Fortunately, Brody, Molly, Jase, and Emily were completely welcoming, and after Max’s initial murderous look at Sean, he seemed to find the situation as funny as she did. The play was every bit as bad as promised, but they all watched attentively and stood cheering at the end.
“What do you guys say we head back to Belfast?” Brody suggested, clapping one friend after another on the back as he passed. “Anyone with a ticket stub gets a drink on me.”
Jill, who’d played the part of the grocery fairy, threw her arms around him and smacked a big kiss on his cheek. “Thanks, Boss.”
Sean nodded at Sarah. “What do you say? It’s tradition to grab a drink after the show.”
Max was walking with Jase and Emily just a few steps away. Sarah wasn’t going to look to him for an answer. It wouldn’t be fair.
“Come on,” Sean urged, flashing her a look that was shockingly mischievous and so not what she was used to from him at the office. “You told me just this morning you wanted to get out and do more in Chicago while you were here. This is your opportunity. Belfast is one of Lakeview’s most popular bars. And you’ll earn VIP status just by showing up with me.”
She laughed, realizing this was a done deal. “Yeah, that sounds good. But just one drink. I’ve got to work tomorrow.”
Sean rolled his eyes. “Yeah, right. I’m pretty sure you can handle your workload in about an hour’s time. Which reminds me—I could use your help with a few other things tomorrow afternoon. If you’re interested, that is.”
Sarah’s ears pricked up because added responsibilities were like whipped cream on her brownie. “Yeah, what are you looking for?”
“Nah, nah. How about tonight you just enjoy yourself? Come in after lunch tomorrow for work. Do something fun in the city in the morning, or don’t do anything at all, but let’s just have a good time tonight.” She knew Sean well enough not to bother asking him if he was sure.
“It’s a deal. Just give me a moment, and I’ll meet you outside.”
Sean nodded and headed over to where Molly was talking with Jill’s boyfriend. Sarah turned, finding Max with a single glance over by the far wall. He was a man who stood out in a crowd. And though he was talking with a couple of friends, his eyes were locked on her.
She’d agreed to go with Sean, but if that made Max uncomfortable, she’d find an excuse to get out of it.
She cut through the crowd, and Max met her halfway.
“So what’d you think of the show?” he asked, an easy smile on his face.
“I had a great time,” she answered honestly, because she had. Then turning to glance behind her, making sure Sean or Molly wasn’t standing too close, she added, “I didn’t know you’d be here tonight.”
Max shoved his hands into his jeans pockets and let out a gruff laugh. “Yeah, that makes two of us.” And then meeting her eyes, he added, “But I’m glad you are. Coming to Belfast?”
“If you don’t mind. But honestly, Max, I don’t have to. If it makes you uncomfortable at all—”
“Don’t be ridiculous. I’ll give you a ride. If you don’t mind the bike, that is.”
Sarah’s belly dipped. The bike. She loved the bike, loved the idea of wrapping her body around Max as he tore through the streets. Except—“Sean’s actually waiting for me, but thanks for the offer. I’ll see you there.”
“Oh, right.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “See you there.”
Chapter 9
It didn’t take more than walking three feet through the door to know why Belfast was one of Chicago’s favorite watering holes. Sarah stepped through the open doorway to the left for a peek into the restaurant side of the business. It was closed now, but she could see the decor was similar to that of the main bar. Copper ceiling tiles and gleaming, warm honeyed wood contrasted with exposed brick and pipes strung with white lights throughout.
Oversize TVs were hung strategically around the space so patrons interested in seeing sporting events would be able to, without overwhelming those who weren’t. The bar side was set up with a handful of high-end pool tables and darts, and a back room held a stage for live music. The space had an upbeat vibe and a welcoming ambiance, which explained how, even at near midnight on a Monday, Belfast was pulling a decent crowd.
Brody stood by the edge of the bar, closest to the door, waving her through with a burly arm and a wide grin.
“Sarah, my girl!” he greeted her warmly. “You been here before?”
She stepped up beside him, smiling as he flagged the bartender for her order.
“No, this is my first time. It’s great! What’s everyone having?” she asked, wanting to join in the fun the way all these friends were accustomed to doing it. Brody’s eyes lit up.
“Oh great, now you’ve done it,” Sean said with a heavy sigh. “He’s going to be showing off all night. You’re on your own, lady.”
Sarah’s brows rose, but before she could ask Sean what he meant, Brody raised his hand, his finger out and thumb up like a gun ready to fire.
“Amber there in the yellow sweater with the frilly business around the neck is a rum and Coke; her boyfriend, Gene, likes Newcastle. Em can’t get enough of the hard lemonade, and Tallia beside her is an Amstel girl.”
Sarah laughed, understanding what made Sean run off. “Seriously, you know what everyone ordered?”
Brody beamed, his mouth opening again, but then Max was there, slinging an arm around his buddy’s shoulders. “This is my fault, Sarah. I should’ve warned you before you came over. This guy loves to brag.” He pulled Brody in for a one-armed hug.
Brody’s hands were up in front of them, his head shaking from side to side. “It’s her first time at Belfast, man. I just want to make it memorable.”
