Chapter Seven
Melina
“Oh my God, he asked you on a date? That’s amazing!” Avery’s enthusiasm was one part alcohol, two parts swoon, and one hundred percent unhelpful.
I couldn’t hold it against her, though. My best friend was a die-hard romantic who’d not only hopped aboard the Melina plus Zane train ages ago but had decorated it with wedding bells. The only way to derail her would be to prove her wrong.
“Yes, a date.” I kept my expression neutral. No point in giving her any extra encouragement.
“Well? Did you say yes?” She clasped her hands under her chin and shimmied in her seat, the pitcher of beer in front of her at risk of being toppled. “Please tell me you said yes.”
I rolled my eyes. “Yes, I said yes.”
Her high-pitched squeal cut through the noise of the bar. The people around us turned to stare, including a table of burly guys in work boots who looked like they’d been there since noon. But they’d been eying Avery most of the night anyway, so their attention didn’t faze her.
Still, it made me wish we had a better place to hang out.
Rusty’s was exactly what it sounded like—a dimly lit dive with sticky floors, cheap beer, and a sports playing on every screen. It attracted a rough mix of locals and weekend tourists and was better known for its fights than its drink menu.
But it was also the only bar I could go on Saturday night without running into Zane. And considering the day I’d had…I definitely needed to be here.
“I knew he was into you!” Avery shouted. “I frickin’ told you so!”
“It’s only one date.” One date and a huge pile of regret just waiting to happen. “Besides, he hasn’t confirmed the catering staff yet. There won’t be a date if he doesn’t make good on his promise.”
“What. Ever.” She pushed one of the shots she’d ordered toward me. “That man would ski down Green Mountain naked if you asked nice enough.”
“He’s probably already done that on a dare.” I tossed back the shot, the liquor burning its way down my throat.
“God, I love being right,” she said, ignoring me. “I told you he had a thing for you…I bet it’s a really big thing, too.” She smirked. “I bet it’s huge.”
If Olivia and Lucy were my teammates, Avery was our MVP. Best friends since we were five, she was like another sister to me. Which meant sometimes I adored her.
And sometimes I wanted to strangle her.
“I’ve got something huge for you over here, sweetheart,” one of the work-boot-wearing men called.
“If that were true you wouldn’t need to advertise it,” Avery shot back, not missing a beat.
His friends burst out laughing.
And just like that, I loved her again.
“It’s one date,” I repeated, watching the burly guy try to hide his embarrassment at being shot down by a tiny blue-eyed blonde.
“But who knows where one date will lead. I mean, you two have already kissed.”
“Twice.”
She froze with her drink halfway to her mouth. “Twice?”
Heat crawled up my neck. “He kissed me again this morning.”
Her jaw dropped.
As much as I loved and trusted Avery, I hadn’t planned on telling her this part—this reaction being exactly why—but the booze had loosened my tongue and a few of my inhibitions.
“Please close your mouth before big-dick guy offers you something to put in it,” I begged. “Zane kissing me is not that exciting. Or that simple.”
Liar. Liar. Liar.
“What’s complicated about it?” Her face screwed up in disbelief, the tint of pink in her cheeks upping her adorable factor. “Deny it all you want, Meli, but I know you like him.”
I swallowed back half my beer as I wrestled with that notion. She was right, of course. I did like him. But liking Zane magic-lips Alexander was never the issue.
“We work together,” I reminded her. “And his family owns the resort. What happens if this goes badly? What if my boss finds out?”
“Didn’t your boss meet her husband because they worked together at the resort?”
I took another deep swig of beer to avoid her question.
Still, Avery kept on rolling. “In fact,” she mused, her head tilting to the side like a fascinated kitten. “Didn’t you mention he was her boss at the time? Call me crazy, but I think that’s fraternizing one-oh-one.”
“No, it wasn’t like that,” I argued, the alcohol swirling in my belly. “Lydia and Brant were meant to be together. They’re storybook. Plus, he retired shortly after they got engaged, so it wasn’t really a conflict of interest.”
“Girl, listen to your excuses.” She shook her head and poured herself another beer, topping mine off in the process. “What makes you think you and Zane are any different?”
“I can’t quit my job for him, for starters.” I lifted my refilled beer to my lips, hoping to find more courage at the bottom of the glass.
“Maybe he’d quit his job for you. Ever think of that?”
I choked out a laugh, nearly spitting my drink on her. “Yeah, right.”
