Page 29 of Fools in Love

“Harper Davis,” the brunette said with a smile. “New bartender and new Pride resident.” She leaned on the bar a little more, her eyes burning into Nick’s. “What’ll you have?”

“A round of shots and beers. On me,” Brook broke in. “It’s my birthday.”

Tom felt Nick wince and heard him say, “Shit,” under his breath.

“He forgot,” Kate whispered. “He always forgets everyone’s birthdays.”

“Do not,” Nick retorted. “Just… hers.” He motioned to Brook.

“Right.” Kate laughed. “When is my birthday then?”

Nick frowned and his eyes narrowed. Tom waited, wanting to know this information himself so he could lock it in his memory.

“July…” Nick started, and Kate laughed. “August…” he said, and Kate rolled her eyes. “It’s on the tenth of…”

“January,” Brook supplied. “Your birthday is in July. The fourteenth, if you didn’t remember.” She nudged Nick, who nudged her back. He turned his attention to Harper Davis when she set the shots and drinks in front of them.

“You just moved here with your…” Nick asked, ignoring the drinks.

“Family,” Harper answered with a smile.

Kate leaned closer to Tom. “Be prepared to be amazed at my brother’s ability to turn off the only new woman in town.”

Nick glared at Kate, then turned back to Brook and held up his shot glass. “To my cousin Brook, who just turned… twenty-one.”

“Three.” Brook rolled her eyes.

“Right, that’s what I said, twenty-three.” Nick laughed.

Tom turned to Kate and, as their eyes locked, he downed the shot.

Two hours later, they closed out their tab after Kate, Brook, and Nick had three more shots and dinner. Kate was leaning heavily on him as he helped her into his car. Brook and Nick had piled into the back seat. Without really deciding it, he’d switched to drinking water after that initial beer and shot.

He dropped Nick off at his place first, since it was less than a block from the restaurant, then headed towards Brook’s place. She was living in a small cottage just outside of town. He’d never asked her if she owned it or rented, but it was one of the cutest places in town. It sat directly off the beach and had a killer view.

After making sure Brook got inside okay, instead of driving back to Kate’s parents’ place, he detoured to the small beach access just down the road from Brook’s place.

“Let’s go sit on the log,” he suggested.

“That sounds wonderful.” Kate started to get out, and he rushed around and helped her.

The deadwood log wasn’t far from the parking area. Still, since she was slightly drunk, they went slow. The last thing he wanted was for her to fall and hurt herself.

When they sat, he took her hand in his. “Did I mention how nice you look tonight?”

She chuckled. Her eyes ran over his simple gray T-shirt and shorts. “You look…relaxed.”

“If I’d known there was a party going on tonight, I would have dressed up.” He looked down at their hands and suddenly he got an idea. “Friday.” His eyes met hers. “How about we go out?”

She smiled. “We are out.”

“I mean, on a date,” he corrected. “An official one.”

“I’d like that.” She leaned against his shoulder. “Dr. Stevens says I can put weight on my knee by then.”

“Really?” He leaned back and looked down at her. “That soon?”

“It’s been almost two months. I’ve been putting some weight on it and working the leg out some.”