2. Chapter 2
Chapter 2
Spencer
“H ere’s to the last free Saturday before wedding season,” Derek says, raising his beer. Adalie and I clink with him.
“Here’s to best friends, and another year in the black,” Adalie says next, and we toast again.
“And here’s to ex-girlfriends who absolutely did us a favour,” I say, for our final toast.
Sitting at a table with two of my three best friends, I feel more relaxed than I have in a long time. The only thing that would make it better is if Vic, the final member of our fantastic foursome, had decided to come out as well. But she’d wanted to be her usual workaholic self and stayed at Blue Vista, the event venue we all run together, going over schedules and finances. Granted, it’s the beginning of our busiest season, and our cook just left us for greener pastures, but it’s all under control.
“So, Spencer, who are you going to take home tonight?” Derek asks, scanning the crowded bar.
Adalie and I both groan at his question. Derek is always such a man whore.
“Don’t be a dick,” I say. “I never said I was taking anyone home.” But I look around the bar as well. I won’t say no to finding a beautiful woman to dance with, should one be interested.
“We’re here in part because of you,” Derek says. “You need to shake off the break-up.”
“The break-up doesn’t bother me. I meant it when I said she did me a favour. I should have broken up with Lucy a long time ago. I didn’t realize how tense I was with her until it was over.”
“Here, here,” Adalie says, raising her glass. We clink again and I smile at my best friends.
I’m about to say something else when my gaze snags on a blonde and rainbow ponytail, long and silky, hanging down a red-clad back.
“That one,” I say, indicating in her direction.
Derek grins and Adalie rolls her eyes. I flash her a smile.
“I don’t mean I’m planning to take her home. I mean I’m going to ask her to dance.”
“As long as you’re not turning into this one,” she says, hooking a thumb at Derek.
“But dancing is the first step in taking a girl home,” Derek says.
“That, my friend, is no girl,” I say. “That is a woman.”
“Well, what are you waiting for?” He takes a drink of his beer while looking at me expectantly.
“She looks like she’s hanging out with her friends, and we just got here. I’m in no rush. Besides, I want to text Vic. Make sure she’s okay. See if she’s changed her mind.”
I pull out my phone and send a quick message to my boss and friend of twenty-five years.
Me: How are the numbers coming? Having fun yet?
We drink and talk while I wait for her answer. Adalie tells us about the new painting she started working on while Derek and I listen with bemused smiles, understanding about half of what she’s saying but enjoying her enthusiasm anyway. My phone buzzes. I pick it up as I drain my glass, my eyes sliding to the rainbow hair for what feels like the hundredth time. The woman still hasn’t turned this way. I adjust my focus to read Vic’s response.
Vic: You know how much I love numbers. Especially ones that look like these.
Me: We’re doing well this year then?
“Spencer,” Derek says, pulling my attention away from my phone. “There’s something you should see.”
My phone buzzes again.
Vic: It’s shaping up to be almost twice as good as last year’s numbers. I’m thinking we might be looking at expanding sooner than I thought.
Me: You should be here celebrating then, not in your office.
“What is it, Derek?” I ask, waiting for the little dots to change to Vic’s response.
Vic: I’m in my happy place. Leave me alone. Get laid tonight. I probably won’t be home until late.
Me: Sunglasses emoji
“What did she say?” Adalie asks.
“She’s not coming out. She’s having too much fun.”
“Spence,” Derek says sharply. I hate the shortened form of my name and he knows it. So now he has my undivided attention. “Incoming.”
I look up just in time to see Lucy striding toward me, her short brown hair framing a face lit up with excitement.
“Spencer, honey,” she says, her voice sugary sweet. “I’m so happy to see you.”
I raise an eyebrow and cast a look at my friends, who both shrug.
“I don’t know why.”
“I’ve just been doing so much thinking, and I may have acted a little rash.”
I lift my glass to take a sip of beer only to frown when I remember it’s gone. “I’m going to get a refill. Anyone else?”
“Ooh, me please,” Adalie says.
Derek nods and I get up and walk to the bar, Lucy trailing behind me.
“I mean it, Spencer. I shouldn’t have listened to Megan. She said you were wrong for me, and I believed her. It’s not like you made it difficult. I’d been dropping hints about us moving in together and you weren’t picking any up.”
I’d actually picked up every hint. And ignored them.
Lucy continues. “But now that I’ve had some time to think about it, she was wrong. We should be together. I should have been more direct.”
I walk past the booth where the rainbow haired goddess sits. Her face is as exquisite as her back—lush red lips, wide blue eyes. Or are they green? They lock with mine for just a moment. Something electric sparks between us making me want to stop right where I am, but Lucy huffs behind me and the woman’s eyes drop from mine to her drink, breaking the spell.
“Spencer, please,” Lucy begs. “I’m sorry I was so quick to break up. I shouldn’t have.”
I make it to the bar, waiting for a bit until the bartender comes around. Lucy lingers impatiently next to me, not taking the hint. I place the order for the table and then turn to her.
“Lucy. You broke up with me. You wanted me out of your life, and you were right to want it. So why are you really talking to me now? Is it just because you saw me out having a good time? Maybe you’re upset that I’m not upset?”
Her eyes drop to the side, and I know I’m on the right track. I’ve always had a knack for reading people quickly. Almost like a sixth sense. I tilt my head as her gaze comes back to me, guilt flashing in them for about half a second.
“No,” I say. “That’s part of it, sure. But the real reason is more than that, isn’t it?” I pause, searching her face. “You found out who my father is, didn’t you?”
