But I have no idea how to prove to her that I’m the real deal. It’s hard to convince a woman you’re not leaving, when she’s had to raise your child on her own for over six years. Angel is my priority, and Allie is right up there with her.
“You drove us thirty minutes out of Sterling Shore to go to a bar?” Allie asks as we walk inside the bar/club establishment.
A small, square dancefloor is toward the front, and a band is playing for the cheering crowd. This is not an ideal date, but it’ll have to do.
“I want to celebrate. Angel is now in private school and in class with Carrie. We still haven’t technically had a first date. And since Bella wanted a girls’ night with just Angel, I thought this would be good. No one here is going to know—”
“Well, I’ll be damned. Allie and Wren in a bar,” Maverick Sterling says from behind me.
I turn to see him grinning over my shoulder, and then I spot Corbin beside Allie, his mocking smile focused on me. Fuckers.
Allie cocks an eyebrow at me, silently saying, “No one, eh?”
“They don’t count.” I shrug, motioning between the two womanizing Sterlings.
“The hell?” Maverick asks, just as a girl wraps her arm around his, and bids for his attention.
He grins down at the black-haired girl and winks. “Not right now, pretty thing. Let me talk to my friends. I’ll find you later.”
Apparently she said something I couldn’t hear over the music in order for him to say that. She winks at him, then casts a narrowed glare at Allie. Fortunately, Allie doesn’t notice.
I pull her closer to me anyway, letting the woman know she’s mine and not Maverick’s, since the bastard is propping up on her. Maverick’s arm falls off Allie’s shoulder once I have her back resting against my front and my arms around her waist.
I think she’s smiling. It’s hard to tell from this angle.
“You two come to party?” Maverick asks, grinning salaciously between me and Allie.
I roll my eyes before kissing the top of Allie’s head.
“We came to have fun away from Sterling Shore. But not to party. Angel will be waiting up. She’s excited about seeing Carrie tomorrow.”
Immediately, Maverick pouts. “Rain won’t let me use Carrie to pick up women. Do you know how much easier life would be if I could show them what a great uncle I am?”
Carrie calls all the Sterlings uncles, even though Kode is technically her only uncle.
Allie laughs, surprising me, and I look down, amused as she shakes her head. “From what I’ve heard, you don’t need help,” she brazenly points out.
Maverick likes to pretend he has to chase ass. But we all know the truth. He only chases the ones that aren’t chasing him.
“Yeah, but Carrie makes it so much easier,” Maverick tells her matter-of-factly, and Allie laughs again while leaning back against me, acting like it has become natural for her.
I like it.
“Tag says you’ve been avoiding him since before Christmas. Including his calls. Rye says you’ve avoided him since after Christmas,” Corbin chimes in, and I’d like to punch him.
Billy. That’s why Tag and Rye are calling me. I’ve avoided them like I’ve avoided the reporters. They can’t print that I have a child without risking slander suits if their information is incorrect.
Allie twists her head, trying to see me, and concern mars her features.
“I’m sure you know why,” I tell Corbin, glaring at the ass who ran his mouth.
He shrugs. “I was worried about you. I mean, hell, the tool screwed your fiancée and you didn’t go that crazy. You were surprisingly calm when all that went down. But over at Allie’s house… If I hadn’t shown up, there’s no telling what you would have done.”
I wouldn’t have actually killed him. Christ. It was a fight. I’m sick of everyone freaking out about it.
Allie tenses against me, and I mentally curse Corbin. He looks down at her, and gets the picture, so he shuts up. Maverick looks confused, but he scowls at Corbin like he knows Corbin has left him out of the loop. However, he shifts the subject instead of digging for details.
“Holy hell. Redhead dancing,” Maverick says, pointing to a girl on the dancefloor who is indeed dancing like she’s ready for attention.
Her back is turned, her hands are in her silky red hair, and her short dress is barely covering her ass. I want to see Allie dance and let loose like that.
Leaning down, I get against her ear as Maverick continues trying to urge Corbin into action.
“Will you dance? I’ll be happy to stand back here and watch.”
She laughs before leaning her head all the way back and staring up at me.
“I’ll dance in private. Not in public. At least not like that,” she says, pointing to the redhead.