Page 25 of Feels Like the First Time
“As long as it doesn’t include someone messing with my menu, my decor, or bringing outside liquor, I’m open.”
“Great.” Luke polished off his cider and set the mug down. “Marty wants to reserve the bar for a party next weekend.”
“Marty?” Hawk felt his shoulders relax and a grin take hold. The only reason he’d want to rent the bar would be for Ali’sArchitectural Digestparty he’d heard was in the works—but still hadn’t received an invite to.
If the party was here—at his place—then he wouldn’t need an invite. And she couldn’t avoid him forever. Not that he expected Ali to hide out much longer; Destiny Bay was too small a place to stay hidden.
“Does Ali know that Marty asked?”
Luke didn’t answer; instead he stood and said, “I told Marty you’d call to get the details.”
Hawk handed Luke his bar towel and walked into his office. Even though it was a converted storage room, Hawk had spared nothing when designing his office. Plush leather couch, two flat screens, a custom-made desk for giants—or someone Hawk’s size. It was dark, lush, and had all the comforts of a masculine home.
After the divorce, he’d spent a lot of time in there, planning his business and his new life, making sure to surround himself with things that made him happy. Made him focus on his successes and not his biggest failure. In the beginning, he often favored sleeping on the couch rather than his lonely apartment upstairs.
Hawk sat behind his desk and picked up the phone, dialing Marty. He stretched his long legs out, resting his feet on the desk and leaning back in the chair.
“I hear you’re looking to throw a party,” Hawk said when Marty answered.
“I am, and before you say no, hear me out,” Marty said. “I need this to go perfectly, and I don’t want to stress out Ali, so I haven’t told her yet, but with the kind of crowd we’re talking about, my place is just too small. I already asked the Moose Lodge, but a celebration needs a toast, I’ve been told, so that won’t do. Your bar is the only place in town that will work.”
“Why would I say no?” Hawk asked, picturing the look on Ali’s face when she learned that he’d managed to get his invite after all. “We’re like family, Marty. I’d be honored to help out.”
“Well, I just assumed after the other night, you wouldn’t be open to the idea,” Marty finally said.
“Not only am I open to it, I’m giving you my personal promise that it will be the perfect party.”
After dinner the other night, Ali deserved that much. Sure, she would be uncomfortable at first; she’d hate having the attention on her. But Hawk knew what she liked, really thought he was the guy to find a nice balance between letting her feel celebrated and letting her feel understood. But mostly he thought about that kiss.
Shit.
“You always were a stand-up guy, Hawk,” Marty said and Hawk wanted to laugh. “And if it were up to me, I’d be toasting you at the party instead of that Silicon Valley smarm.”
Hawk froze. “You’re inviting Bridget and Assha—um, Jamie to the party?”
Hawk didn’t know how Ali would feel about that. But he had a feeling her response would be similar to his. A hard,Fuck no!
“I know, seems odd inviting the groom to a shower, but Bridget told me that co-ed is what she wants, and what do I know about showers?” Marty laughed, but Hawk could hear the uncertainty in his friend’s voice. “I’m not sure if she’ll ask me to walk her down the aisle, or have one of her stepdads do the honor again, but I feel damn lucky that she asked me to throw her an engagement shower. Here in Destiny Bay.”
Understanding wrapped around Hawk’s neck like a noose, holding him hostage, and knowing that it would only pull tighter and tighter as the event closed in. Because watching Bridget and Asshat sharing secret smiles, and stealing private kisses, was going to leave a mark.
“Does Ali know about the shower?”
“Oh, sure. She offered to help me plan it,” Marty said, and suddenly Ali’s determination to avoid him took a painful turn. She hadn’t been avoiding him because of the kiss. She’d been avoiding him because of Bridget.
And something about that felt too familiar to swallow.
“Well, then, I guess I’d better get with her to hammer out the details of this arrangement.”
***
It was well past dinner by the time Ali stumbled up her stairs and toward her studio. She’d spent the afternoon sampling menu options, learning the difference between appetizers and hors d’oeuvres, and deciding that anything excluding wings and poppers was just plain crazy.
Balancing her grocery bag in one hand, she reached for the doorknob with the other and froze. The light was on inside, and the door was unlocked. Two things that were different than how she’d left them.
Sticking her keys between her fingers, and dialing her tone toDirty Harry, she walked into the apartment.
“Loraine?” she ventured. “I hate to break up the party, but I only have full-fat milk.”
