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“Have you seen Miles?”
Sadie shakes her head. “Not today, sorry.”
Hudson was this way when he was first officially with Sadie, too.
I guess it’s just me tonight.
Loud laughter catches my attention, and I find myself looking at Shay once again.
She looks pretty tonight. Her hair is down, and she’s wearing a little pink sundress instead of her usual tank and jean shorts.
Not that I have her wardrobe memorized or anything. It’s just … a small-town thing, I think.
Grace, too, is cute in her pantsuit outfit. It’s actually a little intimidating. Would she wear that on a date?
Should I ask her on a date?
It’d beat sitting here in the bar eating dinner alone.
I nod.
As soon as Shay leaves, I’ll ask Grace to dinner.
I take another bite of my sandwich and find my gaze searching for Shay once more.
I track her every step as she walks toward the door.
It’s weird that I watched her grow from this kid to a teenager. I was there every single day, and then one day I wasn't, and now here she is, all woman.
A woman who pisses me off on the daily and has me even more pissed now that she hired another out-of-towner.
I let out a breath and finish my dinner, eating as if I haven't eaten in days. After another beer, I pay my tab and look for Grace.
She’s just placing her purse strap over her shoulder as she heads for the door.
I hop off my stool quickly.
“Grace, wait up,” I call out and follow her. She pushes the door open slowly as she looks at me.
“Hey, Luca. Is everything okay?” she asks.
“Yeah.” I glance around the bar, and then I nod for us to step outside.
We let the bar door close, and I decide to just blurt it out before I can think twice.
“Would you want to go to dinner with me sometime?”
Her mouth hooks into a smile.
“Like a date?”
I nod. “Yes.”
Her smile quickly straightens, and she sighs.
“I … you’re really sweet, Luca, and we’d probably have a good time, but I’m best friends with Shay. You and her brother … the history here … I just think it would be complicated. I’m sorry.”
Well fuck.
