Page 68 of Starcrossed Colorado

But as I picked up my beer and food to join her, I saw some guy walk over to Emma’s table and start chatting her up. Beating me to the punch.

What the hell was this?

I’d never seen this guy before. Looked like a tourist, with his expensive athletic clothes. Probably came here after a day of mountain biking. He was leaning over Emma’s table and grinning at her, the flirtation obvious even from across the room.

She wasn’t going to fall for that. Was she?

But then she picked up her plate of nachos and her drink and joined the tourist guy at another table, where his friends were waiting. A mix of men and women, all in their twenties. I couldn’t hear what they were saying, but it was obvious greetings were being exchanged.

I sat back down heavily in my seat, my mood even blacker than before.

“Excuse me. Is this seat taken?”

I turned to see a blond by my table with her hand on the empty chair across from me. I nodded, thinking she needed to take the chair. “Go for it.” Not like I needed it, since I was very much a one-man show at the moment.

But then the blond sat down, smiling and biting her lower lip nervously. When Emma wore that expression, it usually made me want to pull her closer. But on this stranger, it made me wary.

“My friends dared me to come over here.” She flipped her hair past her shoulder, gesturing at another table of women who were watching us and grinning. “My boyfriend and I broke up yesterday, and apparently I’ve been moping, so they’re peer pressuring me to meet new people.”

“That’s not very nice of them. Moping can be very satisfying.”

“I know, right? I was doing fine at home with my gallon of ice cream before they shoved me in the car and drove me out here.” She smiled again, eyes crinkling. “I’m Callie.”

“Ashford.”

“I have to admit, I was curious why you’re sitting here by yourself. Waiting for someone?”

I grunted noncommittally. “Not really.”

She brightened, as if my response had encouraged her.

Shit.

Callie tried to make conversation with me, and I did my best not to be rude, though my best wasn’t that great. She was probably in her thirties, like me. Seemed like a nice person. I was sorry she’d had a bad breakup. But it was hard to muster the energy to be friendly.

Not when I could barely look away from the horror movie unfolding across the room.

Mountain-biker guy had his arm draped on the back of Emma’s chair. As if he hadn’t met her all of ten minutes ago. Then he leaned closer, saying something into her ear.

The vein at my temple pulsed.

“So, who is she?” Callie asked.

“What?” I grunted.

“That pretty brunette at the other table. Someone special?” She smiled and took a sip of her martini. “It’s okay, I already figured out I have zero chance with you. I’m just wondering why you’re overhere, since you so clearly would rather be overthere.”

I heaved a sigh. “She’s my roommate. We had an argument the other day. Haven’t made up.”

“Why not?”

“It’s complicated.”

“But you miss her.” It wasn’t a question.

“I do. She’s…” I sorted through the words that surfaced in my head.Smart. Determined. Funny. Beautiful. “She means a lot to me.”

That realization hit me like a left hook. Should’ve seen it coming, but it stunned me all the same.

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