The guilt flashes again before it’s replaced by a cool look of haughtiness.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she says, turning her nose up.
I smile. “You cute little mercenary. Can’t say you’re the first. But would it change your mind at all to know I’m completely cut off? My father and I are basically estranged. I don’t have access to any of his money.”
“I can’t believe you’d think that low of me, Spencer. Really.”
She keeps her head held high, as though the very idea that she could be a gold digger hadn’t crossed her mind, but I know I’ve just called her out on the truth. She confirms it when she says nothing more to defend herself—because what can she say?—and turns with a huff, stalking away as the bartender returns with my drinks. I slide him my credit card and he swipes it before handing it back. I walk past the woman again, hoping to snag another glance at her face, but she doesn’t look up. I suppress a grin as I notice her watching me from the corner of her eye, though.
I return to my friends and hand out the drinks.
“Lucy’s gone?” Derek asks.
I nod. “For now.”
“You going to talk to the blonde?” he asks.
I sip my beer, watching as that silky hair sways when she talks animatedly to the other people at her table. Why am I not there right now? I take one more drink of my beer and stand.
Then I start toward the siren who has caught my attention. She looks up again when I reach her table. Her eyes are definitely blue. I cast a quick glance at her tablemates. “Ladies,” I say with a polite nod, before turning back to The One. “Hello.”
“Hi,” she says, her voice quiet enough that I barely hear it over the noise in the bar.
“I’ve been wondering all night what I might say to convince you to dance with me. Then I figured, I’d just come over and ask. So. Do you want to dance?”
She looks at her friends. “Did one of you put him up to this?” she asks.
My lips lift in a smile, even though I’m confused.
“I’ve never seen this man before in my life,” one of the other women says. “But you said…”
“I know what I said,” she snaps before turning to give me a look of consideration. I just wait while she glances back at her friends, one perfect golden eyebrow arched at them.
Then she turns back to me, her eyes alight with mischief and interest despite her odd conversation. “More than you can imagine.”
She holds out a hand and I take it in mine, noting the bright red nails before I help her to her feet. She’s about six inches shorter than me in those fuck-me heels she’s wearing. I can’t help it as my eyes rake down her body, so close to mine, and I lead her to the dance floor where the DJ is playing something with a heavy beat.
I lift my arm and spin her under it and away from me, noticing a pretty flower tattoo on her arm—a daisy and something that looks like a vibrant red lily—before tugging her back. She laughs up at me as her body meets mine.
“Who taught you how to dance?” she asks.
I give her my most mysterious smile. “You can’t open the book of my life and jump in the middle. Like Woman, I am a mystery,” I quote from one of my favourite shows.
She squints her eyes at me. “You just quoted something,” she says.
“I did. You know it?” I ask, surprised. It’s not one of the more popular quotes from the sci-fi show. And Firefly itself isn’t as well-known as it should be.
She thinks for a moment and then shakes her head. “I can’t remember.”
I think I’ve just found my soulmate. Even if she can’t remember what it’s from, she has to have seen it enough times to recognize it.
I spin her out and back a few times, delighting in her laughter every time and the way her hair flies with the movement. As the song comes to an end, I pull her against me.
“What’s your name?” I ask.
“Lis,” she says.
“Liz? Like Elizabeth?”
She shakes her head. “Lis, with an S.”
I smile and lean closer. “I’m Spencer. Also with an S.”
She tilts her head back and laughs again and it takes every ounce of willpower not to capture that sound with my lips. She’s a perfect firecracker.
“You want to take a break?” I ask.
Her eyes search mine. In the darkness of the bar, I’m no longer certain that they’re blue. They look more green now, or maybe some colour in between. Either way, right now, they’re shining for me.
“I’m right where I want to be.”
The next song is slower than the first and I hold her against me, swaying to the beat, our eyes locked together. My head dips toward her until our foreheads touch. I want to press my lips to hers so much, but I also don’t want to move too fast.
“Spencer,” a shrill voice says from right next to me. I lift my head to find Lucy standing there, a calculating smile on her lips, and I can see in her eyes that she’s come back to fuck with me for blowing her off. As Lis turns in my arms, Lucy alters her expression into a look of outrage.
I sigh, leaning down to say to Lis, “This is Lucy. My ex -girlfriend. She broke up with me about a week ago and for some reason is having trouble remembering that tonight.” I don’t want her to have any doubt that I’m free to dance with her however I want.
“How could you, Spencer? After all we’ve been through.”
“You broke up with me, Lucy,” I remind her again.
“But I made a mistake.”
I roll my eyes and am about to respond when Lis does instead.
“Sweetie, it’s over. Sometimes people make mistakes. But you need to stop stalking him.” Then she turns in my arms and tugs my lips down to hers.
And just like everything else about her, it’s perfect. Her lips are soft and when I dip my tongue into her mouth, she tastes like strawberries. I lose all concept of time and space as our kiss deepens and she moves against me. Lucy disappears, the bar and the dance floor disappear. My whole world narrows to the feeling of Lis’ body pressed into mine. I need her more than I need to breathe.
I break the kiss, keeping her close.
“What do you want to do now?” I ask.
She swallows hard, her gaze dropping to my lips.
“Do you want to get out of here?” she asks.
My arms tighten around her, and I can’t help but kiss her again.
“More than you can imagine,” I tell her.
“I have to tell my friends I’m going,” she says.
I nod and we separate. I can’t tear my eyes away from her ass as she walks back to her table. I know it’s rude to stare, but fuck if she’s not the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen. And I’m going to take her home.