The server handed him a beer. He accepted it with a congenial thanks, never once taking his eyes off me.
Vero looked up from her menu. “What’s wrong?”
“Don’t look now, but Joey’s here and he’s heading straight for our booth.”
“First one to show up,” she murmured as he approached our table.
“Ladies,” Joey greeted us. “How was your Christmas?”
“Good, thanks,” I said through what I hoped was a convincing smile. “How was yours?”
Joey shrugged. “A little lean this year, but you know how it is, right?” His eyes locked on mine, the same way they had over Nick’s hospital bed the last time we’d seen each other, when every question had felt like a bullet fired at close range.
“Still moonlighting?” I asked.
He took a long pull of his beer as if he was rolling the question around. “It was seasonal work, the occasional odd job. Those kinds of gigs are harder to grab once the holidays are over.” Vero kicked me under the table. “What about you?” he asked me. “How’s the new book coming? Georgia mentioned it’ll be out in a few months. I’ve been dying to read it.”
I cocked an eyebrow. “I wouldn’t have guessed you were a fan of romantic suspense.”
“Don’t suppose I am. But I do love a good mystery.” He slid a toothpick in his mouth, his lip curling around it. Joey was the last to break our staring contest as a parade of off-duty cops strolled in.
My sister pulled off her hat and waved at Joey, then did a double take when she spotted me. Her smile was wide, her cheeks flushed from the cold as she headed for our booth. “Hey look, everybody!” shecalled over her shoulder. “This is my sister, Finlay, the one who writes the books I was telling you about.” Her friends waved to us on their way to the bar. Joey drifted away from our table and melted into their group.
“Hey, Vero.” Georgia nudged me deeper into the booth and sat down beside me, shucking her coat. “What the heck are you two doing here?”
“We heard the cheesy fries were good,” Vero said, a little too enthusiastically.
“Hooligans has cheesy fries?” Georgia frowned as she reached for a plastic menu. “Huh. That must be new.”
The server set an open beer in front of my sister. When she was gone, Georgia set down the menu and slid the bowl of peanuts toward herself. “Let me take a stab at what you two are really doing here.” I opened my mouth to argue, but she held up a hand. “Look around you, Finn. No one comes here for the food.” I shut my mouth, having no reasonable argument for that.
“I think you’re here because you finally came to your senses about Nick,” she said, cracking a nut. “But you were too chicken to call him and agree to a date, so you decided to play coy and show up here with your friend so you wouldn’t be tempted to leave with him.” She silenced my protest with a raised finger. “Don’t pretend you didn’t know we all hang out here every Thursday night.”
“Damn, she’s good,” Vero whispered.
My face burned. “I didn’t come to see Nick. He’s not even here.”
My sister smirked around her beer as she looked past me toward the door. Nick limped into the bar, leaning on a metal cane. Sleet dotted the shoulders of his coat, and he shook it from his hair as the door closed behind him.
“Whoa,” Vero said, “Finlay’s doing it again.”
“Doing what?” Georgia asked.
“Manifesting dessert.”
Georgia’s face screwed up. “I don’t even want to know what thatmeans.” She scooted sideways out of the booth, catching Nick’s attention as he lifted his head. His cane rattled to a sharp halt when he spotted me. “You two lovebirds have fun,” Georgia said, patting me on the shoulder. “Come on, Vero. I’ll introduce you around. I could use a partner for doubles.” I hardly noticed as Vero slid out of the booth.
Nick’s smile was tentative, and my stomach did a little flip as he shuffled toward me. He inclined his head toward Vero’s empty seat. “Mind if I take a load off?”
“Not at all.” I stole glances at him as he maneuvered onto the bench. He looked just as good as he had when I’d last seen him. The fitted Henley under his coat hugged his muscular frame, and the dark waves of his hair had grown out a little, framing his face, doing dangerous things to my libido.
He leaned his cane against the side of the bench and waved to the server across the bar. “Can I get you anything?” he asked me as she made her way toward us.
I’d hardly touched my drink, but given where Nick and I had left things after Christmas dinner, I’d definitely need some liquid courage for this conversation. I tipped my glass to our server, and with a nod, she was gone.
“I called you a few times,” he said casually. “Wasn’t sure you got my messages. Vero said you’ve been busy.”
I picked at the edge of my napkin. “I’m sorry I didn’t call you back. After everything that happened with Steven, I just needed some time. I didn’t mean to—”
