Chapter Fourteen
Josh
“I fold.”
Josh didn’t look across Lady Jane’s small kitchen table because he knew what he would see. She had been eyeing him all night…ever since he had introduced her to Carina at the restaurant.
“You fold? Again?”
Josh couldn’t help himself and he glanced at his grandmother. With one brow raised, she appeared suspicious of more than just his poor card-playing skills. “Yes, I fold. You keep dealing lousy hands, Lady.”
Lady Jane collected the cards and began to reshuffle. “And you keep feeding me one line after another. Care to tell me who that lovely young lady was at Lucrezia?” Lady Jane bridged the cards and then dealt with quick precision.
Josh picked up his cards and pretended to look at his hand. “She’s Mia’s friend from college. We met at Erin’s engagement party.” Josh shifted one card over. “Don’t know much more than that.”
Lady Jane fanned her own cards. “That’s strange,” she said.
Josh didn’t like his grandmother’s tone. It was full of sass and doubt. “What’s strange?”
“I find it odd you introduced Mia’s friend to me as your own…while holding her hand.”
No matter how much he enjoyed spending time with his grandmother, he wanted this conversation to end. Josh feigned tiredness and forced a yawn. “I was just being a gentleman to a young woman who injured her hand. You are reading too much into the hand holding.”
“Hmm.” Lady Jane tossed her cards onto the table. “I think it’s time for this old timer to head to bed.” Josh didn’t mean for their night to end so abruptly. He had just wanted to avoid an uncomfortable lecture. “Make sure you take your spare key.”
“Spare key? I wasn’t planning on going out tonight, Lady.”
Lady Jane stood and walked to the fridge. She retrieved a carton of milk and poured herself a glass, her nightly ritual. She took a few sips and set the glass on the counter. “Are you sure about that, boy?”
Yeah, Lady Jane was too quick for her own good. Josh didn’t say a word. He simply walked over, kissed his grandmother on the cheek, grabbed the key from the key rack hanging next to the pea green wall phone and left through the back door.
***
Carina
“Let’s refuel. I hate this song!” Morgan shouted over the mind-numbing bass.
Carina nodded, grabbed her friend by the hand, and they made their way across the dance floor to the bar. They found two empty stools, miraculously next to each other, and signaled the bartender over for a much-needed refreshment.
The bartender slithered over to them. “What can I get you ladies?” Though his appearance suggested he took good care of himself, with his clean-shaven face, muscular build, and high and tight haircut, he definitely sent off a pig vibe. His eyes perused Carina’s rack first and then he set his sights on Morgan’s.
“Hi, I’m up here.” Morgan pointed from her boobs to her eyes. “And we’re thirsty. Two lemon drops.” Her tone was crisp, her directive to the point. God, Carina had missed her smart-assed friend!
The smarmy bartender’s smug smile evaporated. “Coming up,” he said. He left to fill their order, no longer on his high horse, no longer leering at them.
“Have I told you lately how much I love you?” Carina asked. Morgan and Carina burst into uncontrollable laughter. Their giggles mixed with tears right around the time smarmy bartender man slammed two shots in front of them. Morgan threw a twenty on the bar, never once looking at him, and handed Carina a shot. Carina saw the bartender snatch up the money and walk away in a huff.
Morgan picked up her shot. “To a fresh start.”
Carina raised her glass and said, “To finding men who truly deserve our asses!”
Morgan let out a chuckle and then clinked her glass before downing it in one gulp. Carina threw hers back, placed the empty glass on the bar, and signaled Smarmy Man for another round. He returned a few minutes later looking even more pissed off than before. Carina didn’t care. The shots had been delivered.
A couple of shots later, Carina and Morgan were buzzed and ready to get back out there. Morgan grabbed her hand and dragged her to the center of the dance floor. They were on the third song when Carina saw a set of hands envelop her friend’s waist from behind. Morgan’s eyes shot open and met Carina’s. Carina gave the guy a once-over and mouthed, He’s cute, to her friend.
Morgan giggled and swayed into the guy. Carina kept her eyes on the guy’s hands, but they didn’t travel south. Instead, he turned her around and they continued the dance. Morgan deserved to have fun, to let loose with a guy and escape real life for a while. A little dirty dancing never hurt anyone.
Carina decided to give her friend some latitude and began to make her way back to the bar when she felt a hand on her rear. Before she realized what the hell was happening, she was gathered into the unwanted embrace of a very large man, one who reeked of cheap cologne and whisky.
“Goddamn, you’re hot,” he said, slurring his words. His black eyes were glassy and unfocused.
Carina backed out of his grasp. “My boyfriend wouldn’t appreciate your hand on my ass!”
The asshole looked around the club and then stared at her. “I’ve been watching you all night, princess. You came with that girl over there,” he said, pointing in Morgan’s direction. He took a step closer, bringing his oppressive stench with him. “But you’re going home with me.”
This guy was definitely drunk. And huge. Swaying back and forth, he towered over her. She was just outside the ladies’ room when she felt a sweaty fist grip her left hand. Carina winced as her injured hand throbbed beneath his grasp. But she fought through the pain and glared at him. Cold, dangerous eyes stared back at her. Carina’s instincts kicked in. She was just about to knee him in the crotch when the bastard was thrown against the wall.
“Get the fuck off her!”
Carina knew that voice.
The shit regrouped from his apparent state of shock and took a clumsy swing. Josh easily dodged the assault and then delivered his own blow. The man’s nose bled on contact, suggesting that it was most likely broken. Josh tossed him to the ground and watched the shithead slump into a defeated heap.
Everything happened quickly. A bouncer appeared and positioned himself in between Josh and the bastard. The music continued to play but a crowd had started to gather. It took only a second for Carina to realize what she needed to do. The police may have been called already and she didn’t want Josh to get in trouble because of her. “He was protecting me…from that,” Carina said, pointing to the huddled mess at her feet.
The bouncer looked at her with sympathy in his eyes. But the warmth turned to disdain as he eyed the bastard. “You two should get out of here…in case the police have been called. I’ll take care of this piece of shit, miss.”
Josh nodded, heeding the bouncer’s suggestion, grabbed Carina’s hand and led her toward the entrance. “I need to get Morgan,” Carina said over the blaring music.
Morgan appeared out of nowhere. “What the fu…you’re the guy from the restaurant,” Morgan said, staring at Carina and Josh’s linked hands. A sly little grin formed on her friend’s face.
“Um…yeah, he is. And we need to leave…now,” Carina said.
Morgan’s smile faded. Carina would explain to her friend why their night needed to be cut short when they were in the safety of Josh’s car, far away from the club and smarmy, sweaty men.