Beck smiled but glanced away as she gaped at him. The beard, moustache, and the long hair were all gone. He looked completely different—and unbelievably—even more handsome. He had a strong, pronounced jaw with a cleft in the center and when he gave her a slight smile, dimples appeared in his cheeks. The same sparkle resided in his eyes.
Lucy knew she was staring at him and could tell it made him uncomfortable. She returned Patrick’s soft kiss and he released her. She put her arms around Beck and whispered, “You surprised me.”
Beck squeezed her gently, gazing at her as she continued to stare at him. “It was time for all that to go. I needed to make some changes. D–Do you like it?”
Lucy tilted her head, not caring that they must’ve garnered some looks when she’d hugged both of these incredibly sexy men with more than sisterly affection. “No, the question is do you like it. I think you’re handsome either way. I’m just surprised by how much your beard hid.” She brushed her fingertip against the cleft in his smooth chin.
“It feels better.” He reached up to stroke his barren nape. “I thought you might miss the long hair. I know some women like that.”
“Either way is fine. You look great.” It wasn’t lost on her that he needed the affirmation as much as she had earlier.
“Enough about pretty boy, here. Lucy, you look stunning,” Patrick whispered as he slid his arm around her waist and stroked the top of her hip and kissed her temple.
“Beck asked me to dress up, so…”
“Genius on my part,” Beck quipped. He held her gaze as he kissed her other temple and then looked around, nodding at a couple who were gazing at them with mild curiosity. He held up a small handled gift bag. “I brought you something.”
Gasping with delight, Lucy said, “You did?”
Beck nodded and handed it to her. Now even more people were looking at them. “Mind if I open it when we’re seated?”
Beck shook his head, keeping all of his attention on her. “Of course not. It’s just a little something I thought you might like.”
“Lucy?” the hostess called.
“That’s us,” Lucy said as another group came in the door. “And not a moment too soon.” Patrick’s hand was a warm, possessive weight at her lower back as they walked into the main dining room of the restaurant and the hostess led them to a table right in the middle of the crowded room.
Great.
She’d heard this place was one of those “see and be seen” sorts of places and glanced from table to table, nodding in acknowledgment to a couple she knew and took her seat when Patrick held it out for her. The men sat on either side of her, like bookends. It was a nice feeling.
They’d dressed in jeans and boots with freshly pressed dress shirts and she felt proud to be seen with them. The moment still felt odd as she took her menu from the waiter and paid attention to it after ordering a margarita.
The warmth of Patrick’s palm seeped into her forearm as he stroked her and whispered, “You okay?”
Lucy smiled and nodded. “I’m fine.” Her heart raced, wondering if they were making a mistake. Were they forcing this?
“You look nervous,” Beck drawled softly.
Turning her gaze to him, Lucy said, “I am. We’ve gone out before but this feels different. I’m—I’m worried.”
“Why?” The concern in Beck’s eyes, when he was usually the one kidding her and giving her a hard time, unsettled her.
“I’m worried that we’re about to screw up something that’s already precious to me.”
“Our friendship?”
Sitting in that crowded dining room wasn’t the optimum place to have such a discussion but the tension continued to tighten inside her. “Yes. I need this friendship. I don’t want to screw it up by turning it into ‘friends with benefits.’ I’m afraid that’s what will happen.”
Patrick’s brows drew together and the concern in his eyes was obvious. He gripped her hand on the table and looked Beck’s way for a second before giving her all of his attention. “Luce, let’s just take things slow. Nothing happens unless—and until—you want it to. And ‘friends with benefits’ doesn’t appeal to me at all. What I feel goes way beyond that.”
“Me either, sweetness. I’m sorry if we made you feel that way. Are you uncomfortable here? We can leave.”
The large party of women who had stared at her earlier entered the main dining area, led by the hostess. She watched as they scanned the room and then their eyes settled on her group as they were seated just a few feet away. Shit! Another woman walked in and joined the group, noisily greeting some of the women.