Chapter 6
SIX
Freshened up and ready to have some girl time, the three women walked through the bar at the end of the road.
The rain had long evaporated in the heavy heat, and it seemed that everyone had picked up with business as usual.
A band strummed an island melody outside under string lights and flickering tiki torches for a full crowd of restaurant-goers.
“I don’t see a single open barstool,” Blair said, gesturing toward the crowded area.
Sienna made a face. “Maybe we can grab seats on the deck.”
Emily led them through the lively atmosphere, her spirits lifting with every step.
“Three for drinks, please,” Sienna said to the woman behind the outdoor hostess podium.
“Of course.” The hostess showed them to a table at the edge of the jam-packed dining area.
Blair took a deep breath and audibly exhaled. “No wonder everyone’s out. Can you feel the atmosphere? It’s electric. I could stay here all night.”
Emily agreed. “Just let us know if you get sleepy, Sienna.”
“I’m fine.” Sienna perused the menu. “I’m trying not to let this pregnancy get a hold of me. I’ll push through.”
“I’m not sure you’ll have a choice,” Blair said. “I was dog-tired in my first trimester. Your body is responding to two now.”
“Yeah, I know,” Sienna relented. “I’m reminded every time my stomach lurches at the smell of foods that I used to adore.”
A waitress came over and took their drink orders. Sienna got a virgin pina colada, and Blair and Emily ordered margaritas.
“I hate to break the news to you,” Blair said once the waitress had gone. “A baby is going to change everything. Nothing will be the same. You’ll sleep when you can, eat in the two minutes you have a moment, your hormones will be all whacked out… I read enough getting ready for it to know.”
“I don’t want to sound awful and ungrateful, but I like my life. While I love the idea of a baby, I worry about how much change is going to happen and whether Tyson and I can successfully make the adjustment. I want things to be stable for this child.”
Blair leaned on her hands, her elbows on the table, and smiled at her friend.
“When you see that little face that looks just like you and Tyson, I’ll bet you won’t care one bit what changes.
” Suddenly, her eyes brimmed with tears.
She cleared her throat and peered down at her menu. “Sorry. You can’t take me anywhere.”
“You’re safe with us,” Sienna said.
Blair dragged a finger under her eye. “Why did I have to try to have a baby? If I’d have just ignored the feeling, I wouldn’t be in this boat right now. I’m the odd one out, actually planning to start a family.”
“I never said anything, but I’d wanted to try for a baby this summer,” Emily admitted. “Can you imagine if we’d have gotten pregnant before Will decided he wanted a different life? I don’t think I’d be able to juggle it all.”
“Things worked out for the best then?” Sienna asked.
Emily nodded. “I wonder, though, whether I’ll ever have that family I’d hoped for. I’ve been out of the singles game so long that I don’t know how to date anyone. And I don’t really want to. Talk about exhausting.”
Sienna giggled. “You don’t have to get in the game already! It hasn’t even been two weeks since you and Will split up.”
“I know. I don’t plan to jump into dating, believe me. But I’m an organizer. I like to have things all worked out. I thought I had, and now I’m starting at square one.”
The waitress brought their cocktails as the band kicked into a lively tune. “Anything to eat?”
“Just drinks tonight,” Sienna replied.
The waitress slipped her free hand into the wide pocket of her apron and retrieved a few cocktail napkins. She set them on the table and placed their drinks on top of each one. “Okay. Let me know if you decide to order some apps. We’ve got a calamari sampler to die for.”
“A few of these, and I might take you up on that,” Blair said, raising her drink and winking. “Once I’m in good spirits, I’ll be down in front of the band, dancing.”
When the waitress left, Emily put her arm around her friend. “You don’t need a margarita to get you into a good mood. You have us.”
Blair cooed, “You’re right. Where would I be without you two?” She lifted her glass. “To us.”
They raised their glasses and clinked them together.
