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I fidget with my napkin. “No.”
“Good evening,” Jenna, who I did know worked here, greets us. “Can I start you with something to drink?”
“We’ll take a bottle of the Cabernet.”
Jenna’s brows perk judgingly, and she cocks her head toward me but doesn’t make eye contact. “You sure that’s a good idea for this one?”
Noah’s jaw tightens and he tilts his chin. “Excuse me?”
She nudges him playfully. “It’s a joke. I’m sure she can handle more than two glasses of red wine by now without making out with someone random.”
My chest is tight, but I don’t react. I turn my focus to the fountain over the lake. I won’t embarrass Noah the way I embarrassed my mother here last year.
“I’m sorry, what was your name again?” His voice is cool.
“Jenna Blake. We went to college together. I was in your lit class.”
From the corner of my eye, I see him smirk. “Well Jenna, first, if that does happen, I certainly hope I’m the lucky someone."
I turn back to him and he greets me with a wink. "Second, after you apologize to my date, I'd like you to get us a new server for the evening, preferably the manager—and I'll let you tell him or her why."
Jenna's eyes flutter away from Noah and she swallows hard when she turns to me. "My apologies, Charlie. I’ll…see who I can find and get you that bottle.”
My heart is thunderous in my chest and the only thing I see when I close my eyes is how stupidly drunk I was that night. Jenna was there. Bethany was there. As the years went by, I lost track of those who heard it through the grapevine and those who witnessed it with their own eyes.
“Charlie,” he whispers, brushing his thumb over my hand. It makes me shiver.
“That wasn't necessary," I mutter, avoiding his eyes.
“Maybe not for you.”
I turn to him. "I can handle it."
"What do you mean you can handle it? How often does this happen?"
I glare at him pointedly. "Don't act like you don't know."
"Charlie. Both of our reputations were ruined that night. The difference is no one gets away with saying shit to our face."
I watch him, realizing how serious he is. A grin touches my lips. "You had Beth fired from the Inn that day, didn't you?"
He doesn't blink, and there's no humor in his response. "And I didn't lose any sleep over it."
A bottle is placed between us, and I look up at the gorgeous brunette who got a little handsy with Noah when we walked in.
"The cabernet is on the house tonight, Noah. My apologies for my staff. I'll be right back to take your order," Fiona says, with forced enthusiasm.
I draw back, my face falling remembering why I hate this place.
“You’ve been here before.”
I lift my gaze to his. “With my mother. I brought her here for her fiftieth birthday last summer.”
“Same thing happened?”
I nod. “Not as filtered as they were with you.”
He huffs out a breath. “Who?”
