you space. Use it. Figure out if you want me, want us, once and for all.” Bracing a hand on the wall, he twisted his torso to meet her gaze full-on. “Because I’m done chasing you, Delaney. You’re going to have to come to me if you want something from me. Understood?”
White teeth sank into her lower lip. He almost groaned out loud as she gave him a slow nod.
Feeling slightly more confident than he had mere minutes ago, he returned the nod. “And when you do come, be ready. I mean really ready, because I’m done playing games, Sugar. When you say go, you and me, we’re going all in.”
Chapter 4
Laney jammed her thumb in her mouth, then closed her eyes and moaned in ecstasy as she sucked the dregs of Bubba’s famous sauce from her skin. When she stirred from her barbeque-induced bliss, she found Brooke openly staring at someone beyond Laney’s shoulder.
Since stealth had never been her strong suit, Laney didn’t even attempt it. Instead, she twisted in the booth and peered through the packed restaurant until her internal radar homed in on their former classmate, Darla Kennet.
The Pit was a Mobile landmark, and Darla was the much-beloved BBQ joint’s queen bee. She certainly had tenure locked up. As far as Laney knew, Darla had landed the job waiting tables mere days after she’d dropped out of St. Patrick’s and been kicked out of her parents’ house their senior year of high school. She’d been there ever since, serving up Bubba’s hickory-smoked meats with sides of slaw and sass.
Laney wasn’t entirely sure what Darla had done to earn Brooke’s scrutiny, but in a show of solidarity, Laney gave the curvy brunette a squinty-eyed stare of her own. “What? Did Darla try to put the moves on Brian? Ask him if he wanted extra sauce on his smoked sausage?”
Rolling her eyes, Brooke tossed a wad of red-streaked paper napkin into her decimated basket and tore open the tiny package tucked into the side of the basket. She unfolded the moist towelette with the utmost care, then meticulously wiped each of her fingers, a frown gouging a line between her fine blond brows.
Laney plucked the last rib from her basket and pointed it at her friend. “Keep scowling and your face will freeze that way.”
“I don’t think he’s the one.”
The rib fell back into the paper-lined basket with a thunk. She took in her best friend’s preternaturally serene expression, then let her eyes drop to the oh-so-perfect Art Deco diamond ring glittering on Brooke’s slender finger, denial rising up from deep inside her. True, she hadn’t always been Brian’s biggest fan, but she’d never seen her friend as happy as she’d been since he blew back into town. They fit together like a pair of gloves. Or a pair of geeks. This little bombshell had to be a blip. Or the first sign of an aneurism. Either way, she wasn’t about to let Brooke torpedo her future. Not over what had to be no more than a harmless flirtation with Darla Kennet.
“Now, listen, I tease about Brian’s smoked sausage, but I can tell you there’s no way in hell he’d ever look twice at any woman who isn’t you. Certainly not the likes of Darla Kennet.”
Of course, the hyper-efficient waitress chose that moment to pop up.
“She’s right. He barely even looked up when I smeared Bubba’s best all over my titties and did a little lap dance for him.” Darla snatched both their baskets from the table but steadfastly ignored their nearly empty glasses. “Nothing else for you ladies ? I’ll bring your ticket.”
“Darla, I—” Brooke began.
Embarrassment burned hot and deep, but as always, Laney tilted her chin up, pulled out the tattered Tarrington pride, and brazened it out. “That’d be great. Thanks so much.”
“Laney!”
Brooke ground her name between her gnashing teeth, but Laney refused to be derailed. “What do you mean you don’t think Brian’s the one?” she hissed. “Of course he is!”
“Brian?”
Perplexed
White teeth sank into her lower lip. He almost groaned out loud as she gave him a slow nod.
Feeling slightly more confident than he had mere minutes ago, he returned the nod. “And when you do come, be ready. I mean really ready, because I’m done playing games, Sugar. When you say go, you and me, we’re going all in.”
Chapter 4
Laney jammed her thumb in her mouth, then closed her eyes and moaned in ecstasy as she sucked the dregs of Bubba’s famous sauce from her skin. When she stirred from her barbeque-induced bliss, she found Brooke openly staring at someone beyond Laney’s shoulder.
Since stealth had never been her strong suit, Laney didn’t even attempt it. Instead, she twisted in the booth and peered through the packed restaurant until her internal radar homed in on their former classmate, Darla Kennet.
The Pit was a Mobile landmark, and Darla was the much-beloved BBQ joint’s queen bee. She certainly had tenure locked up. As far as Laney knew, Darla had landed the job waiting tables mere days after she’d dropped out of St. Patrick’s and been kicked out of her parents’ house their senior year of high school. She’d been there ever since, serving up Bubba’s hickory-smoked meats with sides of slaw and sass.
Laney wasn’t entirely sure what Darla had done to earn Brooke’s scrutiny, but in a show of solidarity, Laney gave the curvy brunette a squinty-eyed stare of her own. “What? Did Darla try to put the moves on Brian? Ask him if he wanted extra sauce on his smoked sausage?”
Rolling her eyes, Brooke tossed a wad of red-streaked paper napkin into her decimated basket and tore open the tiny package tucked into the side of the basket. She unfolded the moist towelette with the utmost care, then meticulously wiped each of her fingers, a frown gouging a line between her fine blond brows.
Laney plucked the last rib from her basket and pointed it at her friend. “Keep scowling and your face will freeze that way.”
“I don’t think he’s the one.”
The rib fell back into the paper-lined basket with a thunk. She took in her best friend’s preternaturally serene expression, then let her eyes drop to the oh-so-perfect Art Deco diamond ring glittering on Brooke’s slender finger, denial rising up from deep inside her. True, she hadn’t always been Brian’s biggest fan, but she’d never seen her friend as happy as she’d been since he blew back into town. They fit together like a pair of gloves. Or a pair of geeks. This little bombshell had to be a blip. Or the first sign of an aneurism. Either way, she wasn’t about to let Brooke torpedo her future. Not over what had to be no more than a harmless flirtation with Darla Kennet.
“Now, listen, I tease about Brian’s smoked sausage, but I can tell you there’s no way in hell he’d ever look twice at any woman who isn’t you. Certainly not the likes of Darla Kennet.”
Of course, the hyper-efficient waitress chose that moment to pop up.
“She’s right. He barely even looked up when I smeared Bubba’s best all over my titties and did a little lap dance for him.” Darla snatched both their baskets from the table but steadfastly ignored their nearly empty glasses. “Nothing else for you ladies ? I’ll bring your ticket.”
“Darla, I—” Brooke began.
Embarrassment burned hot and deep, but as always, Laney tilted her chin up, pulled out the tattered Tarrington pride, and brazened it out. “That’d be great. Thanks so much.”
“Laney!”
Brooke ground her name between her gnashing teeth, but Laney refused to be derailed. “What do you mean you don’t think Brian’s the one?” she hissed. “Of course he is!”
“Brian?”
Perplexed
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