Chase and Maddy had already grabbed a cornerbooth for the five of them, ensuring enough room for Aiden when hearrived. Payson slid in first, scooting down next to Maddy. Ronanstood at the booth, not sure where to sit. “I, uh… I need thecorner.”
Might as well be honest. In his line of work,he’d always kept an eye on the door. Tough habit to break. In apinch, a reflection from the window, or even a glass worked fine,but he wanted to be able to relax. Not chase shadows.
Payson looked at him like he was nuts, butChase and Maddy promptly responded. Chase hopped right up, “Take myspot, I’ll go grab us a pitcher.” Maddy followed him, offering tograb the glasses. “Sit wherever you need; we’ll slide inwherever.”
Ronan nodded appreciatively. He slid aroundthe circular booth, taking Maddy’s seat next to Payson, his back tothe corner so he could watch the room. She studied him as if hewere an optical illusion and she was trying to make sense of theimage. “I just can’t figure you out,” she finally said aloud.
“Sorry,” he offered casually, his gazescanning the room out of pure habit, but he kept his answer short;maybe also out of habit. Payson tugged her sweater off and tuckedit into her oversized purse, revealing a snug white henley. Herspectacular breasts strained against the buttons, begging forrelease.
Cool your jets, he shook his head athis reckless thoughts. Perhaps letting his imagination run wild,building more detailed and creative fantasies about Payson eachnight was a stupid idea. It was rough before, but he couldn’t seemto keep things in check quite so easily during the daytime now.
She tilted her head at him, a confused smilestuck in place. “Most of the time you’re arguing with me, insultingme… generally being a pain in my ass. I’d toss you to the street ifyou weren’t making my life significantly better by fixing mystoreroom and helping with deliveries.”
He managed to smile back at her, “Sorry aboutthat, really. If it helps, I’m crabby with pretty much everyonelately,” he trailed off, adding quietly, “even myself.”
Payson reached her hand under the table andtook his hand with her own, offering comfort. Instead of calminghim, the connection set off an electric shock, singeing his nervesstraight through his arm and into his chest, setting his heart intoa rapid, irregular rhythm. Something flashed in her eyes; she wasas astonished as he was.
Letting himself truly look at her, as he’dbeen avoiding quite intentionally before, he quickly recalled whyhe shouldn’t. So fucking gorgeous, her enchanting green eyes lookedhim up and down, his own eyes wandering over her perfect breastsand subtle curves. Simultaneously, their gazes locked together.
She didn’t say anything, she didn’t have to.Both were drowning in foreign sensation. He was surprised theclouds didn’t erupt with a crash of lightning right over theirtable.
Maddy and Chase returned with drinks a momentlater, mercifully interrupting the moment. Payson pulled her handaway as they approached. Maddy set the frosty glasses on the tablewhile Chase started filling from the pitcher before sittingdown.
“It's so late, I assume everyone ate dinneralready?” Maddy asked. “With Aiden’s schedule, I tried to scheduleas late as possible. He just texted; he’s on his way.”
Maddy and Chase finally slid into the booth,leaving Payson to squish up against Ronan. Didn’t help his swirlingemotions, which were only disrupted further when Maddy raised herglass in a toast, “To Ronan. I’m grateful to have my twin back inmy life, safe and sound.”
Ronan felt overwhelmed; even when he’d spentevery waking hour studying or playing baseball, Maddy had made surehe’d surface to eat now and again, socialize sometimes. Alwaysthere for him, even when he wasn’t there for her. When he shouldhave been. Regretted that he hadn’t been.
He thanked his sister with a smile and afriendly tap with his foot under the table and directed the toastto the right, as was an old McAllister family tradition. Thefamiliarity of the action felt right. “To Payson, for keeping mebusy so I don’t spend so much time in my head.”
Payson smiled back at him then raised her ownglass, clearly at home to with the McAllisters and their habits.“Bringing it back around… To Chase, for coming back and makingMaddy admit she needed love, just like we all do.”
Ronan watched as she gulped down her beer. Ahopeless romantic, she would never settle for an ass like himanyway.
Dang, she could chug, and this was a hoppyIPA. With her sleeve, she wiped the frothy moustache from her lip.Who was she? One minute she’s in a delicate floral dress sellingantiques in her quaint little shop, the next she’s wearing aleather miniskirt and sexy-as-hell boots covering all but aridiculously sexy scrap of bare legs, chugging an IPA in afisherman’s bar. She was rapidly throwing the uptight image rightout the window. Not helpful.
As they set down their glasses, Aidenstrolled in looking like he owned the place, as usual. Dressed tokill, he stripped out of his expensive-looking puffer jacket,strutting his stuff in his straight-fit black jeans with apristine, snug-white t-shirt. For brothers not even two yearsapart, their lives had run on completely different trajectories.They looked a lot alike, sharing the McAllister blue eyes andchestnut hair, standing tall at an inch or two over six feet, witha lean but muscled build.
Personalities were a different story. Ronanhad always been reserved, where Aiden was outgoing. Aiden was apop-off and a troublemaker, but Ronan had been as straightlaced asthey come growing up. Aiden was just starting out in his career,having recently opened his own legal practice in town, whereasRonan was apparently now retired.
“Hey guys, thanks for saving me some,” Aidenremarked sarcastically, noting the empty pitcher and half-finishedglasses at the table.
Payson poked at him, as only a close friendwould, “Maybe you should try showing up on time. Hang on, I’ll gograb us another pitcher.” She slid out of the booth. Rubbing hissternum, Ronan felt oddly hollowed out as she slid cheerfully awayfrom him.
Aiden followed her up to the bar, visiting asthey walked together, “That’s alright, this one’s on me. I won thecase today.”
Ronan couldn’t help but watch the gentle swayof her hips as she walked away, her fingers running through hersleek auburn hair, still damp from the snow. He turned back to seeMaddy observing his obvious ogle.
Quite rightfully, she didn't resist theobvious tease. “What’s all this? Making eyes at my bestfriend?”
Done with living a life of lies, he didn’tbother with hiding his feelings. “Eyes, yes. No more thanthat.”
“Why not? You’re perfect for each other.”
Gaze locked downward; he ran his fingersalong the frosty glass. “Funny. Regardless, I'm a fucking mess. I’mnot dragging anyone else into my disaster of a life.”
“I wasn’t joking.”
