By the time she smiled sweetly and winked at the table full of college-aged men, she was fuming on the inside. She tucked her tray beneath her arm and marched over to where Mack sat. She’d felt his eyes on her the whole time, though she didn’t bother looking in his direction. She wouldn’t give him what he wanted.
The infuriating man lifted his face to her, still wearing his cowboy hat. There was a piece of straw in his lips, and he held a menu out in front of him.
“Didn’t your mother ever teach you it’s impolite to wear a hat inside?”
Mack snatched the hat from his head and tossed it to the cushioned seat beside him, then grinned at her like he knew something she didn’t.
She heaved a sigh. “Is there anyone else joining you tonight?”
Leaning forward, he murmured, “Perhaps you might when you get off?”
Shaking her head, she flashed him a smile laced with irritation. “I’m not going on another date with you. And lucky for me, I’m closing tonight. I won’t get off early enough to share anything with you. So, you might as well leave now. I’m sure someone else would love to take your table.”
He leaned over the edge of his seat and glanced in the direction of the other men with a pointed look. “Like them? Yeah, I’m sure there would.” His eyes lifted to meet hers, and something darkened his gaze. “No, I think I’ll be staying if only to make sure they don’t cause any trouble.”
She scoffed and glanced over to the guys—unsurprised to find a couple of them staring before dragging their focus elsewhere. “They’re harmless.”
“You say harmless. I say disrespectful. Or have you not noticed the way they’re looking at you?” There was an edge to his voice that threw her off balance.
It took all her focus to turn to Mack and force a laugh. “You’re not jealous, are you?”
He stiffened and brought his eyes back to meet hers. “Of course I’m jealous,” he muttered.
She hadn’t expected that response, either.
“If what you’re insisting is true, then any one of them could go on a date with you. I’ve already used mine up.”
Her lips parted, but no words seemed to find a way out of where her brain attempted to form them.
He clasped his hands on the menu he dropped to the table. “You look confused.”
She stumbled for something to say—a quick retort, but still, she couldn’t manage it.
Mack’s completely serious expression didn’t match the words that came from his lips next. “I think it’s time I tell you something really important. You see, I’m beginning to realizethat you’ve taken something from me, and I need to return the favor.”
Before she could argue that she wasn’t a thief, and whatever it was he had misplaced was his doing, he continued.
“You’ve stolen my heart, Lacey. I think it’s only fair that you give me yours in return.”
Lacey groaned, rolling her eyes. “You’re an idiot.”
“And you’re a magician.”
She shook her head. “I’ll be back with some water.”
His voice called after her. “Because when I look at you, everyone else disappears.”
Her cheeks burned, and she heard the laughter from the table of college guys follow her all the way back to the server’s station. Mack wasn’t going to let up, and she had officially crossed into the territory where she wasn’t so sure it was a bad thing.
The onlygoodreason she had to avoid him right now was how much Angela liked him.
And yet…
She didn’t want to.
He was obnoxious, but in a cute sort of way. She had started to look forward to the little pick-up lines he threw at her. Was she going completely crazy?
When Lacey returned to his table, she placed his water in front of him and pasted the smile she gave everyone when she prepared to ask them for their order.