“Or maybe, since neither of you are each other’s boss, and it’s not that big a deal, neither of you would have to quit.”
“You’re right, I wouldn’t have to quit because they’d probably fire my ass.”
“God, Meli, no one’s firing you. You’re the best employee they’ve got.”
Despite being more than a slight exaggeration, her argument was compelling.
I worked damn hard. Harder than almost all my coworkers. Especially Becky. I didn’t deserve to be fired for a kiss. Or even a date. Hell, Zane and I could screw six ways from Sunday, and I’d still be the most qualified candidate for promotion.
Or maybe that was just the liquor talking because no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t stop imagining exactly that. Screwing him. Hard.
Shit. I might be a little wasted.
“I need that promotion more than anything,” I said, my words barely slurring. “What if a date isn’t worth the risk?”
“But what if it is?” Avery’s eyes sparkled.
I reached across the table, grabbed her last shot, and downed it before I could think too hard about the answer. My limbs were loose, lips numb and tingly, and my brain was full of Zane I-want-him-to-want-me Alexander.
“That’s the part that scares me the most,” I admitted, my head starting to spin. “I’m terrified he’ll be totally worth the risk.”
“Why would that scare you?”
“Because…I don’t think he’s taken anything seriously in all his life. What if I’m not worth it for him? He’s the party and screw around type, not the stick around type. I’m not foolish enough to believe I’m the one who’ll change him.”
She shook her head and poured me another beer.
Things unraveled a little after that. More men made ridiculous advances. Avery fended them all off, but it got harder for her the more alcohol we consumed.
And damn, we consumed a lot.
Miraculously, neither of us threw up on the cab ride home, and I almost made it to my front door without falling.
On shaky legs, I made my way inside, using the wall for balance as I kicked off my heels and wobbled toward my room. I’d successfully made it to the stairs when I ran into my dad, both of us swaying on our feet.
At least he had a valid medical excuse.
“Hey, you’re up,” I stammered, trying hard to look sober.
“Got hungry.” He raised his peanut butter and jelly sandwich.
“Looks good.”
“You’re home late.” The sternness in his voice was the kind that usually came with a lecture. Which honestly seemed out of place considering our circumstances. And the fact that I was a twenty-seven-year-old grown-ass woman.
Still, my stomach twisted at the thought of disappointing him. “I had some…stuff happen at work…” I slurred. “Avery took me out to Rusty’s.”
He grunted and started shuffling toward his room.
“Good night,” I whispered, unsure if he even cared to hear it.
But he paused at his door. “G’night, Meli. Don’t forget water and ibuprofen.”
With a wide smile stuck on my face, I staggered to my room, somehow managing to stumble out of my skirt and wrestle my bra from under my sweater before landing in a heap on my bed.
As soon as my head hit the pillow, my phone pinged, and I giggled. The damn thing was still in my hand.
An unknown number showed on my screen. I opened the text anyway.
Hey, firecracker. The catering staff are locked down.
My insides buzzed. Not only had he done what he promised in less than twenty-four hours, but I kind of loved it when he called me firecracker. From anyone else the endearment would sound over the top, but when it came from him, it somehow felt special.
My fingers flew over the tiny keyboard.
U R the best
His reply popped up right away like he’d been ready and waiting to hit Send.
Go out with me tomorrow?
Can’t. Family day.
Monday?
Busy Monday.
Our exchange went silent. The bubbles on my screen started to blur as I stared at them. Then my phone rang and I almost dropped it on my face.
“Hey,” I answered, unable to stop smiling. “You called me.”
His laugh rumbled through the speaker, low and warm enough to make my stomach flip. “Yeah, I did.”
I hummed in response, melting into my pillow.
“Sounds like you’ve had a good night.”
“Mm-hmm.” I rolled onto my back. “It’d be even better if you were here.”
“Fuck, Melina. I can tell you’re probably too drunk to really mean that, but I still love hearing you say it.”
“But it’s true. I want you to come over.” My thighs rubbed together, and I gasped at the sudden, urgent spark of desire. “I’m willing to beg. Look.”
I raised my phone in the air and snapped a blurry selfie, sending it to him as proof.
After a moment of silence he groaned, “You’re literally killing me.” His voice was strained and rough around the edges, and the sound of it did something dangerous to my already spinning head. Not to mention my panties.
“I think I better say good night before things get out of hand.”
“Okay.” I was too gone to argue. “Good night, Zane Alexander.”
“Good night, my drunk little firecracker.”