Page 8 of Sweet Spot

He grinned. “Oh yeah. Cake?”

“Of course. Do you have coconut?”

“Do we have coconut,” he laughed. “Do we ever not have coconut? It’s Donna’s favorite. She’d kill me.” Donna was Mark’s wife. They lived two streets over from Mei’s parent’s house. Everyone thought Mark was just the bartender, but he and Donna actually owned this Reds location. Mark just loved bartending and people so he usually worked the bar.

“Excellent. Then we’ll take one coconut cake with all the bells and whistles.” Jeri loved attention, so the more obnoxious the better.

“This definitely calls for the pot. Anything else?”

I needed a reason to hang at the bar for a minute or two. “Do you still have any of that special vodka Jeri liked? If I come back with that it will throw her off the scent.”

“Oh yeah. I keep it hidden but I’ve got four bottles left.” He grabbed a glass. “I’ll go mix it up in back.”

“Thanks Mark.” I knocked my knuckles on the bar as he walked away and stole a glance at the sexy beach bum. He looked up right as I turned his way. Our gazes collided and once again, all the air seemed to whoosh out of my lungs all at once.

He had devastating hazel eyes up close. And the scruff on his chin looked more temporary. The kind you grew on vacation. Maybe that meant he was a tourist after all. He smiled and leaned closer. “You know Mark?” His voice was smooth and friendly as it washed over me.

“We eat here a lot.” I nodded at our loud group. “And you?” I held my breath. Every second under his attention made me more excited. He had a weathered maturity about him that contrasted completely with the dancing mischief in his eyes and smile.

“Moved in down the street about a month ago.”

Not a tourist. And neighbors with Jeri and Mei. The man with the long beard shot me a sheepish smile as he slapped a hand on sexy beach bum’s shoulder. “I’ll be back in a minute.”

Sexy beach bum gave me a smile as the other man sauntered back towards the restrooms. “My name is Isaac, by the way.”

“Kate.”

“Nice to meet you, Kate.” His gaze lowered, taking in my unusual outfit with another soft smile that made my knees weak. Seriously. There was something about his gaze. It was powerful, but there was something more. Like his eyes carried a running narrative, tallying everything they saw while interjecting commentary and jokes in between. I swear there was a whole conversation happening in this man’s eyes. “Do you have other recommendations for me? So far I’ve found my way to the grocery store, the gas station, and here.”

“Well I guess that depends on what you’re looking for.”

His eyes danced as he took in a breath, never looking away. I was entranced. I might have even swooned if the bar weren’t holding me up. “Any good Italian nearby?”

“Loretta’s. It’s on the next block. Excellent pizza and even better pasta. She makes it herself.”

Isaac scrubbed his chin. “I think I just drooled a little. That sounds amazing.” There was something very masculine about Isaac. He was sitting so it wasn’t like I had a full understanding of his size, but it didn’t matter. He had broad shoulders and strong muscles in his forearms and biceps, an easy confidence like he didn’t care what anyone thought of him. He might not look like the man I pictured in my dreams, but he sure had the charisma.

I wanted more of it. “If you like seafood, there’s a hole-in-the-wall called Gruber’s. You wouldn’t notice if you weren’t looking for it, but Gruber catches and cooks everything himself. It’s practically a delicacy.”

“Gruber’s,” he repeated with a nod, memorizing every detail as I described the location.

“Don’t be scared off. It looks like a shit hole but I promise you’ll never have better seafood.”

His whole face lit up. “I don’t scare off easily and I love an adventure.”

There was that masculine energy again. Subtle, confident, not overbearing. The kind of man who was just a man. He didn’t need to scream it in your face…like some people.

“Here you are, Kate.” Mark set the glass down in front of me. “One Captain Jeri special.”

Isaac frowned. “I don’t remember there being a Captain Jeri on the menu.”

“There isn’t,” Mark and I said at the same time.

“It’s my friend’s birthday and her name is Jeri.” I picked up the glass and gave Isaac, the sexy not-a-beach-bum, a smile. “It was nice meeting you.”

“You too,” he said slowly.

I walked back to the table wishing I hadn’t left the bar. We barely said anything but the conversation was so light and easy that I wanted more of it. Instead, I walked around the table and placed the glass in front of Jeri. “Happy birthday, beautiful.”

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