AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Lucky guess.”
Isla rolled her aquamarine eyes. “Lucky guess, my butt. What are the chances there are two new guys in town? There was no luck involved.”
Harper sighed, disappointment drooping her shoulders. “Either way, by Liv’s reaction, it’s obvious he’s off the market.”
“I just told you, I’m getting over Daniel. I’m not going to jump back into dating, especially with a guy I know nothing about. Besides, I’m sure he’d want nothing to do with me. I told you how crazy I was on the train.”
“Yes.” Isla took a sip of her sangria. “But you also told us how good looking he was, how sweet he was to carry your bag and get it out of the trunk, and how your eyes locked and fireworks went off right before he dropped the bomb.”
“That’s not what I said.”
“I’m paraphrasing, but that’s basically everything you said.”
Olivia wasn’t going to argue. Nobody won an argument against Isla, even if they were right. Olivia wanted to look over her shoulder and get another glimpse. She was annoyed at herself for sitting with her back to the bar. “How did I not realize he was here?”
“I noticed,” Harper said. “He’s nice to look at.”
“Then why didn’t you say anything?”
Harper shrugged. “I wanted ten minutes to fantasize that he wasn’t your Shane, I’d get a chance, and finally be able to give up online dating.”
“Milo said you had a date last night. I’m guessing it didn’t go well.”
Harper’s head fell forward, and her shoulders shook with miserable laughter. “He wanted to share an entrée, so he only had to pay a sharing fee instead of full price for two dinners.”
“Cheap bastard!” Isla exclaimed. “I hope you walked out right then and there.”
Harper downed the rest of her margarita. “I stayed and paid for my own meal.”
Isla’s eyes doubled in size. “Harper! You deserve better than that.”
“I was starving, and the restaurant had good ratings. I didn’t know when I’d ever go back there, so I stayed for the food.”
“Was it worth it?” Isla asked.
“Oh yeah.”
Olivia zoned out of their conversation; her mind too focused on the guy behind the bar. After a few minutes, she grabbed Harper’s empty glass. “Want another one?”
Before Harper could answer, Olivia was already on her way to the bar. Shane stood at the far end, getting a drink for Mr. Peterson. Olivia leaned against the bar, trying not to stare. She placed the empty glass on the bar top and waited as if this were any other day.
Shane handed Mr. Peterson his drink and tossed a dish rag over his shoulder. He turned, his eyes immediately landing on Olivia. Heat trickled through her body from the intent in his stare. He moved toward her with an ease that was both confident and laidback. He propped himself against the bar directly across from her. The muscles of his arms pressed nicely against his short black sleeves.
“Are you stalking me?” he asked, eyebrow raised in an intriguing, yet very attractive way.
Olivia played it as coy as possible. “No, McConnell’s has the best burgers.”
He rubbed his chin and laughed. “I remember you saying that on your tour.”
She bit her lip, eyes drifting down to the shiny wood of the bar before she found the courage to look him in the eye. “About that… Why didn’t you stop me? Tell me who you really were?” She felt like such an idiot, then toss in all the stuff Milo had said about her obsession with the McConnell’s, and she was downright embarrassed.
“I guess I didn’t want you to judge me before you got to know me.”
The sincerity in his tone matched the honesty in his gaze, and though she was still slightly embarrassed, she understood. “I just feel bad that I might have influenced your first impression of your family.”
“You did.”
Guilt tied her stomach in knots. “I’m sorry.”
