“And that’s coming from someone who talks circles around people, just to confuse the hell out of them,” countered Slade.
“It isn’t hard,” said Liam. He smiled. “And I cannot tell a lie, it amuses the hell out of me.”
“You mean the look of being pissed off?” chuckled Sean.
“That too,” replied Liam, raising his beer.
Slade pulled up another chair and sat down next to me. Our knees touched briefly and I flinched.
“Sorry,” he said, sitting back in the chair.
“It’s okay,” I replied in a light breathy voice. Something in his expression made me wonder if he’d done it on purpose. Especially now that I was blushing and he was smiling slowly.
“What’s your name?” he asked. His sultry eyes were hypnotic and beautiful. I almost wanted to take a picture of them with my phone, just so that I wouldn’t forget what they looked like up close. I decided to Google photos of him as soon as I got home.
“Chelsey,” I replied and then quickly moved back so he could see Susan. “And that’s Susan.”
“Hello,” she said, waving with another silly grin.
“Hi.” His eyes moved back to me and I tried not to swoon. “So, what brings you to the club this evening? Obviously, you’re not a regular.”
“How do you know that?” I asked, wondering if we stood out that much. I had to admit, I felt a little over-dressed compared to the slinky outfits most of the girls wore. I looked like I was going out for pizza, not clubbing.
“She’s here because she’s looking for her cousin, who’s missing,” said Liam.
His face darkened. “Really? Missing?
“Yeah. Since last night,” I said. “Nobody has seen or heard from her since.”
Just then, Faye Dunbar walked into the lounge and headed straight for us. All of the guys noticed and sat up straighter, even Slade.
“Great,” whispered Susan, dryly.
Faye Dunbar, who I figured had to be somewhere in her twenties, was the richest as well as the coldest woman in Shore Lake. I’d never met her personally, but Susan had mentioned several bad run-ins she’d had with her at the diner.
“Faye,” said Liam, standing up. “You are a gorgeous woman, you know that?”
Even I had to admit that she was very attractive. Tonight, she wore a cream colored dress that hugged her perfect figure, and diamond earrings that cost more than my parent’s new SUV.
“Oh, Liam,” she said, smiling up at him. She pushed his chest playfully. “You’re such a flirt, but don’t ever, ever change.”
He grinned. “You make a man like me want to change, sexy. Just say the words and I’ll leave my entire harem for you.”
“I’d tire you out, Liam,” she teased back. “Just ask my harem.”
He laughed. “That’s rich, I like that. So, can you stay and have a drink with us?”
“I’m sorry, but I can’t. I do need to speak to Slade, though,” she said, turning her eyes towards him.
Slade cleared his throat. “Yeah… sure.”
Faye glanced at me and I felt a shiver go up my spine. There was no warmth for me in those eyes and I knew instantly that the woman didn’t like me. “
Do I know you?” she asked.
“Uh, no,” I replied. “I don’t think so.”
She wrinkled her nose, as if she smelled something sour, and then focused in on Susan. “You work over at Ruth’s, don’t you?”
“Yes,” replied Susan nervously.
I watched as Faye reached up and patted the side of her long blond hair. It was so shiny and sleek that I couldn’t help but feel a twinge of envy. She kind of reminded me of a famous actress from one of my mother’s old black-and-white movies. With her style and perfect features, I just knew that I could never look as glamorous as this woman. I began to wonder if there was something going on between her and Slade, and if that as the reason she was acting so unfriendly.
Faye titled her head to the side and smirked. “Funny, I didn’t think you were of age to be here tonight, Susan.”
Susan’s smile didn’t falter and I had to give her credit. “Of course I am.”
“Good, because I would be pretty ticked if I had minors sneaking into my club,” she replied, smiling icily. “It would be bad for business and even worse for the person doing it.”
Susan’s face went white. “I have an I.D.”
“Good,” replied Faye. “Don’t lose it.”
Slade stood up. “So, you said you needed to talk, Faye?”
Faye’s eyes raked over the white graphic T-shirt, emphasizing his narrow waist and muscular frame. Obviously, he still found time to work out between gigs and she noticed it as well. I normally wasn’t into muscles, but damn… everything about Slade was sexy. “Yeah, do you have a moment?” she asked in a softer voice.