“Hope we don’t see you tonight,” Vivi sings.
I huff out a laugh. “You definitely will.” My focus roams to JJ’s door again. Judging by the way he used todate,I doubt we’ll see him before tomorrow, though.
I wish that thought didn’t make me want to throw up.
Scott is not short. He’s also surprisingly funny. And hot.
I should have trusted my friends. If there’s one thing Savannah likes, it’s to start with a bang. She literally did that the night she met Camden, so starting with one of the hottest men I’ve ever seen, who has a personality to boot, tracks.
His green eyes are strikingly bright, especially against his jet-black hair. He’s got a deep voice and large hands that look very capable of enjoyable things. He also towers over me.
We’re at the bar having a drink. The area is crowded, but that’s not the reason I move closer to Scott. I’m genuinely comfortable. I think I might like him.
“Can I be honest?” he asks, his tone dropping even farther, if that’s possible.
I give him a little nod, then nibble on my straw, studying his face.
I ordered a vodka soda because it felt cool. Don’t ask me why. All my aunts drink gross dirty martinis. I never could stomach them, even if holding one automatically makes a person seem infinitely more sophisticated. “As opposed to lie?”
Chuckling, he presses a little closer, like he’s being forced into me from behind, one of those large hands grazing my hip. When I don’t pull back, he gets a bit more daring, gripping my waist gently. “I wasn’t sure how tonight would go. So I suggested a drink first in case it got awkward.”
An amused huff escapes me. “Let me guess. You told one of your friends to call you in thirty minutes with a fake emergency just in case?”
“That what you did?”
I pick up my drink again. “My friends don’t need to be told.” I slip my phone from my clutch and show him the three calls I’ve ignored so far. Josie. Savannah. Josie. Every ten minutes like clockwork. “My guess is they’ll give it a rest for an hour, then check again.”
He throws his head back, his laughter booming. The sound sends a shot of adrenaline through me. “Those are some good friends.”
I nod. “Truly.”
“So when they call again, are you going to answer, then dip out on me with some fake emergency, or are you ready to agree that we’ll be honest tonight? No excuses.” His eyes hold mine in challenge.
I can’t stop the giddy smile from hitting my lips. “I’m game if you are.”
He pulls out his phone and types out a quick message, then turns the device to show me.
No saving needed tonight. She’s gorgeous AND funny.
My heart trips over itself. Even if I wanted to hide my smile, it would be impossible.
I navigate to the text thread that includes both Savannah and Josie and type out a message of my own.
Me: You can call off the guard dogs, Savvy. I think you picked a good one.
He smirks. “Think?”
Lips twitching, I shrug. “We’ll see how the rest of the night goes.”
He chuckles, scanning our surroundings. “So are there really guard dogs?”
I make a sweep of the bar, playing along, but my stomach plummets when I spot JJ across the room. I can’t see who he’s sitting with because of the crowd, but I’d know his profile anywhere.
Scott follows my gaze, frowning. “Wait, did they really send guards?”
I huff out a laugh, trying for casual. “No. I just—” I shake my head. “I—” Eyes closed, I give myself a second to just breathe. “Can I be honest?”
His brows lift. “Thought we already agreed to that?”
