Total pages in book: 75
Estimated words: 72362 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 362(@200wpm)___ 289(@250wpm)___ 241(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 72362 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 362(@200wpm)___ 289(@250wpm)___ 241(@300wpm)
“That was a long time ago,” says Billy.
“Not long enough for me.” Shanti puts her back to the bar. A definite statement made in body language. “Speaking of which, have you run into him yet?”
“Connor?” I ask. “No.”
She just nods.
I haven’t told her about my conversation with Lulu. To be honest, I am a little embarrassed to be standing here. But the lure of the man is intense. And it is about time for me to get back out there. No reason not to have a drink in my very local bar. It doesn’t have to mean anything. Mostly.
“You need me to give you a ‘you’re better off without him and he doesn’t deserve you anyway’ type speech?” asks Shanti. “Because I have a few at the ready. You know. Just in case.”
“No. But thanks for the offer.”
“Your loss. My motivational speeches are immaculate.”
I smile. The expression feels a little strange to me. Like I haven’t done it much lately.
“Connor is one of the good ones. But it doesn’t mean he doesn’t make mistakes,” she says. “When you get right down to it, relationships are complicated and messy and we’re probably better off without them.”
“Probably.”
Her head goes up suddenly. “Which also doesn’t mean you don’t want and deserve some sweet revenge. Billy. Psst. Come back here.”
“What,” he asks, slinging a cloth over his shoulder. The surplus of handsome men in this town has definitely been noted. My mood when it comes to romance, however, remains at an all-time low. Subterranean when you get right down to it. Or possibly lower.
“Riley’s changed her mind. She is charmed by your offer and will have one of whatever you’re making. Now.”
His smile is wide as can be. “Yeah?”
I give him a thumbs up. As the bartender gets busy, I ask, “Shanti, what’s going on?”
“Don’t look, but Connor just walked in with Stu, Lu, and Nic. I said don’t look!”
I stop myself from turning. Just. “Sorry.”
“Nic told me they might make an appearance. But I didn’t want to unnecessarily alarm you unless it was definite.”
“Oh,” I say, and it’s honestly all I’ve got. Even knowing this might happen, I somehow manage to be totally overwhelmed and underprepared.
“Who else is here tonight?” Shanti scopes the bar.
“It had to happen sometime, right?”
“Right,” she says in a perfunctory tone.
“This is a small town. We were bound to cross paths sooner or later.” I take a deep breath. “Wait a minute. Did you invite me out tonight because you knew he might be here?”
“Eh,” she says with her cell in her hands.
“That’s not much of a response. Who are you texting?”
“A strange thing happened on Monday.”
“Does it involve baked goods?” I ask.
Shanti frowns. “No. Why on earth would it involve baked goods?”
“No reason. Keep going.”
Her fingers keep typing on her cell. “Ava started a group chat with Nic and me. Now Nic generally gets on with her okay, but Ava knows I am not her biggest fan. So this sort of thing has happened approximately never.”
“What did she want?”
“She and her girlfriend had to head back to Europe for work. And since she was leaving town, she wanted our help with something.” She slips her cell into her back pocket. “She had a theory she wanted to test discreetly.”
A lean man with long red hair and tattoos approaches and asks, “Is this where the speed dating is happening?”
“It absolutely is,” says Shanti. “Noah, this is Riley. You have a minute to interest and-or impress her. Go.”
Before he can open his mouth, I ask, “Are you the Noah that left his bride at the altar, subjecting her to what was undoubtedly a boatload of embarrassment a few summers back?”
“Yes.” His pale skin blazes bright red. “But I can explain…”
I just wait.
“Actually, I can’t really, I panicked and ran. Gabriella still won’t talk to me, and I miss her so bad. You wouldn’t believe how many times I’ve apologized, but she won’t listen.”
“That sure is a sad story. Good night, Noah,” says Shanti. “He was just a warmup. Good work on dispatching him so quickly. We don’t usually do speed dating in town because it’s just the same dozen or so people who keep turning up. But Ava was most insistent that we make an exception for you.”
“Let me guess, she wanted Connor in the room while this was taking place?”
“She sure did.”
“Guess it was Nic’s job to lure him here tonight, huh?”
Shanti nods as another speed date approaches.
He is Asian American with a perfect fit. A gray polo shirt with a knee-length navy pleated skirt and black loafers. The man is stylish and gorgeous and then some. But he takes one look at me, before turning and searching for Connor in the crowd. He then turns back to me and gives me a wink. “Yeah. I am not getting in the middle of that. Best of luck, Riley.”