Page 27 of About That Rule

CHAPTER11

THE PATIO WASN’Tcrowded for five-thirty. Nate quickly found Rafe sitting at a table outside. This was the first time Nate had been to this bar, and the atmosphere was relaxed in an outside environment. Rafe picked a shaded table in the corner against a high, wooded fence. The seats were reminiscent of patio furniture, and the table had tea lights scattered in the middle. Nate waved to his friend and slid onto the empty bench.

“This seems like a table for ten,” Nate said when he got comfortable. “Who else is joining?”

Rafe lifted a brow, as if he was surprised. “Charlie will be here soon.”

Nate snickered at Rafe’s use of his wife’s childhood nickname. They all knew she hated being called Charlie. Rafe was the only one who got away with it.

“Don’t laugh. She secretly loves it,” Rafe responded. “Gabriella said she’s coming with one of her friends from work. Tina, I think her name is. Samantha will be here. Oh, and Jason too. He mentioned he invited some people, so I figured the bigger the table, the better.”

“Look who got so responsible,” Nate joked with him.

Rafe smiled like life couldn’t have been any better. “Marriage has that kind of effect on me. I know you swear it will never happen to you, but if you decide to settle down one day, you’ll love it.”

Nate stalled, wanting to tell his friend the truth. He was married, and he had no clue what to do about it.

A laugh made him look up as he watched Charlotte sit down next to Rafe. She kissed her husband, then asked, “What were you saying to Nate?”

She giggled as she cuddled up to him. At first, it was odd to see them together, mostly because they’d hated each other for so many years, but now, it all made sense. They were meant for each other. He had never seen either one of them so damn happy.

“If you kiss my sister in front of me,” Jason joined the table, putting Charlotte between Rafe and him, “all my drinks are going on your tab.”

“Should we not tell him what happened in his guest room last weekend?” Rafe pretended to whisper to Charlotte, but he was loud enough, they all heard him.

Jason pretended to gag as Gabriella and her friend showed up. Rafe had been right. The friend’s name was Tina. If Nate hadn’t been conflicted with the emotional turmoil he had over his best friend, he would have been all over Tina. She was blonde and curvy, and many people had already turned their heads to check her out, including Jason.

Jason was like a moth to a flame whenever a hot woman was concerned. Rafe and Nate shared a look and an eye-roll knowing their friend was about to shamelessly flirt with Tina for the remainder of the night. Gabriella stared at Jason, shaking her head no.

“I already warned her about you,” she said sternly as she sat down.

That didn’t deter him. He gave Tina a lazy smile. “Then I assume you know how wonderful I am?”

Tina laughed, but she didn’t give in to his bait. She sat next to Gabriella, and they perused the wine list. This was right up Gabriella’s alley since she worked at a winery. Everyone was ordering drinks when one of Jason’s friends arrived.

He must have just left a corporate office because he wore a suit and had his briefcase with him.

“Thanks for letting me crash,” he announced, sitting next to Jason. “My name is Roberto.”

Before Nate could introduce himself, Samantha came running to their table. Her cheeks were flush, her dark hair swishing back and forth.

“Why are you running like there’s a fire?” Charlotte asked her as Samantha sat down in the empty seat next to Roberto.

Samantha chuckled even though she seemed out of breath. “I think their happy hour prices end at six. I was busting ass to get here for a three-dollar glass of wine.”

Roberto gave her a smile. “You ran for a bargain glass of wine?”

She returned his smile. “Priorities, right?”

Everyone around them was talking, except Nate. He clenched his beer as he watched this guy they all just met show interest in Samantha. It wasn’t like he hadn’t seen this before. Fuck, in the past, he’d even helped be her wingman. But that was when she’d been single.

Samantha wasn’t single.

A wave of anger washed over him, and he glared at her. She smiled, she laughed, she even touched the guy in the suit’s arm. Nate felt like something was constricting around his neck, like he couldn’t breathe.

He stood up abruptly and stormed off to the bar.

There was no way he could watch her get hit on without wanting to scream, “She’s mine and we have a court order to prove it.”