Managed Hearts

by MacMillan, Jerica

  After serving the frat boys and flirting a few more minutes, the bartender’s eyes turned her direction, and Hannah raised her hand to indicate that she wanted to order. The way the woman’s eyes lit up gave Hannah a split second of hope, even if that reaction was confusing until she realized the bartender had her gaze focused over Hannah’s shoulder. Hannah glanced behind her and came face-to-face with a chest covered in a snug polo shirt. Craning her neck up, up, she made eye contact with the tall, dark-haired guy looming over her. He grinned down at her, straight white teeth flashing in the dim light. She offered him a closed-mouth smile in return.

  The bartender finished with the frat boys and sauntered over, a predatory grin on her face directed at the guy behind Hannah. She leaned onto the bar, flipping back her hair, her arms pushing her breasts up further, the lace from her bra peeking out of the low scoop neck of her tight, black top. “What can I get you, sweetie?”

  Hannah bit her upper lip to keep herself from laughing at the woman’s over-the-top flirting. The guy leaned into her space even more, placing a hand around Hannah’s waist. When she stiffened at his touch, he squeezed his fingers like maybe he was trying to reassure her, but didn’t remove his hand. She twisted to look up at him, but he started ordering before she could say anything. “I’ll have a Widmer Hefeweizen and whatever my girl here needs.” He turned to Hannah with another wide smile, one eyebrow raised in question.

  Hannah was too stunned for a second to even respond.

  “What did you want, sweetness?” He tilted his head toward the waiting bartender, who’d lost her flirty smile and straightened up so her boobs weren’t about to pop out of her top anymore. Not quite, anyway.

  Finally finding her voice, Hannah croaked, “Just water.”

  The bartender nodded, filled a glass with ice and water, and slid it to Hannah before filling a frosted glass from a tap and shoving an orange slice on the rim. She set the glass on the bar, took the guy’s money, and moved on to flirt with the next group of guys who’d sidled up to the bar.

  Hannah gulped her water and moved away from the hand on her waist. He let it drop without protest and followed her away from the bar.

  He leaned down so he could speak into her ear. “Sorry about that. I saw the way she was ignoring you and figured I’d help you out. There wasn’t time to explain before she came over. I wasn’t trying to creep on you or anything.” He smiled again, and Hannah smiled back, a full smile this time.

  “I guess I should say thank you then.”

  “You’re welcome. I’m Evan, by the way.”

  “Hannah.” She moved toward an open table, wanting to sit down. Over an hour of dancing in the strappy heels Elena insisted she wear meant that her feet were killing her. She hadn’t noticed it much on the dance floor, but now she was just standing, her feet throbbed in time with the music. Evan followed, pulling the other chair around the table next to hers.

  Plucking the orange slice off the rim of his glass, he squeezed it into his beer before taking a drink. Then he leaned in close to her, pitching his voice loud enough to carry over the music. “Are you here alone?”

  She shook her head. “No. I’m here with a friend.” She waved a hand toward the crowd. “She’s dancing. I needed a break and some water.”

  He nodded, and Hannah looked him over. The colorful flashing lights of the club made it hard to see him well, but she liked what she could make out. Tall, broad, his shirt clinging to muscular shoulders, hinting at more muscles beneath without being overly tight all over. She couldn’t tell what color his short hair or his eyes were, but she liked his smile. Since she’d come with Elena to try to meet guys, she figured she should make more of an effort here.

  She smiled at him, leaning closer now. “What about you? Are you here with anyone?”

  He smiled back, nodding. “Yeah. My friend Duncan turned twenty-one this week, so we’re all here partying with him.” He pointed to a group of guys standing around a high-top table laughing and drinking, a few of them had girls in skimpy clubwear hanging off of them.

  One of the guys saw Evan pointing and stumbled in their direction. “Coop! There you are!”

  Hannah wrinkled her brows, looking at the guy next to her. “I thought you said your name is Evan.”

