The feeling in my stomach was somewhere between sickness and anxiety. Lily was heading toward our table. Mark was next to her, his arm around her waist.
She looked good. You would have never known she had given birth to a baby a few months ago. Knowing Lily, though, she probably hit the gym right after she gave birth.
“I need to get going. Morgan is waiting on me,” I said, sliding out of the booth.
“Nash, dude, you don’t have to go just because . . .” Tucker’s voice trailed off when Lily and Mark came to a stop.
“You’re not leaving because of me, are you?” Lily asked, giving me a smile that said she really hoped I was leaving. No one wanted that awkward feeling that would surely be thick in the air if I stuck around.
“No, Morgan is having a birthday party and I need to get to it.”
Her smile faltered some. Turning my attention to Mark, I reached out my hand for his. For a quick second, he debated shaking my hand.
Dickhead.
“Nash, it’s good seeing you.” He shook my hand firmly. Probably under other circumstances, I might have actually liked the guy.
“Yeah, congratulations on the baby. If you’ll excuse me.”
With a quick glance over to Tucker, I asked, “Is it okay if I use your office to make a quick call?”
“Sure, of course. You know the code.”
I nodded, then moved my way around Lily and Mark. The faster I got away from them, the better.
It wasn’t two seconds before my phone buzzed in my hand.
Lily: Can we talk?
Letting out a scoff, I replied to her.
Me: We don’t have anything to talk about.
Lily: Nash, please.
Not looking at where I was going, I ran right into someone. My phone dropped and I bent down to pick it up, only to see two phones on the floor. I picked them both up.
“Damn, I’m sorry about that!” I shouted over the loud music. The band Tucker hired had started playing right at that moment. When I stood up, I handed the person back their phone.
When the most exquisite hazel eyes captured mine, I froze. Then she spoke and it felt like the ground had rippled underneath me.
“Oh gosh, thank you. I’m sorry, I wasn’t looking where I was going! I guess that’s why they say no texting and walking.”
She let out the cutest giggle, and I actually felt my stomach drop.
What in the hell? That feeling hasn’t happened in a long time.
When I was finally able to find my voice, I chuckled and said, “Looks like we would both be fined then. I’m guilty of the same thing.”
Her teeth bit into her lower lip, and I couldn’t
help but let my gaze move down to her mouth. Jesus, this woman was beautiful. Her long brown hair was pulled back into a low ponytail and she wore a T-shirt that said No cheesy pick-up lines . . . I’m taken.
Pointing to her shirt, I asked, “Boyfriend buy you that?”
For a second, she didn’t move. Her gaze was locked on mine until finally she replied.
“What? No! No . . . I, um . . . I don’t have a boyfriend . . . um . . . it was a bet. I lost.”