“Walker.”
“Well, Walker. Your presence has caused quite a stir.”
Did she expect me to apologize? Or Trinity to apologize?
Trinity rolled her eyes. “It’s good to mix things up once in a while.”
“Right you are.” Davina’s gaze winged between us. “Let’s head to the patio so you can introduce your date to the rest of the guests.”
Davina disappeared around an eight-foot-tall hedge.
Trinity moved closer when I placed my palm in the small of her back.
“Sorry. We should’ve gone out just the two of us, like you suggested. You shouldn’t have to deal with this.”
“I’m a big boy. I can fight my own battles. I won’t fight yours, but neither will I stand back and watch Ramon—or anyone else—be an ass to you.”
“You’ll protect my honor?”
“Damn straight.”
We stepped onto a brick-paved path that led to a covered patio.
A long table, decorated with brightly colored dishware, had been centered beneath a string of Japanese paper lanterns. A bar took up the opposite corner. Someone had already placed the beer we’d brought in a metal tub filled with ice. Soft jazz drifted from someplace.
Several people—men mostly—lounged in oversized furniture.
Trinity muttered, “Great.”
“What?”
Before she could answer, Davina clapped her hands.
All eyes swiveled to her.
“Everyone, this is Walker, Trinity’s date for this evening. Feel free to mingle. The food will be done in ten . . . or longer if the chef isn’t finished with his temper tantrum.” She flounced off.
Only one person from the group rose to greet us. After he gave Trinity an overly familiar hug, I wished he would’ve stayed put.
“Trinity. You look as beautiful as ever.”
“Thank you, Esteban.”
“Ramon said I’d have you all to myself tonight so we could catch up.” He tried to intimidate me with a narrow-eyed glare.
“Esteban, is it?” I said with a “Back the fuck off” stare as I thrust out my hand. “I’m Walker.”
“Interesting name,” he said while squeezing my hand with excessive force. “You any relation to them?”
“Them who?”
He rolled his eyes. “The Walker family—namesake of the Walker Art Center?” He paused. “Please tell me you’ve at least heard of it.”
Was this guy for real? “I’ve heard of it.”
“I’ve been there dozens of times. I know Trinity has too.” He offered her a sly smile. “But it wasn’t until you and I went to that exhibit last fall that I grasped the subtleties in style that only an artist can explain with knowledge and passion. I never considered an artist’s temperament played no part in the creative process. How much you have to get outside yourself and push boundaries.”
Trinity slipped her arm around my waist. “Speaking of temperament . . . maybe you should check on Ramon.”
“Davina can handle him. I did my time in Ramon’s kitchen.”
“Are you in the food truck business with him?” I asked.
He looked aghast, as if I’d said something idiotic. “God no. I went to college specifically to escape life in the food service industry.”
The smug little prick wanted me to ask him what he did for a living. So I didn’t. “Good for you.”
“We’ll catch up with you later,” Trinity said and nudged me away. She didn’t stop moving until we were at the bar and she positioned herself in front of me.
“Want to tell me what’s going on?”
Placing her hand on my cheek, she stroked my jawline with her thumb. “Esteban is Ramon’s brother. Ramon has been trying to set us up for a while.”
“Esteban seems on board with that.”
“I’m not on board with it, Walker. I never have been.”
A thought occurred to me. “Is that why you dragged me along tonight? Because he would be here? Am I being used as a shit-stirrer to ‘mix things up’?”
She shook her head.
“Am I just a buffer between you and Esteban?”
“No!”
“You sure?”
“Yes, I’m sure.” She rifled her fingers through my beard, gathered a small section between her thumb and forefinger, and tugged on it. Hard.
Fuck. That hurt.
“No games between us, Walker. Yes, I knew Esteban would be here, but I didn’t bring you to antagonize him.”
“Did you bring me to antagonize Ramon?”
“No.”
“Then why did you bring me, Trinity?”
“Because I wanted to spend time with you . . . but I didn’t want to assume we’d do something tonight since we hadn’t spoken much this week. So when Ramon invited me to the dinner party, I said yes without thinking.”