Page 15 of The Ex Next Door
“Great, sweetheart. How ’bout you? What can I get ya?”
There was a crowd behind her and she’d been lucky to grab a seat when someone vacated it.
“Just a diet soda, please.”
“Comin’ right up.” He poured from the dispenser and set the iced tumbler in front of her with a napkin. “You meetin’ someone new here tonight?”
It seemed to be her modus operandi. Often, she’d get Declan to size up her dates by using his spidey senses to determine if the guy was a player. He’d told her repeatedly he didn’t have such powers but she didn’t listen. Apparently, he’d been right two out of the last three times and that was good enough for her.
She nodded. “We both swiped right.”
That’s how Declan met Samantha, so he didn’t exactly judge. It was difficult to meet people when almost everyone lived and worked behind a screen.
“Want me to check him out?” Declan winked.
“Yes, please.” Zoey sighed. “I’m getting so tired of dating. I wish I could fall in love like Twyla did.”
Twyla was her best friend, who ran the bookstore in town.
“Don’t worry, it’ll happen.”
“I hope you’re right. I have friends who are getting divorced and I haven’t even beenmarriedyet.”
Declan touched her hand, ever so briefly so she’d know it wasn’t a come-on, but a supportive pat. “You’re beautiful and the right man just hasn’t found you yet.”
“Aha!”
Both Zoey and Declan startled when Samantha pushed forward from the crowd. He hadn’t even seen her arrive.
“Hey, Sam. I didn’t see you there.”
“Of course not. Otherwise, you wouldn’t be flirting and making a date with Zoey!” Her blue eyes were bulging, her cheeks bright red.
“What?” Zoey turned, dark eyes wide. “Oh, no. He just—”
“Save it, sister. I know when two people are flirting with each other.”
Declan swallowed the irritation at this latest display of jealousy. He’d been through this with Samantha on their last date, when she’d accused him of checking out every woman in the restaurant, including their waitress. But he refused to avert his eyes and act like he was afraid to see the sun when simply talking to a woman standing right in front of him.
He and Samantha made up the next day with her sending him sweet texts with deep apologies and regret. Now this. She had obviously come here to spy on him.
“What were you guys talking about?” Samantha continued. “I heard you call her beautiful. Did he call you beautiful? Are you making a date? Do you know Declan and I are dating?”
The questions came so rapid-fire that Zoey blinked after each one.
“I was…he was just…”
“Zoey, you don’t have to explain a thing.” Declan spread his arms across the bar. “Sam, can I get you something? Otherwise, I have customers.”
“No, I’m leaving! And don’t call me.”
“Wait! I’m here to meet someone,” Zoey called out, then turned to Declan. “I’m so sorry. I ruined things for you. Let me talk to her.”
“Don’t even think about it. It’s her problem. Not yours.”
He went about his night, mixing cocktails, refilling beers and listening to sob stories. Declan had become an expert at listening, which was a gift. No one understood how incredibly difficult it was to listen without offering commentary. One guy was going to ask his wife for a divorce because life was too short and he was miserable, which only made Declan think about Rob the Idiot. Another lost his job, which earned him a free beer and plenty of sympathy from Declan. Eventually Zoey’s date showed up, and Declan determinedthe guy wasn’t a player through the process of the size of his tips. Also, he didn’t take his eyes off Zoey the entire time, obviously smitten. She happily waved as they left together.
He was cleaning up for the night when the first of the texts from Samantha came. They arrived one after the other, rapid-fire, and he didn’t respond to a single one.
