One Night Love (Whiskey Run Sugar 1)

“No, that’s not necessary. I’m fine.”

“No!” she all but screams into the phone.

I don’t know if it’s because the noise in the background here or what, but it seems really important to her that I don’t move. “Violet, this is Jasper...”

She interrupts me before I can get it all out. “Yeah, and it’s not safe. Just do this for me. Okay?”

I roll my eyes even though I’m not really mad about it. This is how Violet is. She tries to take care of everybody. “Fine. I’ll stay put.”

Thomas smiles and nods his head. I know he can’t hear Violet on the phone, but he can hear what I’m saying. Grrr, I’m going to have to be rude and ask him to leave me alone.

“I really am sorry, April. I hate that you drove all the way there. I promise I’ll make it up to you.”

“It’s fine. Really. I completely understand. These things happen,” I tell her, and before I can hang up, she asks me, “What are you wearing?”

Oh my goodness, are we really doing this? I think. Surely I can walk the thirty steps from the door to my car. But I know Violet, and I know there’s no sense in arguing with her. “Yellow shirt.” I look around the almost full bar. “Honestly, I think I’m the only one not wearing black. Was there a theme?”

She snorts into the phone. “No, there wasn’t a theme.”

I nod, looking around. Seriously, almost everyone is wearing black or dark clothing. I know it’s slimming or whatever, but I guess I don’t worry about things like that. I have curves, and I’ve learned to love them.

“Okay, I’ll talk to you later,” Violet says before hanging up the phone.

I barely get it into my pocket and Thomas says excitedly with a snap of his fingers, “Cassie?”

I grunt and shake my head. “No, not Cassie. Really, Thomas, my boyfriend will be here any minute, and he probably won’t like me talking to someone else.”

He shrugs like it’s not a big deal, and all I can think is he doesn’t believe me. He doesn’t believe I have a boyfriend. Maybe I’m not very convincing, I don’t know, but instead of arguing with him, I sit here and let him keep guessing my name. I mean, it could be worse. Even though he is too young for me, at least he’s nice.

Chapter 2

Matt

I’m at the front entrance of the bar when my cell phone starts to ring. I step out of the line of people going in and stop next to the door. It’s Josh’s name on the caller ID. “Hey, bud, I’m about to walk in.”

“I need a favor,” he starts.

I don’t even hesitate. I was new to the Jasper Eagles this season, and Josh was the first one to welcome me and to help me fit in with the rest of the team. If he needs something, I’ll do it. No problem. “Sure thing, what’s up?”

“Our babysitter cancelled on us, and we won’t make it....”

I raise my hand even though he can’t see me. “Well, maybe I should have asked first. I mean, you know I love kids, but I’m not sure if I’d be the best babysitter,” I tell him honestly.

He starts to laugh. “Ha! I don’t need you to babysit. Look, Violet invited one of her friends to meet us at the bar, and we feel bad just leaving her there. Do you care to make sure she gets out to her car safely?”

“Oh yeah, no problem. How do I find her?” I ask as I stare through the front window of the bar. Instantly, my eyes are drawn to a woman in yellow. Unfortunately, she’s sitting with a man, but it doesn’t stop me from staring at her. Even though her lower half is hidden behind the table, I can tell she’s exactly my type of woman. Her long black hair is pulled up in a high ponytail that curls down her back. Her curvy body has my heart racing, and without realizing it, I put my hand up to my chest as if I can calm it or something.

“Hey, Matt. Earth to Matt. You still there?”

I clench my jaw and watch as the woman laughs and rolls her eyes at the man she’s sitting with. “Yeah, I’m still here,” I answer him without taking my eyes off the woman.

“So you think you can find her?” he asks.

“Sorry, I blanked out there for a minute. It’s pretty busy here. How did you say I could find her?”

“Violet says she’s wearing yellow.”

I gulp. “Yellow?”

“Yep, that’s what she said.”

I force my eyes off the woman in yellow and do a quick scan of the bar. She’s definitely the only woman in yellow. “She doesn’t have a boyfriend or anything?”

I hear him ask Violet. “No, no boyfriend. So you think you can find her?”