  He shrugged, taking a drink of his beer. “It is. My last name’s Coopman. The guys on the team call me Coop for short.”

  “The team?”

  “Football.”

  With a nod, Hannah gulped down the rest of her water. Matt had been on the football team. Evan probably knew Matt. Which mean Hannah could find out about Matt. Had he ever mentioned her? Probably not. What was she thinking? Spinning her glass between her hands, she sunk her teeth into her upper lip to keep herself from asking any of the questions running through her mind.

  She was saved from further temptation by Evan’s friend barging over to their table and clapping a hand on his shoulder. “Dude! I thought you were just getting a refill. What are you doing sitting here? Come back to the party!”

  Evan looked at Hannah. “This is Duncan.” He turned to Duncan and inclined his head toward her. “Duncan, meet Hannah. We were just hanging out for a second. She needed to sit, and I was waiting for her to feel up to dancing again before inviting her to join us.”

  “If you’re worried about sitting, you both need more to drink! Come on! Bottoms up!” Duncan seemed to notice that Hannah’s glass was empty. “What’re you drinking? Never mind. Come over to our table, we’ll get you sorted. We’ve got plenty.” He gestured at Evan. “This one’s too snobby for our pitchers of beer, but I’m sure you won’t mind.”

  Hannah opened her mouth to respond, but Duncan was off, lurching back to the table he’d come from, raising his glass high in the air and shouting. “Whoo! Happy birthday to me!”

  Evan grinned at her. “What do you say? Wanna come hang out for a while? I won’t insist you get drunk, but you might have more fun over there if you do.”

  Even though Hannah pretended to think it over for a minute, she’d already made up her mind. She knew Matt had already graduated, so he couldn’t be on the team. There was no way he’d be here. Even if these guys knew him, she doubted it would matter. Here was this cute guy who seemed interested in her. He’d already helped her out when she needed a drink. And even if having his arm around her had startled her at first, she’d actually enjoyed the way it felt. Plus, Elena would kill her if she turned him down. A couple more drinks, some dancing, what was the harm?

  She smiled widely. “Sure.”

  Evan smiled back at her, drained the last of his beer, and stood. His hand went to the small of her back as he ushered her over to his group of friends, and Hannah sunk into the feeling of a guy paying attention to her, claiming her, even if only for the night.

  When they arrived at the tall tables where Evan’s friends were gathered, the group split apart, making room for them. Hannah stepped into the gap, Evan moving close beside her, angling his body so he could face the table as well as her. Looking around, she realized she recognized a few people from her classes, and nodded in greeting. Nothing prepared her, though, for the recognition that struck her like a bolt of lightning when she looked to the end of the group and saw Matt standing there glowering at her.

  So much for her plan to stay out of his way.

  Jealousy prickled over Matt’s skin as he stared at Hannah sidling up to the table, some douchey junior close beside her. Okay, fine, Coop wasn’t a douche. He was a nice guy. But he kept brushing his hand down Hannah’s back, and that made Matt want to rip his arms off and beat him with the bloody stumps.

  Matt tried to keep his expression even, or at least stop staring at Coop touching Hannah, but he couldn’t tear his eyes away. She turned her head and met his gaze. Fuck.

  He watched recognition, surprise, and confusion run across her face. Her eyes held his, like they were locked in some strange staring contest and the loser would forfeit something unknown but serious for looking away firs
t.

  Coop leaned down and spoke into her ear, and Matt’s fingers tightened around the glass in his hand. At least they weren’t at someone’s house drinking beer out of cans, or he’d be crushing it right now. The distraction of Coop speaking to her made Hannah look away first. But even though that should mean he won, he hadn’t. This staring contest had different rules, and her looking away first meant he lost because now her eyes weren’t on him.

  The girl next to him leaned over and rubbed her breasts on his arm, clutching his bicep and tracing his tattoo where it peeked out from under the sleeve of his T-shirt. She whispered something in his ear, but he wasn’t paying attention.

