I took a swig. “Absolutely disgusting.”
“I always loved that old piña colada song,” Sadie said wistfully. “Where the guy thinks he’s having an affair and it’s just his girlfriend all along. I thought it was so romantic. But in reality, piña coladas aren’t that good.”
“Yet you’re still drinking it,” I pointed out.
“I mean, it’s got rum in it,” she said. “Of course I’m drinking it. I just won’t like it.”
“Let me take you somewhere else. I’ll buy you a nonfrothy drink.”
“But you paid for it!”
I set the drinks on the bar then tugged Sadie outside. The air was chilly. “Where’s your jacket?”
“I was so caught up with the excitement of my Tinder hookup that I left it in my friend’s car,” she admitted.
I took off my coat and draped it around her.
“You don’t have to.” But she hugged the coat around herself.
“There is a more upscale, quieter bar a few blocks away,” I suggested.
“I’m supposed to be out here finding a hookup,” Sadie told me. “You keep scaring all the guys away!”
“I can’t help it that I’m naturally more alpha than they are,” I said.
Sadie led out a peal of laughter. “You’re so obnoxiously cocky!”
“So about that drink.”
“I think not. My apartment is a couple blocks away. I’ll just hide, eat my feelings, and wonder where my life went wrong. Goodnight, Parker.” She turned abruptly.
I took two long steps to catch up with her. “As if I’m going to let you walk home alone.”
“Harrogate is one of the safest cities in the state. I looked it up when I was doing research for the Rural Trust newsletter we’re going to start sending out.”
“Still,” I insisted. “I’m not the type of man to let a woman walk home alone.”
“Trying to protect my maidenhood?” Sadie teased.
“Yes, from whatever skeezy Tinder rejects you find. Seriously, both times I’ve seen you out, you have been with very lackluster guys.”
“Yep, and there’s one next to me right now.” She grinned at me.
I staggered, pretending to be shot. “I’m hurt, Sadie. You can’t honestly tell me I’m on the same level as, what was his name? Millhouse?”
“Milton,” she corrected.
“Seriously,” I said, grabbing her arms. “Look at me and tell me I’m in their league.”
She stared at my forehead then said carefully, “You’re in their league.”
“Liar!” I said, playfully shaking her. “You saw a shirtless picture of me.” She immediately went red. “Don’t deny it. I went through the messages that were exchanged on the dating app.”
“I may have potentially seen a picture of you less than fully dressed, though I did not study it in detail, so I can’t be sure what you were or weren’t wearing.”
I narrowed my eyes. “I bet you have it saved on your phone.”
“I don’t,” she muttered.