“Oh.” Sienna put down her drink, licking her lips. “I taste rum. It’s not virgin.” She scooted the glass over to Emily. “Take a sip and see what you think.”
Emily stirred the frozen concoction with the straw and tried it. “Yes. I taste the rum.” She looked around the buzzing crowd for the waitress.
Sienna leaned back in her chair, the coastal breeze blowing her hair behind her shoulders. “You all can have it if you want. I don’t have to have a drink. Even though it tastes divine.”
“No. If you ordered a mocktail, you should have one,” Emily said, trying and failing again at locating the waitress. She got up and took the cocktail off the table. “I’ll ask the bartender. Be right back.”
Emily weaved through the crowded dining area and reached the bar.
Every seat was full, the bartender busy on the other side.
Emily hung back, trying to figure out where she could squeeze in without infringing on someone else’s personal space.
She stepped around the edge of the bar, making her way to where the bartender was, but by the time she got over there, the man had moved to where she’d been, completely oblivious to her attempts to get his attention.
Then someone at the far edge got up, so she darted over and took the seat, setting the cocktail in front of her. But when she sat down, she accidentally bumped the back of the person beside her. The man twisted around from the friend he was talking to, and she sucked in a breath of surprise.
“Hi,” she said, staring Patrick in the face.
He looked over her head and without a hello, he asked, “Where are your friends?”
She pointed toward the crowd outside.
The lines between his eyes deepened.
“The waitress got Sienna’s drink wrong. I thought it would be faster to get her another one at the bar, but I’m second-guessing that decision now.”
Patrick eyed the cocktail and pursed his lips. He leaned on the bar. “Alex.”
The bartender turned around and came over.
“This lady needs a drink,” he said.
Emily explained the situation, and the bartender nodded, then took two more orders, lined up silver cups on the bar, and began flipping bottles of liquor and syrup upside down, filling each one. He pulled a third glass and filled it with ice.
“Thank you,” Emily said to Patrick.
“No problem.” He was relaxed, his shoulders loose, that storm in him calmed.
“You gonna introduce me?” his friend said.
“Mark, this is Emily. She’s a…client.”
Mark gave her a once-over. “Was this tonight’s client—the one you were talking about?”
The tranquil demeanor he’d had left in a hurry. “Yeah,” he said under his breath.
Mark’s eyebrows bobbed once before Patrick blocked Emily’s view of him. “So the drink. That all you need?”
“What did you tell Mark about me?” she asked, ignoring his question.
“I just mentioned the misunderstanding with the schedule and how I ended up cooking for you and your friends.”
Normally, she’d have believed that answer, but his voice was low, directed at her, as if he didn’t want Mark to hear. But she knew better than to think he’d go into a lengthy conversation now. In fact, he looked as if he couldn’t wait for her to leave.
The bartender set the drink in front of her. “No charge. And you can keep the cocktail as well.”
She thanked him, took the drinks, and hopped off the barstool. After lingering a second to see if Patrick would turn around, she said to his back, “I’ll see you later.”
He awkwardly glanced over his shoulder. “See ya.”
Emily opened her mouth to tell him thank you again, but he’d already turned toward Mark and resumed his conversation.
When she got back to the table, she handed Sienna her mocktail and told her and Blair what they’d missed, as well as Patrick’s cryptic answer regarding his mention of her.
“Was he talking bad about you to his friend?” Sienna asked, scanning the bar for him. “Jerk.”
“He’s so hard to read. Maybe it was as simple as what he said,” Emily offered. Given Sienna’s personality, she’d march over there and ask. “Don’t let whatever he said impact our night.”
“You’re right,” Sienna said, taking a drink from her glass.
As they settled into their conversation, Emily’s mind returned to the encounter. What had Patrick told Mark about her? And why did not knowing bother her so much? Across the sea of tables, he got up to leave, tossing some cash on the bar. Before he turned to go, he caught her eye.
She quickly turned her attention back to her friends.