Page 41 of A Place Like You

“Ooh, someone has company,” Jez murmurs, jolting me from my bitter reverie. She grins wickedly. “I wonder if she’s going to kick us out so they can make out.”

“What is she talking about?” I ask when Regina chimes in, “I forgot he’s really hot.”

Right on cue, Drake appears before us with an easy smile. “So your friends made it today, after all?”

“He’s pretty. You should do him.” Sutton, clearly tipsy, slurs her words.

“I think I should take her home,” Jez mumbles. “She had one too many margaritas.”

“No kidding, she killed that first pitcher single-handedly,” Regina remarks wryly.

Sutton slurs her words almost unintelligibly. “A you gonna innerduce us to the sexy doitor guy?

I resist an eye roll. “Drake, meet my former friends Sutton, Jez, and Regina. Ladies, this is Drake Kershaw, the eldest of his family.”

Drake dips his head politely. “A pleasure to meet you all.”

“Are you a package?” Sutton erupts into wild laughter before adding more nonsense, “You doctor, cook—”

“She’s so fucking drunk.” Regina bursts into laughter, finding the situation highly amusing.

“Gael, my brother is the one who cooks,” Drake responds like the gentleman he is.

Jez hooks her arm around Sutton’s waist, hoisting her up. “Speaking of, tell your brother he’s fired. Again.” She tugs Sutton toward the door. “Let’s go.”

Drake’s brow furrows slightly. “Isn’t he closing the bar tonight?”

“Well yeah, but after today he should consider himself fired,” Jez insists.

“If I were you, I would keep him for another year or two,” Drake suggests.

“Oh, and why’s that?” Jez asks, leaning forward with amusement and curiosity evident in her eyes.

“He’s a great cook and expensive,” he replies, but somehow I have the feeling that there is a lot more than that. I wouldn’t doubt that he can’t tell us because it’s against some stupid policy.

One day, I’ll learn all their secrets.

Jez crosses her arms. “Really? Where did he learn these impressive skills?”

Drake glances at me, his posture stiffening as he crosses his arms over his chest.

“It’s time for you three to go home,” I say, hoping they take a hint.

“But I can stay,” Gina claims, wanting to linger around.

“No, you’re going too,” I firmly respond, determined to put an end to this awkward encounter before things get out of hand.

Regina huffs. “Fine, I’ll leave, but you owe me details.”

I nod absently, eager for them to leave.

Once alone, Drake grins. “Good, it’s now just the two of us.”

It’s not until he says the last three words that I realize my mistake because now it’s only the two of us sharing the same space, alone, at night. My eyes dart to his lips. I have two options, walk inside my house or . . .

Chapter Twenty-Three

Drake

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