Fated Hearts (Southern Bride 8)

When I sat down, the good-looking, younger bartender walked up and grinned. “What can I get you?”

“I was wondering if I could order some lunch?”

“Of course. Let me grab you a menu. Can I start you off with a glass of wine?”

Shaking my head, I replied, “Give me your favorite local craft beer.”

He winked and said, “You got it.”

I took a glance at where Roger was seated. The young woman let out another laugh at something he said, and I found myself rolling my eyes as I turned away.

“Here’s the menu and your beer.”

With a smile, I took the menu from the bartender. “Thank you so much. So, is this pretty normal? This snowstorm?”

He glanced over the bar toward the large windows and doors at the front of the hotel. “I mean, we get storms, but this one is shutting down the entire city. I’m stuck here. Can’t even get home.”

“That’s awful,” I commiserated.

He laughed. “I’m going to guess you’re stuck here as well?”

I nodded. “Yes. And forced to bunk with a stranger because they double-booked the room.”

His eyes went wide. “Wow. That’s no good. They can’t find you a room anywhere?”

Again, I shook my head. “Nope. But it’s okay, he’s pretty nice.”

“It’s a guy? You’re staying in a hotel room with a guy you’ve never met?”

I shrugged. “It beats sleeping in the airport.”

He nodded. “I guess so. There are a few of us bunking in a suite. Not the best situation, but it could be worse. We could lose power.”

“Don’t say that!” I warned, and he laughed.

“I’ll let you look at the menu. Be right back.”

I liked the bartender’s smile, and I watched him as he walked toward the other end of the bar. The sound of a woman’s laughter pulled me from my thoughts, and I glanced over to find Roger looking at me. The young woman on his left was attempting to get his attention again, but his focus was purely on me. I smiled and held up my beer before I quickly focused on the menu.

Something about the way he looked at me started a shiver up my back, making my body shudder.

After deciding on what I wanted, I put the menu down and looked up at the baseball game on the TV.

“Know what you want?” the bartender asked as he appeared in front of me.

“Yes. The grilled chicken salad and a baked potato, loaded, please.”

He nodded and started to walk away but then stopped and faced me. “Listen, there’s a nightclub on the top floor of the hotel. A few of us are going later. You’re more than welcome to come with me, or all of us—I mean, if you’d like to.”

I smiled and took him in. He couldn’t have been more than twenty-three if that. Cute as hell with what looked like an amazing body. “I’m pretty sure I’m at least ten years older than you,” I stated as I picked up my beer and took a sip.

With a shrug, he replied, “That doesn’t make you any less beautiful.”

I could feel the heat of someone’s eyes on me and turned to see Roger staring once again.

I dug my teeth into my lip and turned back to the bartender. What would a little harmless dancing do for one evening? I might as well have a bit of fun while I was stuck in Chicago.

“I’ll meet you there. What time?”

A wide smile appeared on his face. “Eleven, at the front of the club?”

“Eleven it is,” I said with a soft laugh.

He reached over the bar and extended his hand. “The name is Roby, by the way.”

I shook his hand and replied, “Annalise. It’s nice to meet you.”

“Same.” With a wink, he said, “Let me go get your order in.”

I watched Roby walk over and enter my order.

“A little young for you, isn’t he?”

Jumping at the sound of Roger’s voice near my ear, I turned and shot him a dirty look. “You scared me.”

“Sorry, didn’t mean to interrupt your gawking.”

I rolled my eyes. “I wasn’t gawking.”

“So, where are you meeting your new little friend?”

Taking a drink of my beer, I glanced over toward Roby. “There’s a nightclub on the top floor of the hotel. I’m meeting him there later this evening.”

Chancing a look at Roger, I almost laughed when I saw him scowling at poor Roby. “Is he even twenty-one?” he asked.

“Stop it,” I said with a chuckle. “Who’s the pretty little blonde you were chatting up?”

“That’s Lynn, Mary’s friend. She fell off the treadmill earlier. I saw her sitting at the bar and asked if she was okay. She invited me to dinner tonight.”

I stiffened. “Did you accept?”

“Yes, I did.”

That made me jerk my head to the side. “You mean the dinner you were invited to earlier that you turned down?”

He reached over for my beer, then took a long drink. He set it down with his brows raised. “That’s good.”