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“Speak of the devil. Nate’s girlfriend.”
I looked toward the door, spotting her. “We actually met before. She works here sometimes.”
“She does. Though not on trivia night. I think Mazzie’s even sneaking over for a bit.” Gian took out his phone. “Lemme ask her.”
While Gian texted his fiancée, I watched as Nate’s girlfriend made her way over to the bar. Heading behind it, she snuck up on Nate, putting her hands over his eyes. He pretended to be surprised, but I knew better. You don’t surprise an Army sniper. Like me, Nate never stopped noticing everything even when he appeared not to. Occupational hazard.
Like seeing Ms. Hartwell walk in the door.
She was with another woman, the two of them laughing hysterically at something.
“There she is.” Gian was looking at the pair of them as well. And by the smile on his face, I quickly put it together. When Gian waved the ladies over to us, the other woman’s smile at Gian confirmed it.
His fiancée. And she was with Natalie.
Though her hair was the same, she had a bit more makeup on and a pair of jeans and cowboy boots. I had no business picturing her wearing nothing except those boots, in my bed, since it was clear she despised me, but the mind does what it will.
Jesus fucking Christ, what a vision.
“Hey cutie,” the other woman said to Gian, kissing him on the cheek. He pulled her toward him.
“Mazzie, I want you to meet someone. Hey, Natalie,” he added as she cautiously walked up to us with no other choice. Clearly, she’d rather be anywhere else.
“This is Jax Hayes. He’s from a town near Bridgeport, knew him well in high school. Jax, this is my fiancée.”
Mazzie stuck out her hand. “Nice to meet you, Jax. And this is my friend Nat...oh boy.” As she looked back and forth from me to Natalie, it became clear what was going on. Natalie had mentioned me already and Mazzie was just putting the pieces together.
Gian, on the other hand, was clearly confused. “What am I missing?”
In response, Natalie fake-smiled at me. “How did your meeting go?”
Her expression. Her tone. The fact that any woman, especially one as attractive as Natalie, didn’t like me? It rankled. “Extremely well,” I said, more smugly than I normally would.
“That’s fantastic for you.” She turned to Mazzie. “I’ll go grab us a seat.”
With that, she turned on her heel and all but stomped over to a high-top.
“Uh. What the hell was that?” Gian asked.
Mazzie gave me a look that was half “sorry” and half “you’re an asshole” before joining her friend. “Your friend will explain,” she said over her shoulder.
Clearing his throat, Gian sat back in his seat. “Can’t wait to hear this one.”
“Apparently she has some ties to the inlet property,” I said. “Met her earlier today when I went for that meeting.”
“Oh man. Don’t tell me you’re buying her rowing spot? Well,” he continued before I could answer, “her rowing and the girls’ day-drinking spot. They’ve got quite a setup there. I know exactly where you’re talking now.”
I watched as Nate’s girlfriend joined the others. Apparently, it was some kind of trivia night, and the ladies looked pretty serious about it.
Natalie didn’t look over once. She took a sip of draft beer and laughed at something one of the others said. She was even prettier when she smiled.
“Day drinking?” It had taken me a minute to process his words.
“Natalie is a nature lover, if you haven’t figured that out already. She practically lives on that spot during the weekends, between the rowing program and when the girls take wine over there. It’s kind of like their sanctuary. Which I don’t get. There are a hundred places around the lake for them to drink, but they love that spot.”
“I see.” Pulling my gaze away from her, I turned back to Gian. “And she’s friends with your fiancée?”
“Good friends. Along with Nate’s girlfriend, Zoe, who you already met.”
