“Thank you,” I tell him, looking away.
“Ember, darling.” Reagan approaches us, and he clears his throat before turning to his mother.
“Hi, Mom,” he greets softly.
“I see you’ve met Shelby.” It’s a statement.
“Yeah, we’re friends, actually,” he announces.
Friends.I wouldn’t go that far. I smile awkwardly.
“Oh? I didn’t know that.” His mother doesn’t seem so warm anymore. “I’ve been looking for you everywhere. Olivia Martin is here.”
He tenses at the name. “Yeah?”
“She’s looking forward to catching up.”
“I should leave you to it. I have to get home...my babysitter,” I hurry to explain.
“Well, that’s a shame. Thank you for everything,” Reagan tells me. I nod.
“I’ll walk you to your car,” Ember says.
“Oh, that’s not necessary,” I argue. But his hand on the small of my back stills me. “Thanks, Reagan,” I reply as he steers me through the crowd.
When we’re walking down the pathway, he slips his hands into his pockets, and I miss the warmth of his touch more than I care to admit. When we approach my car, he leans against it. “I’d like to take you out on Saturday night.”
“Didn’t quite work out last time,” I tell him, unlocking my door.
“I want to try again.” He smirks. I can’t help but smile back at him. Unfortunately, I don’t think I can take any more disappointment.
“I can’t. I kind of already have plans; I’m meeting a friend for dinner.”
“Another time then?”
“We’ll see.” I open my door and climb into my car, letting the window roll down.
“Can I have your number?” He leans against the open window.
I purse my lips. “Yeah, sure.” I rattle off my number, and he punches it into his phone.
“I’ll call you later then, firefly.”
“Last I checked, my name was Shelby.”
“Oh, but I likefireflyso much more.” He licks his lips.
I shake my head and start up my car. I pull out into the street, and when I look in the rearview mirror, he’s still there.
Chapter 12
Ember
Dinner with a friend. My fists clench at the thought that it could be another guy, but I don’t have a fucking say in who she sees or doesn’t see. We’ve texted, well, I have, and she’s responded with a thumbs up or emoji laughing face. That whole thing with Lisa was a misunderstanding; she can’t possibly be holding it against me.
The guys invited me to another bar outside of town. Hanging out with the guys was probably the distraction I needed. It would be if I didn’t catch sight of Shelby and Leon in the corner of the bar in a booth. I try to keep up with the conversation. I try to think about anything but the woman laughing her head off at something that a smug asshole is bullshitting her about. What could possibly be that funny? She doesn’t laugh like that with me.
I should not care; Shelby was temperamental and downright stuck-up. She doesn’t listen, and being my boss's friend makes her the last woman on earth that I should be messing around with.
