Page 61 of Beautiful Distraction

“What are your suggestions?” Mandy says. “Ava likes to goout just as much as she enjoys an evening in.” Now she sounds like she’s in aTV reality show and trying to get the guy to choose me instead of the two otherdesperate floozies.

“I was planning on getting to bed early. You know, catchsome sleep,” I say.

Mandy shoots me a dirty look.

“What?” I mouth and frown.

“You’re a lost cause. I’m going to take a shower because I’mmost certainly not staying in tonight,” she mutters and walks out. She callsover her shoulder, “And you’re not staying in either. There’s got to besomething remotely exciting to do in this town. And I’ll find it, dammit.”

“I think she wants you to go out with me,” Kellan remarks,amused, as soon as a door slams down the corridor and we’re alone again.

“Yeah, she’s not very subtle at expressing her wishes.” Ibrush my hair out of my face and look all the way up to meet his impossiblygreen gaze.

That was a big mistake.

“Is there a bar somewhere around here?” I ask.

“Sure, there is. And it serves the best beer in the state.”Kellan’s arms are crossed over his chest as he regards me with that challengingflicker in his eyes.

Doeshewant me togo out with him?

I can’t imagine a guy like him needing someone like me tokeep him company. And yet, his expression says it all.

He wants me around.

I heave an exaggerated sigh as I consider my options. I’mnot afraid of being on my own, but the idea of being stuck in my room with noone to talk to isn’t exactly appealing.

Wherever Kellan’s going, there are bound to be people.

I won’t even have to sit at the same table.

Or talk to him.

I won’t even have to look at him.

Heck, I bet I can shut him out completely until I won’t evenknow that he’s around.

“Let’s hit it.”

His brows shoot up.

“I mean the town.” I gesture with my hand. “You know thesaying.”

He shakes his head.

“Everybody knows the saying ‘let’s hit the town’,” I say. Athought occurs to me—I don’t even know how old he is. “How old are you?”

“Twenty-eight. I thought you would have Googled me by now,”Kellan remarks. I stare at him, unsure whether he’s joking or being serious.

Did Mandy say something? Because I swear to God his stunninggreen eyes are twinkling with knowledge that yes, I tried to Google him afterour first encounter, even though I didn’t know his name.

“Not everyone’s obsessed with you,” I say through cringedteeth, already regretting my decision to go out with him. But I can’t go backon my word now, lest he think his words might carry a morsel of truth to them.

“Hmmm.”

That look again, like he knows more than he should and isannoyingly smug about it.

I swear to God, I’m on the verge of saying something I mightcome to regret to wipe that grin right off his face.

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