Valiant
“There’s the birthday girl!”
Ellis is whisked away. For a while after that, I mingle, talking and laughing with a few people from work. I relax a little, but my feet are begging me to just sit down. I glance around the crowd, and my breath is sucked out of my lungs when I see Jack coming towards me. The way he walks, his confidence—it’s out of this world.
It’s hard to look away.
He obviously likes this bar.
I notice a group of girls and guys behind him, all staring over at me. God. Did he tell them about me? This is awkward. He looks incredible as he comes to a stop beside me. Gone is his usual humor. Instead, he leans in and says, in a low husky tone, “You in that dress would drive any man fuckin’ wild. You’re beautiful.”
Then he straightens and keeps walking to the bar.
I blink.
My mouth drops open slightly.
And I turn and watch him for a little while before I’m distracted by a tap on my shoulder. I turn and see our youngest staff member, Drake, smiling at me. He’s only just turned twenty-one and is funny and charming, and I’m sure he’ll grow up to break hearts.
“Hey, Drake,” I say. “How’s it feel to be a legal adult?”
He rolls his eyes and snorts. “I was a legal adult when I was twelve.”
It’s my turn to roll my eyes. “Of course you were.”
He grins. “It’s good to be able to finally get into these places without having a fake I.D.”
I shake my head. “I’ll pretend I didn’t hear that.”
He chuckles. “You look tired. Working double shifts again?”
I nod. “Yeah, I’ll catch a break someday. Luckily, I like working with you all so much.”
“You want a drink?”
“Actually,” I say, fighting back a yawn, “I’m going to go outside and get some fresh air before I fall asleep.”
He nods and leans in close. “If you happen to disappear, I’ll cover for you.”
I beam at him. “I knew I liked you for a reason.”
He hugs me, and I turn, disappearing through the crowd. I’ve only had one drink, and it feels like it ran straight to my head. I practically run out the front doors and inhale as soon as I get into the fresh air. Gosh. If I don’t go home soon, I’m going to pass out right here on the sidewalk.
“Anyone would think you were running away from me.”
I turn and see Jack leaning against the wall, cigarette in one hand, foot pressed up against the brick. He looks so ... good. God. So fucking good. It’s hard not to want to reach into my purse, pull out my phone, and capture a picture of the effortless charm and style he’s showing right now.
“Did you follow me out here?”
“Yep,” he says, unfazed. He brings the cigarette to his lips and inhales, those gorgeous eyes holding mine, not wavering even a tiny bit.
“Why?” I ask, shifting from one foot to the other as my legs ache. My stomach grumbles, too.
I need to eat.
I can’t remember the last time I actually ate.
That’s terrible.
“Saw you rush out, wanted to make sure you were okay. Then I thought I’d stand and watch you just stare at that road, not really knowing what the hell you want to do. It’s cute, really.”
I scrunch up my nose. “Stop calling me cute. Do you know where the cab line is?”
He pushes off the wall, drops the cigarette, crushes it with his boot, and walks towards me. “I’ll take you home.”
“No, thanks,” I say quickly, putting my hands up in front of me. “A cab is fine.”
“I’m not going to chop you into a thousand little pieces, Baylee, although, it wouldn’t take much ...”
I fight back a smile. “Are you always so creepy when trying to pick up women?”
He winks at me. “What makes you think I’m trying to pick you up? Perhaps I’m just being nice.”
“You’ve been stalking me, unless you stalk everyone, I’d say that’s you trying to pick me up.”
He crosses his arms. “Again, maybe I’m just being nice.”
I raise my brows.
He holds my eyes.
“Can you just point me in the direction of a cab, please?”
“Nope.”
“Jack, seriously ...”
“Nope.”
I exhale, drop my hands, and turn, glancing down the street again.
“You eaten?”
My stomach grumbles. Damned traitor.
“I’ll take that as a no.” He laughs. “Come on, there’s a nice place just a few blocks down.”
I am so hungry.
But dammit. If I give in now, he’ll never go away.
Not that I want him to, if I’m being honest.
But still.
Dammit.
“Stop overthinking, it’s food, not a marriage proposal,” he says, suddenly closer than he was a second ago. His breath tickles my ear as he leans in. “There’s no harm in eating with a friend, right?”
I turn around and damn, he’s so close I can smell him—he smells incredible. “We’re not friends.”
“We will be,” he murmurs, eyes dropping to my lips. “Until then, consider me a very good stalker. Now, let’s go. I’m hungry.”
“Are you always so bossy?”
He smirks. “Mostly.”
I sigh. “Fine, but only because I’m hungry. I’m never going to go out with you, are we clear?”
He puts his hands up. “Stalker. Friends. The end. I get it.”
I fight another smile.
He grins down at me. “One day, I’ll even get a laugh out of you.” He takes my shoulders in his hands and turns me in the direction we’re going to walk. “Imagine that.”
Yeah.
Imagine that.
I wonder what it’ll feel like to really laugh again?
CHAPTER 6
NOW – BAYLEE
I take a seat when Jack pulls out a chair, slightly uncomfortable, but not the way I’d usually be around a perfect stranger. Jack has an ease about him; he’s casual, light, and funny. It would be hard to have an awkward moment with someone like him. He’s just breezy, charming and always has something to say.
He sits down across from me, at the quaint little burger place he brought me to. The smell of the food fills my nose, and my stomach grumbles angrily. I really should learn to eat more. Jack laughs and leans forward on his elbows. “Let’s get you fed first, before you fade away to nothing.”