This time, Sarah had a grin she couldn’t contain. “Well, color me impressed.”
Brody made one of those told-you-so faces at Max, who just laughed.
Then raising a brow at his buddy, Max leaned in closer and said, “I’m guessing she’d be more impressed if she had a drink.” He leaned over the counter to the bartender and ordered a couple of Goose Islands for them.
Brody’s big shoulders slumped, his mouth hanging open slightly as if jealous that Max had placed her order. “Man, that’s just cold.”
The beers were up, and Max handed Sarah hers, clinking her glass before taking a drink.
“Come on, we’re about to start a game of darts,” Max said, resting his hand at the small of her back as he led the way.
Sarah laughed. “Darts? You still play?”
“You know it.” Max grinned, slanting a look over at her as they walked back to the table where Molly, Sean, Jase, and Emily were set up. “Okay, but you’ve got to do me a favor. Don’t say anything about how you play.”
Sarah stopped where she was and turned to Max. “Seriously?” She crossed her arms over her chest. “I thought you were all about the rules, Max. Mr. Do-the-Right-Thing? I’m a little disappointed to see you trying to stack the deck.”
At least the guy looked chagrined. He rubbed a hand over his jaw. “I know, I know. And I’m sorry. But you know how much I like to win.”
She shook her head in mock disapproval. Max’s brows rose expectantly, and she relented, issuing a heavy sigh. “Fine. However you want to play it.”
After a barely contained fist pump, he returned his hand to her back, ushering her over to the table where everyone was waiting. “You guys don’t mind if Sarah joins us for a game, right?”
When they all agreed, he met her with an earnest stare. “You’ve seen people play darts before.” he asked, motioning toward the board with his free hand and then breaking down the basics of the game before looking around the table at his friends. “How are we doing teams?”
Emily pursed her lips and looked at her husband adoringly. A little too adoringly.
“How about y
ou and me, honey?” she asked, nearly banking the competitive fire in her eyes enough to keep Sarah from seeing it. But in Sarah’s line of work, it paid to catch details.
So Max wasn’t the only one who liked to win.
“Sean, you’re with me,” Molly stated, flashing an impish grin back at her brother.
Sarah let out a small sigh. So that was how it was going to be.
“Oh. Well, okay.” Max nodded to his friends before grinning back at Sarah. “Looks like it’s you and me. Why don’t you go first?”
Emily hopped off her stool, nodding in agreement. “Yeah, and remember, it’s fun. Nobody takes this too seriously.”
It took everything Sarah had not to roll her eyes and laugh. Yeah, right.
Stepping up to the marker on the floor, Sarah took the dart Max handed her. Tested the weight and rolled it between her fingers. Sending Max a tentative glance, she pulled a nervous face. “I just hope I hit the board.”
Max coughed into his hand.
She sent the dart sailing and closed her eyes.
“Oh, you dirty snake!” Emily accused, her finger outstretched to where Sarah’s dart had landed neatly in the centermost ring of the board.
Max shrugged, looking as innocent as a lifetime bad boy could possibly look. Not very.
Sarah feigned a gasp, holding her hand up in front of her mouth like she couldn’t believe what had just happened. “Wait, was that good?”
Emily cracked her knuckles and straightened to her full height, which was probably a good seven inches taller than Sarah’s. She might have been intimidated, but Sarah dealt with powerhouses towering over her nearly every day.
Besides, it was clear from Emily’s expression of delight that Jase’s wife was practically salivating over the challenge. Friendly as it might be. Which Sarah definitely got.
She threw again. “That’s called a bull’s-eye, right?”
Molly dropped her head into her hands and let out a plaintive cry. “This is my karmic payback for not being nice enough to let the new girl play on my team. Dang it!”
And again. “Wow, pretty neat how they’re all practically on top of each other like that, huh?”
Max grabbed the back of his chair and pulled it out to sit. “Oh wait, did I forget to mention Sarah’s the one who taught me to play?” And because he was apparently a gloater of the worst kind, he mock whispered, “I wouldn’t play her for cash. Just sayin’.”
Sarah couldn’t help laughing at the pile of floundering egos sprawled out around her. Except for Sean, of course, who’d been kind enough to keep his mouth shut about the game of darts they’d played back in San Francisco two years earlier. When she’d wiped the floor with him.
Walking back to her seat beside Max, she held her hand out for a passing five. But instead of their hands meeting and slipping apart, Max caught her fingers in his, holding until their eyes met.
Wow, that half-naughty, totally satisfied smile on his lips—mixed with the laughter in his eyes—caught her off guard. For a moment, she got that crazy roller-coaster feeling, the one that left her just a little less than in control. That reminded her of how much Max affected her and finally had her looking away, hoping he didn’t catch the hot blush creeping into her cheeks.
Because tonight was about being friends—the more than ship having sailed Saturday night.
A fact underscored by the arrival of a blond in a pair of formfitting, strategically ripped jeans with a thick black belt that hung low on her hips, motorcycle boots, and a T-shirt so short and tight it might actually have come from the children’s section.
