Page 10 of Right With You
She grinned. “Knew it.”
With a roll of my eyes, I took a long drink. “It’s not like it’s a surprise I’d agree. I have eyes to see. It also means absolutely nothing.”
And that was just it. Luc was beautiful and seemed kind, even, but the hoops I’d have to jump through to get from where I sat rather comfortably in the “single and not at all interested in mingling” to the “actually interested in a human man” spot were endless and therefore impossible.
Dove raised a shoulder, currently adorned in the pretty little boat neck, baby blue cap sleeve of her dress, and agreed. “Of course. But sometimes, it feels good to say true things out loud.”
My gaze cut to hers, but she’d already glanced away, eyes roaming the pub.
“Anyone know when Liz gets back?” Winnie asked, and Jo piped in, explaining her sister’s plans. She’d apparently had to go back to tie up loose ends of her job with some super-secret CIA organization and then she’d be back.
As if on cue, Kenny Carmichael gestured wildly at the Saint table across the room, likely telling some fantastical story with his usual flair. He was either entertaining or looking a little like a lost puppy lately, and I kind of loved seeing the super cheery guy so obviously lovelorn.
Smiling as I watched Kenny, my eyes snagged on Luc’s. He wasn’t watching Kenny.
He was watching me.
His full attention bore into me from across the room, and my stomach swooped low. Good grief, Dove hadn’t been joking when she said he was male model gorgeous. He was the kind of handsome that seemed airbrushed or conjured up by AI. He had to be the combination of all the best features of the world’s most beautiful men whittled into one perfect-looking man with the most delicious hint of a French accent.
Painfully beautiful was exactly the right phrase, and the twist in my chest reminded me why those looks didn’t matter. Reality was men being disappointing and me unable to trust my heart. Luc might as well have been a prince in a fairytale where everything worked out.
I tore my gaze away, focusing on my beer. I didn’t even like beer, but Nikki mentioned Kieran the pirate bartender had sent our table a free pitcher.
“Um, hi.Hi.He’s coming over here,” Dove said, nudging my arm with a frantic edge to her movement.
“Oh, yes he is, and he’s laser-focused on you, Elise.”
Winnie’s voice jolted me from my study of bubbles.
“What?” I said, eyes snapping up and seeing Luc walking toward me with that same intensity. Had he not ever looked away? Did he… what did he want?
When he reached me, he ducked his head close to my ear and spoke just loud enough for me. “Could we talk outside for a minute?”
More than a bit dumbstruck, I nodded, eyes catching Dove’s as she bit her lip and raised her brows high. Then I followed him out.
CHAPTERFIVE
Luc
Too late to turn back now, I wove between tables, stoutly ignoring whatever obnoxious expression Kenny wore as we passed the Saint group and slipped out the pub’s door onto the sidewalk.
He knew where we were heading—what I was about to do. He and Stone hadn’t exactly cautioned me against it, but they’d expressed concern. I didn’t blame them—appreciated it, even. But it didn’t sway me from the task, undesirable though it was.
I’d set this in motion, and I wasn’t going to be the one to stop it.
I turned, slipping my hands into my pockets, and waited for her to stop. Happily, the spring air was cool, but not cold. Most of us had shunned jackets in favor of being layer-free after months of needing to bundle up. I’d never noticed it in North Carolina, but here it seemed to be a particular mountain-life sensibility that had people in T-shirts come the low fifties, and shorts not long after. The sky was still light enough as the sun set with pink streaks across a purple-dark palette.
She wore jeans that did very nice things for her legs, and a black top I wouldn’t allow myself to admire as much as I might like, with heels and her shoulder-length hair wavy and shining beautifully. Her lips were pouty with some kind of gloss I wanted to taste, and her eyes were stunningly vivid tonight.
She had never not looked beautiful, and tonight was no exception. She had always been alluring to me, but the kinship I felt with her in the way she kept herself walled off was what called to me.
Had I not heard her clearly state she had no interest in men more than once over the last year, I might’ve considered asking her out. But once I felt at home here and decided I didn’t want to keep taking overseas assignments, even that became untenable because I wasn’t in the market for someone long-term.
I knew what it looked like to lose someone, even though I’d watched it happen from a distance, and I couldn’t imagine opting into the possibility. Plus starting something with anything other than long-term in mind in a small town like this just didn’t make sense.
So. Enough with the starry eyes and back to the point.
“Thank you for stepping away with me for a moment,” I said, gut tight with dread at how this would all go down, but knowing I shouldn’t wait any longer. I had to do this… didn’t I?
