Chapter Two

 

 

Tracy stared at Brett, unsure of what to say and embarrassed that she was wearing a cocktail dress. She’d avoided their fifteen-year high school reunion a few months earlier because Brett was the one person she didn’t want to run into. Yet here he was, sitting in Elite, waiting for her to take his drink order.

“I can’t believe it. Tracy… what are you doing here?” he asked.

Having him ask that question made her realize, she wasn’t just embarrassed, she was downright mortified. Whatever he did for a living, it was obvious from his suit that he was doing far better than she was.

“Trace?”

Hearing him all her by the pet name he often used with her back in high school cut the wound a little deeper.

“Isn’t it obvious?” she replied.

“Well, I mean yeah. I can tell you work here. But I meant what are you doing here, in Vegas?”

She didn’t want to be doing this.

She didn’t want to have this conversation with him.

“Just working.”

“Okay, so I see you’re still pissed at me.”

Was she, she wondered. She hadn’t thought about it, or him in a very long time. The only time he really crossed her mind was when those reunion invitations would come every five years. The memory only pissed her off though, and left her with only bad memories.

“What can I get for you?” she put her pen to paper, ready to write down his order.

Brett looked disappointed, “Come on now. I spent months trying to apologize to you back in high school. Are you going to stay mad at me forever?”

She knew it was petty but, she never had forgiven him. Seeing him in that moment after all of those years, she wasn’t sure she was ready to even then.

“I can’t really stay and chat. Management gets on us pretty hard about fraternization.”

“This is hardly fraternization, Tracy. And I know the owner is my cousin. So, I hardly think you’ll get in trouble for talking with me.”

“Gabriel, I mean… Mr. Dare is your cousin?”

“Well, we do have the same last name. It can’t be that far of a stretch.”

“I suppose. I just…” her voice trailed off. She had no idea what she was going to say. Or what she was even thinking.

“Hey.” Brett reached up and placed his hand on her forearm. “I am sorry about what I did all those years ago. It was the biggest regret I’ve ever had, and I was a fool.”

The sincerity in his voice reminded her of the sweet boyfriend he had been for years. Despite her hurt from the night of their senior prom, it was hard not to remember the good guy who was her first love.

“Yeah, you were a fool.” She smiled.

“Damn.”

“What?”

“That smile. I thought I remembered what it looked like, but… just damn. You still are beautiful.”

His compliment only made her smile widen. She felt like she was a teenager all over again. “Stop.”

“You know it’s true. I always had a weakness for that smile.”

“Well, what’s your weakness now?”

“Excuse me?”

She motioned her head toward the bar. “What’ll you have?”

“How about your number?”

“I meant to drink.”

“I know what you meant. But, I’m serious, Trace. Can I please have your number?”

She shook her head, knowing full well she should’ve give it to him. But a part of her really wanted to. Just to see.

As the list of reasons piled up inside her head she knew that she wasn’t kidding anyone, especially herself.

She was still a sucker for Brett Dare.

She was a sucker for his wavy thick hair. A sucker for his tanned skin. And a sucker for that dimple on the right side of his face which she used to think looked cute but, now she realized looked so damn sexy.

His cell phone beeped, and he glanced down at the screen. “Shit. My driver’s here. I gotta go. Are you gonna make me beg?”

“Hmm.”

“Please?”

She smirked and quickly jotted her cell number on a piece of paper. “Here. Now go, you’re costing me good tip money.”

“Thanks, Trace.” He folded the paper in his pocket and grinned. “I’ll call you tomorrow.”

“Sure.” She watched him walk off, wondering if she’d been foolish to give in so easily.

Damn it, Tracy. She shook her head.

Of all the bars, in all the world, Brett Dare walks into mine.