“Pining or just lonely?” I asked, my heart thumping a little harder. I had no reason to be invested in his answer, and yet I was.
“Pining over Rory?” August exploded in laughter, leaning forward and slapping his knee. “Oh god. I’ve got to tell him. He’ll die laughing. Nah, just garden-variety loneliness. Breakups will do that to you.”
Right. Lord, I wanted to smack myself. I usually wasn’t this slow on the uptake, but whenever I finished twenty-fours, I got a little drunk on the sleep deprivation. Yet the idea of inhaling a burger before crashing out was tempting as shit.
“Where were you thinking?” I asked.
“For a burger? Normally Zodiac, but I think I want Red Square Diner right now.” August scratched at his stomach, the movement exposing a sliver of skin. The colors of a tattoo crept around the side, and I wanted to know what else he hid. I had a few tattoos myself, the bug hitting early, but finding an artist with the right style for my pieces took time.
“Sure, I’ll join,” I said. “I just can’t make it long. Got a bed calling my name.”
“At four in the afternoon?” August wrinkled his nose as he patted down his pockets, the jangle of keys responding. “What are you, eighty?”
I laughed. “Got off twenty-four hours at the firehouse. I’m going to sleep hard.”
August’s eyes widened. “Shit, man. Do you need a bed? You can rest in mine first.”
My mouth watered, and I bit my lower lip so hard I tasted copper to keep from blurting out what leapt into my head. Because not only had I just met the guy, but he was my sister’s ex. So I needed to keep my filthy thoughts to myself.
“I’ll drive at least,” he said. “Is there anything I need to do about the kitchen before we leave? Any precautions?”
I shook my head. “Might want to let your roommate know in case he’s stopping back home, but you’ve got a draft in there, and the fire is out, so that should clear out the residual smoke.”
“All right,” August said, walking over to his door and locking up. He then jerked a thumb at the bright red Impreza parked in his driveway. “Hop in. I’m taking you out.”
I swallowed hard.
This was a bad idea.
A terrible idea.
And yet, I was going anyway.
Chapter three
August
Getting out of the house had been mission number one.
All my years living on my own, and I’d never set the kitchen on fire, and of course it happened in front of a firefighter. Stroke of luck that turned out to be, because now the fire was out, the kitchen saved, and I was still going to have a delicious dinner.
Red Square Diner was one of my favorite restaurants in town, as I’d always had a soft spot for diners, especially with the odd hours I worked. Sometimes I was starving after a day at Alchemy Ink, and if I got out at eleven at night, this place was always a safe bet.
I turned up the volume in my car when a classic Propaghandi song hit the playlist.
“Shit, I haven’t heard these guys in ages,” Drake said. “They were one of my first concerts.”
“Good taste,” I commented, bopping along to the music as I flew down the street.
“Man, it’s been too long since I’ve been to a show,” he said with a sigh. Maybe I should invite him to the one I was going to that his sister bailed on when she dumped me. Would that be weird? Probably.
After a few turns, I caught sight of the bright sign for Red Square Diner. It had a classic vibe with wide windows, yellowed lighting, and a tan exterior. I pulled into a spot in the parking lot and shut off the ignition.
I glanced over at Drake beside me, and my skin prickled with awareness. Right, I’d pretty much abducted my ex’s brother. He cut a fit figure in his fire company shirt and cargos, definition there that implied he worked out plenty. While he and Serena had the same dark hair and tan skin, his features were more angular than hers. The thick scruff on his chin and piercing brown eyes framed by long lashes added a hint of pretty to his ruggedness. He smelled like sweat, which I happened to love, and damn, I was far too distracted.
“All right,” I said, shaking myself out of my stupor. Serena’s brother was hotter than I’d expected, but apparently the whole family had good genes. “Let’s get in there and order food before I starve.”
I exited the car first, and the slam of the door echoed behind me as I sauntered up the walkway. When I entered, I didn’t bother waiting, just wandered to my favorite booth on the right side of the diner. It offered a great vantage point to people-watch, and I liked the comfort of having a spot. Me and the crew from Alchemy Ink had visited here many a time.