The blond walked up to the table and exchanged animated hellos with everyone before stepping into the vee of Max’s legs. Looping one well-toned arm around his neck, she leaned up to whisper something in his ear.
Sarah hopped off her seat. “Be right back, guys.”
If ever there was call for a feigned trip to the ladies’ room, this was it. She’d felt her mouth fall open as Max’s friend practically crawled into his lap, and Sarah was not going to be that hopeless girl watching from the side of the party as the guy she wanted hooked up with someone more his speed. Not again. And definitely not with the same man.
* * *
As a cop whose ability to rely on his reflexes could mean the difference between life and death, Max was thinking maybe it was time for a career change. Either that or he needed to get his shit together. Because the minute Andrea had walked up to him, sliding between his legs like she belonged there, Max’s ability to act fast and minimize the damage of a potentially explosive situation basically got flushed down the toilet. All he’d been able to think was Oh shit because Sarah was sitting two feet away.
And then she hadn’t been.
Before he even had a chance to politely pass on Andrea’s offer of company, Sarah had scooted off the chair she just sat down in and asked Molly where the ladies’ room was. She hadn’t looked upset. But hell, for whatever reason, the part of him that reacted to Sarah so differently than he did to other women wanted—no, needed—her to know he wasn’t interested in Andrea.
Which was why he found himself following Sarah. She passed the bar and rounded the corner to the back hall where the restrooms were. But rather than going in, she stopped, leaning against the wall as she dug her phone from her purse.
“Sarah,” he said, not wanting to startle her. “Hey, sorry about that with Andrea. She caught me by surprise.”
Sarah grimaced. “Hope I didn’t make you uncomfortable, or anyone else. But I was feeling kind of awkward there. Not because I thought that you and I… Ugh, you know what I mean.”
He was pretty sure he did. Because while they’d agreed that nothing was going to happen between them, he was having one hell of a time shutting down the possessive bullshit that kept firing up every time Sean or any other guy seemed to notice Sarah was alive. So pretty much nonstop.
It didn’t make sense. It wasn’t rational. But there it was.
Sarah bit her lip, refocusing on her phone. “It’s totally fine if you’re interested in whatever Andrea was offering. More than fine. I mean, you didn’t even know I was going to be here. I just showed up with Sean. So, of course…” She let out a sigh and met his eyes, that sweet sort of critical look on her face. “Okay, and now I feel like a total idiot. Sarah, stop talking.”
Max wanted to reach for her, pull her against his chest, and hug her. Hell, he could practically feel himself burying his nose in her silky dark hair, but it probably wasn’t a good idea. Having her that close, being able to smell her subtle perfume and feel the softness of her curves against him. Yeah, better not.
“No, Sarah, you’re not an idiot. I am. Andrea was there before I even realized it, and I was the one feeling awkward. I didn’t know how to handle it. She’s a cool girl, and we’re friends. We’ve been friends for a long time. So jumping back like she was on fire would’ve made everyone feel like crap. But I wasn’t interested.”
“Well, like I said, it would’ve been fine if you were. I just didn’t want to watch it.” She laughed in her self-deprecating way and added, “Been there, done that.”
Max’s brows furrowed. “What are you talking about?”
Returning her phone to her purse, she cocked her head. “I’ve seen you hook up with other women, Max. Back in college. That handful of parties you talked me into. I knew I wasn’t your date. I knew you weren’t into me. But there was that thing between us, that little maybe in the back of my mind. Anyway, when the party would wind down, and one of the girls who’d been hovering around you on and off throughout the night suddenly stuck close, hooking her fingers into your pocket, and you’d wrap your arm around her shoulders and pull her in. Whisper something in her ear that would make even a girl as bold as she was blush and smile.” She shook her head. “Well, I’ve seen enough of that.”
There was no judgment in her
eyes. No hurt or accusation. Just a statement of fact from a woman who knew herself well enough and had the confidence to give him that simple truth.
Still, something deep in his gut twisted, hearing her confession. Because he remembered those parties too. He remembered inviting her, even though he knew they weren’t her speed. He remembered justifying his actions by telling himself he was just trying to help her have some fun. Get out and meet a few people. He’d even told himself if she came to his parties, he could keep an eye on her, make sure she didn’t get into any trouble and no one hassled her. Like he was some fucking savior, instead of the asshole trying like hell to come up with any excuse he could find to be near her.
And when she’d shown up those few times, he told himself he was doing the right thing by making sure they both knew nothing was going to happen between them. By making sure she saw exactly what kind of a dog he was when it came to women. So she wouldn’t be tempted. Because if she had been? Hell, that was one temptation he hadn’t known if he’d be able to pass up.
“Sarah,” he started, not sure what to say, what not to say.
She shook her head. “I can see you’re about to apologize for something, and you absolutely don’t need to. I’m not upset about it. But I think it’s plain to see I’m still attracted to you. And even though we both agree there’s nowhere for that to go, I’d still rather not see you with someone else if I don’t have to.”
“You won’t. And just so we’re clear, I wasn’t looking for anything other than a few hours of fun with my friends tonight. That’s still what I want. I hope what happened with Andrea doesn’t cost me one of them.”
The Wedding Date Bargain Page 9