Page 24 of Reckless Storm
“Where’s your coat?” I ask, shrugging out of my jacket, securing it around her when she joins me, grateful when she takes it without argument.
“I didn’t bring one.” She thanks me with a smile. “I don’t have anything that matches this dress, and I wasn’t wearing another one.”
“I don’t blame you.” I openly ogle her outfit. “That dress is stunning.”
“The dress?”
“And the actress wearing it.” I wink.
“Why, thank you, Reed.” She giggles. “That’s so lovely of you to say. Are you having a good night?”
“Do you want the truth or…”
“What about I guess?”
“Two truths and a lie?”
“You know it.”
“Okay. I’ve had two drinks spilled on me, I got stuck talking to a random businessman for over forty-five minutes, and I’ve been looking forward to this moment since I arrived.”
“Okay.” Hayley’s eyes widen at my immediate response. “You’re getting better at this. But…since I can see a splash of red on the bottom of your shirt, I can safely say you’ve had at leastonedrink spilled on you.”
“Unless I did it myself.”
“Ohhh, true.Dammit. I’m going to say…thisisn’tthe moment you’ve been looking forward to since you arrived. Because Bria is absolutely beautiful in that—”
“Wrong.”
“Wrong?” Hayley fakes a gasp, her hand flying to her mouth in true actress style, if maybe a little bit over-the-top. “This moment. Here. Now?”
“Yep.” I pop thep. “What can I say? You’ve grown on me.”
“Likewise. Would you believe I came out here hoping you’d follow me?”
“You couldn’t just come over and talk to me?”
“I wasn’t sure you’d want me to. With Bria around.” She shrugs and I sigh audibly.
“You make it sound like she’s my guard dog or something.”
“No, that’s not it. I don’t know, it’s just—”
“You stayed awayforme.” Because like everyone else, she could see how fucked up my situation was.
“I did.” She smiles, though a wince would certainly be more fitting.
“And now I’m here.”
“You are. How about we celebrate with a drink?” She bends down gracefully and stands up again with a full bottle of Jack Daniels in her hand, a cheeky smile on her lips.
I huff out a laugh as my eyes widen. “Something tells me you’re not supposed to have that.”
“Tell that to the bartender that gave it to me.”
“What did he get in return?” The question flows out of me before I realize what I’m asking. But when Hayley says, “My number,” I shake my head as another laugh bursts out of me.
“Did he happen to give you any glasses?”
