“I should go say hello,” I muttered, half to myself.
“Hey, you sure about that?” Danny shot me a look, his brow arched. “Last time you guys talked it didn’t exactly end well.”
Before I could answer Danny, Beth’s gaze drifted in our direction. When our eyes locked across the crowded cafe patio, I saw the exact moment recognition hit her. Her face went from polite interest to shock in a heartbeat, a deep blush spreading across her cheeks as she fumbled with her water glass, nearly sending it flying. My stomach did about twelve backflips in quick succession while I watched her fluster, smoothing her hands over her hair and adjusting her dress. The suit guy noticed her reaction too, his brows drawing in as he turned to see what had caught her attention.Great. Just great.
My knuckles went white around my cup as the suit guy stood, making a show of gathering his stuff. Beth got up too, leaning down to snag her purse and sweater from the ground. The way that jackass openly ogled her while she bent over made my blood boil.Real fucking classy, buddy.Then he had the nerve to get handsy, first with this sleazy little brush against her arm, then sliding his palm way too far down her back as she stood up. I’d seen enough guys pull that fake-gentleman routine to know exactly what game he was playing. The urge to march over there and introduce his face to the pavement was getting harder to ignore by the second.
“See you back at the office,” he said loud enough for me to hear. Beth had her back turned when he’d been checking her out, completely unaware of his predatory stare.
After Mr. Handsy finally took off, Beth made her way overto our table. Her steps were slow and careful, like she was worried I might bolt if she moved too fast. But that smile of hers. Damn, it was just as warm and real as I remembered, lighting up her whole face.
“What a surprise to see you here. I thought you lived in California.” Her eyes crinkled at the corners as she gave me that teasing look, I’d missed more than I wanted to admit. “You’re not stalking me, are you?”
I stood up so fast I nearly knocked over my chair, feeling like a gangly teenager at his first dance. My hands fluttered uselessly. Should I put them in my pockets? Leave them at my sides? God, I was a professional speaker who commanded audiences of thousands, but one look from Beth turned me into a stammering idiot. “Beth, hey. You look... you look great.”Real smooth there, McCrae. Way to use that expansive vocabulary.
We shuffled toward each other for what had to be the most hesitant hug in history. Her perfume hit me first, something light and citrusy that made my head spin. As we pulled apart, her eyes caught mine and my chest did this weird little flutter thing.
“Danny, right? Good to see you too,” Beth nodded at my friend.
“Quite right. And likewise,” Danny replied with a wave.
“Join us?” I gestured to the empty chair. “Unless you need to get back...”
“Just for a minute,” Beth agreed, settling into the seat. “I should head back to work soon.”
“Where are you working?” I asked.
Beth pointed to the building next door. “The Hillsdale Foundation. It’s an internship.”
“Just like in Glasgow?”
“Unfortunately, no,” she sighed. “But I’m on the gala planning committee. Well, anyway, I’m supposed to be. So far I’ve been doing simple office work, but Garrett, the guy you saw me with, has asked me to help with the gala planning committee. At least more exciting than paperwork. That’s why we were meeting here.”
Lunch meetings for gala planning?Nah, I wasn’t buying it. Not after the way that creep had eyed her.
“So, you guys meet here often?” I asked, keeping my tone casual. “I mean, it must take a lot of time to plan a big event like that.”
Beth’s brow creased as uncertainty crept into her voice. “I haven’t actually been to any official meetings yet, but Garrett…” She stopped mid-sentence, her expression a mix of doubt and confusion. “Well, never mind. He says he’s still working with Ms. Henderson to get my position changed.” She let out one of those awkward laughs people use when they’re trying to brush past something uncomfortable. “Anyway, what brings you to New York? I assume you still live in California.”
Now the shoe was on the other foot, and I was the one feeling awkward. I could practically feel Danny’s stare burning holes in the side of my head as I cleared my throat, buying time. “Business. You know... just here for some speaking engagements,” I said, casually waving a hand in the air like I was dismissing a fly. “And a big conference in Philly, coming up next week.”
Danny made this weird noise, somewhere between a cough and a laugh he was badly trying to hide. Beth’s eyes bounced between us like she was watching a tennis match, clearlypicking up that there was more to the story than I was letting on.
Suddenly, Beth glanced at her watch and jumped up. “Shit, I better dash. Ms. Henderson’s been watching me like a hawk, and I really need to make a good impression.”
Danny’s foot connected with my shin under the table. Hard. I shot him a glare, but he just cocked his head toward Beth.
“Hey, Beth?” I blurted out before she could leave. “Maybe we could grab coffee sometime? You know, catch up properly?”
She hesitated, doing that thing women do when they’re feeling self-conscious, tucking a loose strand of red hair behind her ear. “I’d like that, actually.” A soft pink blush crept across her cheeks, making those light freckles of hers stand out even more. “And hey, about that last time in Glasgow...” She winced at the memory. “I was…kind of a bitch. I’m really sorry.”
“It’s okay,” I said quickly, meaning it. “Honestly. There was a lot going on, and you were spot on pointing out my bullshit.”
She dug into her purse and pulled out her phone. “Here, let me give you my new number.”
Our fingers brushed as we exchanged phones, and a giant spark shot through me.What the hell.I punched in my number to her phone, trying to keep my hands steady.
“Call me about that coffee,” Beth said, sliding her phone back into her purse. “Trust me, I can always use a break from stuffing envelopes.”
