A slight frown tugged at her lips.
“Which is a good thing! You can have fun and keep it classy.”
Her mouth curved up. “Oh, yeah. Thanks.”
“So when’s the wedding?”
Her eyes brightened and I’d be lying if I said a part me didn’t wish she was just a friend of the bride. “Next weekend.”
“One week, huh? Well, in that case, let me be the first to say congratulations Mrs. McDaniels.”
“Wow. I’m going to be Mrs. McDaniels in less than seven days.” Suddenly her frown reappeared. “Oh my god. I’m going to be my mother-in-law.”
I couldn’t help it. I laughed. Kind of harder than intended because really, I’d seen her around and this girl could never be her mother-in-law. At least I sure as hell hoped not.
“Nah. You’re way too cute for that to happen.” I winked.
The slight pink flushing her cheeks told me loud and clear I’d pushed her out of her comfort zone. And while I’d like to say the comment had stemmed from my role as the flirty bartender working on a larger tip, it had in reality, sort of slipped out as nothing more than an observation. But it was easier for everyone if it seemed slightly less genuine, so I grinned hard, letting the cocky bartender persona make his reappearance.
“Can I get you anything else to drink?”
“Oh, um, no thank you. I’ll just stick to water for now.” She lifted her glass and turned to head back to her friends but then paused. “Thanks again…” She waited expectantly.
“Landon.”
“Nice to meet you Landon. I’m Audrey Maxwell…at least, I am for the next six days.”
I smiled. “Nice to meet you too.”
But as she walked away, I couldn’t help but hope that, for her sake, she stayed Audrey Maxwell for much longer than six days.
Her last name might be changing soon, but it’d be such a shame to lose her—that girl who’d hidden behind a facade only to eventually emerge and completely mesmerize me on the dance floor—to the McDanielses.
She glanced back one last time and smiled, leaving me with one final thought.
Tucker McDaniels was one lucky bastard.