swallowed, knowing Zach was a mistake before I sent him the initial invitation to this party. A part of me wanted to say Miller had no right to get all uppity, but I knew he was in the right.
“I know he’s not the most well-spoken—”
“Not the most well-spoken? Really? Oh, bullshit. You didn’t have a date at all, did you?” He seethed, letting go of my arm before running a hand through his hair and then glancing behind him.
Celeste had followed Zach to the bar, and they were talkingvery close. I bit my lip, not bothering to point out how awful the entire situation was.
What had I done, bringing that idiot to Bev’s party? He served only to embarrassme,and I mentally berated myself as my mind flashed through a hundred scenarios where he completely ruined Bev’s night.
“Why did you lie to me? How could you have invited that, that cretin to my mother’s birthday party?”
I wrapped my arms around myself, eyes shining at the stupidity of my actions as I glanced around the room. Bev was holding baby Eloise and talking to a pretty lady with black hair and a very irritated-looking Maverick. Jenna and Mark were a little way away in a conversation with an elderly couple, but their eyes kept flicking to the baby. I’d swoon with how adorable they were if I wasn’t on the verge of a waterfall escaping from my eyeballs.
