Page 43 of The Exception

“Good evening,” she said.

Why the hell was she talking like a guest at a royal ball?

He laughed. “Good evening, Madame.”

She ducked her head and smiled. “Sorry. Formal night.”

Trav pushed his elbow into her side and a jolt of electricity shot into her belly, startling her. Her nerves were clearly on high alert. She cleared her throat and let her eyes fall from his face to his outfit—dark suit, tailored, powder blue dress shirt with a matching handkerchief in the breast pocket. He’d even taken the time to shape his usually messy hair into a dapper part, though she had the silly urge to mess it back up.

He looked… really good. And she was just happy enough to have a friend to talk to that she decided to tell him so. “You clean up nice, soldier,” she said, careful to keep her voice light despite that little dip in her belly when she noticed the knot on his tie was already loosened.

The tips of his ears turned pink at the compliment, and she was simultaneously baffled and softened. Trav blushing.Who woulda thought?

“No date tonight?” she asked. For reasons she absolutely could not fathom, her stomach twisted at her own question.

“Nah,” he said, leaning back in his chair. He rested his ankle on his knee. “I’m too nice of a guy to subject a woman to dinner with my father.”

She laughed. She could definitely attest to the drag that dinner with Jack Travis would be. She turned over her shoulder to see the man engaged in a boisterous discussion with the head heart surgeon, while his poor wife twisted her napkin on her lap, looking bored to tears.

“Is that your step-mother?” she asked, pointing to the woman.

“No.” Trav’s answer was clipped and she knew she’d hit on something unpleasant, so she switched gears.

“The buffet looks good—”

“You want to get out of here?”

“What?”

He held a hand up, his ears pink again. “I mean, not the way that sounded… I just mean, this kinda sucks and we’ve already been seen, so do we really have to stay? Let’s go get a beer out of a dirty glass.”

“Ew. Why would you drink out of a—”

He pushed his chair back and stood, offering his hand. “I don’t know the area, so your choice. I’ll even drive. You look like you could use another vodka or seven.”

He looked nervous, antsy like he was about to turn into a pumpkin at midnight or something. She wondered what it was that had him so uncomfortable.

“Please?” he asked, flashing those damn blue eyes that she was still trying to build up immunity to.

Sonya glanced at his big hand hovering near her face and swallowed. This did kind of suck.

And she did need another drink.

And if she stared at that empty chair for one more minute, she’d lose it.

Fine.Appearances be damned. He was right, she’d earned an early escape. Ignoring his hand, she stood and tucked her clutch under her arm, then straightened her dress. “Okay,” she said. “I’m in, and I know a place.”

Nineteen

“So, do you come here often?” Trav held the door for Sonya at the pub she’d chosen, and she passed him, shrugging off her shawl to expose her bare shoulders.

“Stop with the cheesy lines,” she groaned.

He laughed. “Sorry. I’m still feeling awkward about asking you if you wanted to get out of there, so I’m using humor to cope.”

“Very psych 101 of you.” She walked straight to the bar like she owned the place, and climbed onto a stool. “And yes, I come here a lot. My friends and I.”

“Is the food good? I didn’t eat.” He took the stool beside her and looked around. It was busy, most people dressed like they’d come from work even though it was past eight now. It must be good enough to stick around.

---