I exhale a deep breath.
His expression brings me a surprising comfort, and for a brief, suspended second, I experience a still quietness in the sea of noisy people.
“What can I get you, Jessica?” His smooth, almost lazy voice breaks the sensation like a glittering mirage that shimmers then disappears in the desert.
“Hey, Sam.” I rattle off my order, and when he leaves to retrieve the drinks, I don’t turn to the group of men at my back. Instead, I do my best to collect myself, tapping my credit card against the wood. My vision fixes on the bottles that line the bar, then the mirror.
Charlie’s gaze locks in on mine.
For a brief second, we’re connected, caught in some cosmic force.
Sam returns with the drinks, and I break away from the man who’s haunting me. I busy myself paying and hand the drinks to Ryder and Griffin, before holding up the goblet of white wine. “This is for your wife.”
The mayor takes it from me. “We’ll get next round.”
Charlie’s bourbon is all that’s left.
My breath catches in my chest.
I pick it up and hold it out to him.
His hand touches mine.
Literal tingles travel the length of my arm.
Our fingers twine, and when our eyes meet, the space-time continuum comes to a standstill.
He takes the glass from me, pulling away.
The heat of his palm feels imprinted on my skin.
I want to be branded by him again.
I blink and realize my sister has walked up. I tilt my head in her direction. “You remember Hailey.”
“I do.” He raises his glass and takes a sip of his drink.
“Great to see you again.” Hailey smiles, then tugs my arm. “Jess, can you come with me to the bathroom?”
“Of course. Catch you later.” God, I love my sister. I leave my drink on the bar, take Hailey’s hand, and escape.
We weave our way through the noisy crowd before heading down the hallway, slipping into an alcove away from the bathrooms.
“You looked like you needed a rescue,” she says, releasing her hold after a reassuring squeeze.
“I did, thanks.” I blow out a harsh breath, placing my palm over my stomach. “I don’t know what’s wrong with me.”
She gives me a soft smile. “Charlie Radcliffe is what’s wrong with you.”
I wave her away. “What? You’re crazy. Can’t you see he wants nothing to do with me? I might as well have the plague.”
“No, dummy, I don’t see that at all.” Her expression twists with exasperation. “I see a guy staying away because he thinks you’ve moved on to someone else.”
Maybe I overcompensated a bit, but I can’t help thinking the guy I’d met in the bar would have understood my motives weren’t about another guy. That he didn’t disappoints me.
I’m unsatisfied and out of sorts, like I did something wrong. I sniff. “If he bothered to ask, he’d know the truth.”
Hailey rubs her forehead like I’m giving her a headache. “On Saturday, every time you were in the same room with Charlie, you ignored him and acted like you were ready to take Cole upstairs with you the second you had the chance.”