  He forced his eyes away from Hannah and turned to the girl next to him. Tracie? Trixie? No, Trish. Her name was Trish. She was one of the chicks who followed around the football team, hooking up with random players. For some reason she’d set her sights on him, seeming to want some kind of relationship beyond the one-off hookup they’d had. She’d started rubbing up against him whenever the opportunity presented itself late last semester. He hadn’t actively encouraged her, but hadn’t shut her down either. That seemed to be all the encouragement she needed.

  And even thought he’d grown tired of playing around and wanted something lasting, Trish didn’t fit the bill. She was nice enough, he supposed, but she wasn’t … Hannah. And now that he’d seen Hannah again, no one else could possibly measure up.

  “I’m sorry, what was that?” He was trying hard not to be an asshole but really didn’t have much patience for anyone right now. Not while some other dude had his hands all over Hannah.

  Trish rolled her eyes, her lower lip poking out in a pout that she obviously intended to have some effect on him, but Matt didn’t know what it was supposed to be. Guilt? Attraction? Some combination of the two? When he just stared at her with a blank look on his face, she rolled her eyes.

  “I asked if you wanna go dance.” Even over the noise of the group around them and the music playing loud enough to leave your ears ringing for hours after going home, he could hear the whiny tone in her voice. And he was done.

  He shook his head and shrugged her off. “No, thanks. I don’t feel like dancing.” He gestured with his chin at Duncan. “Duncan would probably appreciate the offer, though. Especially if he gets more than just a dance. It’s his birthday, after all.”

  She gave him a disgusted look and dropped her hands from his arm. The claustrophobic feeling that had dogged him since arriving lessened a little. It lifted completely when she stepped away and took his suggestion to chat up Duncan. He watched as Duncan threw an arm around her, enthusiastic about a pretty girl giving him attention. Especially a girl who never gave him the time of day during the season. She paid far more attention to the seniors than anyone else.

  A familiar laugh brought his attention back to Hannah, who still stood talking to Coop, laughing at something he’d just said. Coop had all his attention directed at Hannah, like they were in their own little bubble, away from everyone else. Hannah seemed to be enjoying his attention. Matt forced himself to drink more of his beer, the liquid bitter on his tongue even though it had been smooth and refreshing a minute ago.

  Turning away, he tried to lose himself in the conversations going on around him or watching the people on the dance floor. Anything to keep his mind off Hannah. It wasn’t working, though, and the longer he stayed, the more he wanted to leave. What had started off as a fun night out with friends, drinking and celebrating, had become irritating and boring.

  Chris and Megan wandered up, sweaty and out of breath from dancing. Chris knocked into him, dragging the pitcher of beer and a glass closer to him. “Dude, did someone replace the beer with piss or something?” He eyed the pitcher dubiously, making a show of smelling it before pouring a glass for Megan and one for himself. “No, it looks alright and it smells like beer, so …” When Matt didn’t answer, Chris gulped down half his glass, Megan watching their interaction from his other side. “Seriously, dude. You’ve been moody like this off and on for the last week. What’s your deal? You seemed alright earlier. What happened?”

  Matt shrugged, not answering, looking away from them and the picture of the happy couple they painted. They only needed Lance and Abby here sucking face to make him feel like more of a loser. The single guy. The third wheel.

  Chris and Megan both stared at him while they finished their beers. He refused to look at them.

  Chris slammed his glass down hard enough to make Matt jump and turn his way. “Fine. Stay here and be a pissy jackass. Megan and I are going dancing. Let us know if you’re going to bail so we know to call a cab.”

  With a stiff nod, he turned back to the table. Hannah’s eyes were on him again. And she was alone. Should he go talk to her? Probably not. But the thought of Coop coming back to flirt with her, maybe take her home tonight, made him want to hurl. He had a chance to talk to her, see if she was still as sweet as he remembered, try to figure out if she remembered him at all and what that might mean.

  Fuck it. This was his chance.

