15
MADDIE
"Ooooh, that one looks promising."
I glared at Frankie over the salted rim of my margarita glass. We'd barely arrived at Oven and Vine for a girls' night out when she started looking for potential hookups… for me . Licking my lips, I set my glass down on the coaster and glared some more.
"What? You're not even going to look?" She leaned sideways and cast an appraising look to someone or something over my shoulder. "You're missing out," she mused. "He's got that tall, dark, and handsome thing down pat."
I dragged my finger up and down the smooth surface of the stem of my glass. "You know," I said dryly, "I came out to have a few drinks with my friend." I stabbed my index finger in her direction. "That would be you, by the way."
"Yeah, but you need some action too, and what kind of friend would I be if I didn't try and make that happen.
" Frankie curled her tongue around the straw sticking out of her fruity drink and waggled her perfectly shaped brows.
Once the straw was nestled between her puckered lips, she sucked up a good amount of alcohol .
I shifted my focus, choosing to aim my frown at the countertop instead of my friend.
When she'd texted me earlier in the day, I'd thought a night out was the kind of distraction I needed to help me forget about a certain six-foot-something man who seemed to have the ability to look straight into my soul.
But now that I was out, all I wanted to do was go back home and sort through the mess inside my head.
Because really, Adam should not be taking up so much of my thoughts.
I shouldn't care about how he got those scars.
Or what had happened to make him so angry at the world.
And I most definitely should not have been thinking about his mouth or how badly I wanted it on mine.
"Evening, ladies."
At the sound of the smooth voice to my right, I shot a death stare at the woman to my left. It did not discourage her one bit. She raised her hand and wiggled her fingers at the man next to me.
"Can I get you something to drink?" My eyeroll could not be stopped. "Maybe a glass of wine, or perhaps you'd like a refill of what you're having?" My eyes narrowed at Frankie's twitching lips. She knew how much I hated wine.
"I'm good, thanks," I answered as I turned to face him.
He was incredibly handsome. Like he could be on the cover of GQ handsome.
A big, friendly smile showed off perfect teeth.
There was no scruff covering his chiseled jaw, and even though I couldn't make out the color of his eyes in the dimly lit bar, I could still see them sparkle .
Yeah, this guy certainly did not want for female attention. And yet I didn't feel the tiniest bit of interest.
He stuck out his hand, the smile on his face spreading wider. "Jack."
I eyed his hand before gingerly slipping mine into his. "Maddie." Jack's fingers curled around mine and I waited. Waited for a zip of electricity. A fluttering low in my belly. Anything really.
It never came.
As irrational as it may have seemed, I blamed Adam for this. Before he came along, a guy like Jack would have piqued my interest. Hell, I might've been tempted to see where the rest of the night might lead.
But because some deeper part of my being was so unfathomably drawn to Adam, the prospect of a guy like Jack didn't entice me whatsoever.
"Maddie." Instead of getting those pesky little goosebumps at the sounds of my name, I wanted to scrunch up my nose.
"Forgive me for being forward." He smoothed down his tie with his free hand; the other one was still firmly wrapped around mine.
"But have you had dinner yet? I'd be so honored if you'd join me. "
I was going to kill Frankie. The moment Mr. Polite over here released my hand, I was going to jab my friend in the boob.
Slowly retrieving my captive hand, I pasted a polite smile on my face.
"I've actually already eaten, but thanks anyway.
" It was on the tip of my tongue to tell him that my dear, dear friend was famished, but I let the words roll away .
He rubbed at his chest. "Ouch." That big smile was back. "Maybe next time?"
My head bobbed up and down. "Mhm, maybe."
Jack flashed his teeth once more before he wandered away. Arms folded in front of me, I angled my head Frankie's way. "You called him over, didn't you?"
She stuck her tongue out and tried to pull her straw closer, giving up when she kept missing. "I don't know what you're talking about." Something over my shoulder caught her attention. She straightened her back and her eyes grew wide. "Wow! Isn't that your neighbor?"
I spun around on the little stool so fast, I almost fell on my ass. My gaze zeroed in on the door, but none of the laughing crowd loitering at the entrance resembled Adam.
It took my brain a minute to catch up.
There was no way my vague descriptions of the man could have painted an accurate picture of him. No way my sneaky friend could've known what he looked like.
"I knew it!" Frankie exclaimed smugly when I faced her again. "First the rolls and now this…What exactly is going on between you two?"
A heavy sigh blew over my lips. "His name is Adam, and there's nothing going on."
With her elbow perched on the countertop, she rested her chin against her palm. Big, curious eyes roamed over my face. "But you want there to be?"
Yes. No . I pulled my shoulders to my ears and let them fall again.
"I don't know, Frankie. I'm curious about him and I definitely find him attractive.
" Even though she was the person I trusted most in this world, I didn't tell her about the inexplicable pull I felt to Adam.
If I couldn't make sense of it, I could only imagine what it would sound like to her ears.
"There's nothing wrong with being curious." She nibbled her lip. "Whatever you do, just be sure to keep both eyes open."
I reached forward and wrapped my fingers around the hand resting on her legs. Her caution was understandable, especially since her ex had done such a number on her. "I promise." I squeezed her fingers and tilted my head toward our half-empty glasses on the bar. "Are we having drinks or what?"