Barry caught movement out of the corner of his eye and looked up to see Mac walking in just behind Annabelle.He shifted his focus back on Annabelle while tracking Mac out of his peripheral vision.She looked around and spotted them.Mac stood frozen for a moment before taking a seat at a table out of Annabelle’s sight, but he could see her.
Well, tonight just got a little more awkward.
Chapter 24
Mac fixed her hair for what felt like the hundredth time in five minutes as she sat in her metal chair, watching Barry flirt with Annabelle.She was questioning her sanity in coming here.She should have just stayed home and waited for Barry to come to her and tell her what he’d learned.
But she stupidly thought she could come here and watch them without feeling anything.Barry had kept assuring her there was nothing between him and Annabelle, that he didn’t like her and was just doing this for information.
Mac had wanted to see it with her own eyes.What Mac saw pierced her heart.Mac knew Annabelle was a beautiful woman.She had stared at her picture long enough to memorize it.
The woman sitting and flirting with Barry was vastly different from her work portrait.She wore a revealing dress with her makeup artfully done to draw a man’s gaze.
Mac had dressed up and done her hair, but she still felt severely lacking.How could she compete with a woman like that?
Barry smiled and let Annabelle run her fingers over his arm like a lover.He stared adoringly into his eyes as if he really did find her beautiful and enjoy her company.If he was faking it, he was doing a hell of a job.
“They look quite cozy, don’t they?”
Mac looked up at the man who’d spoken.“Banks.”She was shocked he had approached her out of all the women here.It was a popular restaurant with a bar where several young single women were currently sitting.Yhey appeared to be more of Miles’s type than herself.
“You can call me Miles.”Miles Banks smiled down at her as if he found himself to be charming.
There were many things she wanted to call him; Miles wasn’t in the top ten.Play nice, he might give himself away.“And where is your entourage, Miles?”She looked around; his normal two bodyguards were missing.
“Everyone is busy tonight leaving me alone,” he replied, looking glum.“Would you care to join me?If anything, it might make your boyfriend jealous, and he’ll realize his mistake in leaving you.”His gaze lifted to Annabelle and Barry.Mac didn’t look in their direction.It hurt too much to see them together.
“He’s not my boyfriend.He can see whomever he likes,” Mac said with an air of indifference, though inside her heart was breaking seeing Barry with another woman.She knew it was for information, but it didn’t stop the stab of jealousy even when she had no claim on him.
Mac took a sip of her wine as if to prove her point.
Miles bent down so their heads were only a foot apart.Mac eyed him warily, wondering why he was so close to her.Her unease went up when his gaze drifted to her mouth.“Your mouth says he’s not important, but your eyes say otherwise.”His dark brown eyes gazed into hers as if he could read her.
“And now my mouth is saying it’s thirsty.”She mocked cheers to him and took another sip.The Moscato did nothing to ease the ache in her chest.
“Then allow me to cater to your wishes.”He stood up and waved his arm toward a table that looked like it was already set up for him.“Please join me.”
Mac would rather feed herself to sharks, but again, he might let something slip.Wasn’t this part of spying?
“Very well.”Mac rose from her seat and followed him with her glass in hand.Miles played the perfect gentleman and held her seat out for her.She sat down and allowed him to scoot her in.
Miles claimed the seat across from her.A waiter rushed over and stood at the ready.“Would you care for something besides wine?Champagne, perhaps?Or oysters?”
Mac raised an arched eyebrow at his last suggestion.Was he trying the seafood aphrodisiac on her?Barry had done the same thing.Another pang pierced her heart.“Wine is fine, thank you.”
“You are not hungry?”
“Not at the moment.”Mac didn’t think she could eat right now anyway.Her stomach felt like it had a lead ball in it.
“Brandy,” he ordered.Miles sat back in his chair and seemed to study her.“You seem familiar to me.”
“I don’t know how.”She shrugged.“This is the first time we’ve met.”Though she had seen him plenty of times.“Maybe I just have one of those faces.”
“Perhaps,” he mused but didn’t look convinced.“What’s your name?”
“Mackenzie Grant.”
“Well, Mackenzie, you obviously know who I am.”