  Chapter Five

  Hannah held Matt’s gaze for what felt like an eternity, or maybe just a second. When he stepped back from the table, she looked down at the empty glass in her hands, then out over the moving crowd, anywhere but at the space he’d occupied. A pang of disappointment reverberated below her ribs, fighting with the music for space in her body.

  Lifting her head, she sucked in a deep breath. It shouldn’t matter that he’d taken one look at her and vanished. She came here with Elena to meet a guy, and look, she’d bumped into Evan. He was funny, attractive, and interested. She had no claim to Matt, not anymore. Not in years. She had no right to feel disappointed that he’d left. And besides, Evan would be back in a minute. She needed to focus on him.

  “I wouldn’t have expected to bump into you in a place like this.” A gasp of shock escaped Hannah at the low voice in her ear. When she turned, her nose almost bumped into the center of Matt’s chest.

  She raised her eyes, looking into his face. His expression gave nothing away. He’d gotten better at that face since she’d known him last. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  He tilted his head, examining her face. “From the way you dress in the office you look all prim and proper.” A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. “Or do you have an inner naughty librarian thing going on?”

  Hannah’s nostrils flared, and she didn’t know how to respond. When they’d locked eyes, she thought for sure he’d recognized her. Not from work. From then. That summer in Westport. But with this question …?

  She wasn’t so sure after all.

  But she couldn’t ignore that question. “Maybe I do,” she retorted. “And I’m not sure seeing me at work a few times gives you enough information to judge my character.”

  He opened his mouth and closed it again, shaking his head a little, the playful smirk now gone. “You’re right. Seeing you a few times wouldn’t give me that kind of information.” He leaned in closer. “But my window overlooks the front doors. I’ve seen you every day.”

  The low rumble of his voice sent shivers down Hannah’s spine, but she didn’t want to let him know that he affected her. Still. After all this time, his presence and his voice in her ear had arousal zinging down her spine and wetness soaking her thong. Instead she gave him a cheeky grin. “Stalking me now? That seems inappropriate for an HR manager.”

  His eyes flew wide, and he shook his head frantically. “No. What? I’m not—”

  Hannah laughed, both at his stammering response and that her flippant comment had reduced him to this. When she’d known him before, he’d been smooth and unflappable. The only time she’d been able to get him flustered or losing control was in the bedroom. Or the back of the car, or covered by a blanket under the stars on the beach, or … Yeah, she needed to stop thinking about that. She laid a hand on his arm, the memories making her feel closer to him than she should. “I’m kidding, Matt.”

  His e
yes zeroed in on where she touched him. Realizing what she was doing, she jerked her hand away. A look passed over his face, almost like disappointment, but then he put his neutral mask back in place.

  Before she could say or do anything else, a new Lemon Drop appeared in front of her on the table. Her gaze followed the hand that slid it in front of her up to Evan’s face. “Oh, hi. You’re back.”

  “Yup. I am.” He looked past her to where Matt stood on her other side and lifted his chin. “Schwartz.”

  “Coop.” Matt returned the gesture. The two of them stood eyeing each other over the top of her head.

  Feeling uncomfortable with the tension now crackling in the air around her, Hannah shifted, looking from one to the other before settling on Evan. “I’m interning at the company where Matt works now. He came over to say hi. I didn’t know you two knew each other.”

  Evan grunted.

  “Yeah, we’ve played the last few seasons together,” Matt supplied, his voice stiff. “Evan’s on offense, though, and I was on D, so we didn’t spend much time together on the field.”

  Hannah nodded, wanting to keep some kind of conversation going, hoping one or both of them would relax or just leave. If they didn’t stand down soon, she would be the one to leave.

  She knew she shouldn’t get involved with Matt again. If she had any sense, she’d be hoping he’d step back, let her go. But she clearly didn’t have any sense, because the thought of him leaving sent fresh shards of longing spiraling through her chest. No, she really hoped Evan would decide she wasn’t worth fighting over.