I cross my arms over my chest. “Excuse me, but they are assholes,” I tell her, “and they don’t deserve to have you or Avery in their lives.”
“Thank you,” she says. “Getting this job meant everything to me. Just being part of a team and not just a number.”
“You aren’t just a member of the team,” I explain to her. “You’re now family. I mean, dysfunctional, but still.”
“I’ll take it,” she replies as we get into the car. I start the car, and she just looks at me.
“What?” I ask, and she tilts her head to the side.
“You have to text him that you got in the car,” she reminds me, and I glare at her.
“If you think I’m going to do what he says to do, you have another think coming.” I shake my head. “He’s lucky I’m going to meet him, and the only reason I’m going to meet him is because he’ll probably show up at my house or at work.”
She snickers beside me. “This is going to be fun,” she says, clapping her hands.
I shake my head, not bothering arguing with her. I drop her off at Shelby’s house where she left her car and Avery. I pull out of the driveway and my phone rings. I look at the center console, seeing that Matthew is calling.
“Are you calling to cancel?” I say cheerfully, and he just laughs.
“I’m calling because you never texted me,” he huffs. “Where are you?”
“Where are you?” I answer his question with a question as I make my way into town.
“I just got out of the shower,” he actually answers. “Are you at the restaurant?”
“I am not,” I say, and he doesn’t even wait for me to answer him.
“Fine, I’ll come to your house,” he mutters and I laugh at him.
“I’m on my way to the restaurant, don’t get your panties in a twist.”
“Okay, I’m leaving in ten, so I’ll meet you there.”
“Yeah, yeah,” I say and hang up on him. I pull into the parking lot at the same time as Luke is walking out.
“What the hell are you doing here?” he asks when I get out of my car, looking at his watch. “It’s ten o’clock on a school night.”
“I know,” I huff. “I’m meeting a friend.”
“The hockey player?” he asks, and I gawk.
“Is nothing sacred?” I cross my arms over my chest, and he laughs.
“The restaurant is closed for the team.” He chuckles. “But Clarabella did say you went to the game tonight.” He looks around. “She would be very interested to know that you came here.” I start to talk, and he holds up his hand. “I’ll save that for you to tell her.” He comes over and kisses my cheek. “Go in the back so no one sees you walk in.”
“Thank you,” I say, walking over to the back door. I smile at the cooks as I make my way to the front, sliding onto a stool at the bar.
“If it isn’t Sofia,” Anthony, the bartender, says. “My night just went from sucky to amazing.” He winks at me and I just laugh. Anthony and I have worked side by side behind the bar a couple of times when we were stuck at the venue and had to call in help. “What can I get you?”
“I’ll have a white wine, please,” I tell him and he nods and walks away. I’m about to take my phone out when I feel the stool next to me being pulled out.
I look over and see him, his hair still wet from the shower. The smell of his cologne hits me right away, and suddenly, I’m back in the whirlwind that is Matthew Petrov. I’m about to say something to him when he shocks me with his question. “Is that a friend of yours?”
matthew
I stand here for a couple of seconds waiting to see if she is going to answer me, putting my hands in my pants pockets before I do something stupid like drag her away from here and anyone else who wants to look at her. She looks over at me. “Anthony and I are friends actually.” I smirk at her answer. The minute she agreed to meet me, I ran back in the room, gave two interviews that I rushed through, and ran out of the shower not even waiting to dry my hair. I tucked my tie in the jacket pocket and hightailed it to her. When I walked in, it took me two seconds to find her at the bar.
“Where is the girl?” I ask, looking around.
“She had to get home to her daughter,” she replies, and I’m even happier it’s just the two of us. I mean, I would have taken her any way I could.
“Here you are,” Anthony says, coming back over. He puts a white square napkin down on the bar before he places the glass of white wine in front of her. He smiles at her before he turns to look at me. “Can I get you anything to drink?” he asks.