The silence stretched on for way too long not to be awkward, so Lauren cleared her throat. “I’d love a diet coke, Mark.”
Mark shifted away from her immediately, the relief clear in his expression. “Great, I’ll—”
“No. You stay,” Steven said, his voice hard. “I’ll get her a drink. I wouldn’t want to interrupt your date.” Steven turned on his heel and stalked off toward the bar without another word.
Well, crap.
Swallowing and forcing a smile, she turned back to Mark, who watched her closely. “So…misunderstanding, huh?”
“Yeah.” He winced. “It seemed like the best excuse at the time. I had no idea you and Steven were a thing. I’m assuming Lydia doesn’t, either.”
“We’re not. I mean, we are. But we’re not.” Lauren laughed and tucked her hair behind her ear. “It’s, yeah. It’s complicated.”
Mark raised an impeccably shaped brow. “I got that.”
“Yeah.” Lauren laughed again. “I guess you did.”
“Does he think it’s complicated?” he asked, waving at someone over her shoulder and smiling. Lauren glanced behind her, but there were only a few possibilities—all women. The only other person behind them was an old lady and a child. “Or does he think it’s simple?”
“Yeah, I think so. But it just recently became…complicated.”
Mark crossed his arms. “Ah. I see.”
“Yeah…”
He laughed. “Well, if he’s smart, he’ll figure it out sooner rather than later.” He grasped her shoulder and squeezed it. “You’re gorgeous, and any man would be lucky to call you his.”
Her cheeks heated. “Oh, stop it. You’re too much.”
“Stop what?” he asked, cocking that brow again.
“Being all cute and flirtatious and stuff.” She patted his hand on her shoulder. “It won’t work on me. Steven’s got…well, me. I think.”
“That’s why I’m doing it. A little healthy competition never hurt anyone.” He focused on something over her shoulder again, and his expression closed off. “But I don’t think he agrees. He’s coming over, and he looks pissed, so that’s my cue to leave you two lovebirds alone. It was nice meeting you, Lauren.”
She peeked over Mark’s shoulder. Sure enough, Steven stalked over with her soda, and he looked ready to kill someone. “Oh God.”
Mark laughed and walked away.
Way to abandon a girl, Mark.
When Steven reached her side, she held her hands up. “I didn’t know anything about that, I swear—”
“Just drink your damn soda,” Steven snapped, sliding it across the table to her. “I don’t want to talk about it here, in front of everyone.”
“I—” She barely managed to catch it before it hit the floor. She’d been too busy watching him. The second she opened her mouth, he gave her a warning glare. “Okay.”
He turned away, his mouth tightening when Mark laughed at something Holt said. “Who the hell does that guy think he is, coming over here and flirting with you?”
So much for not talking about it.
“It wasn’t his fault,” she said.
“Wow, defending him already.” Steven rolled his eyes, but his grip on the table was so tight it was a miracle it didn’t break. “You liked him that much?”
“I barely know the guy. I’m just saying—”
“You knew him well enough to flirt with him,” he snapped.
“I never—!” She blinked. “Wait a second. Are you…jealous?”
He snorted. Actually snorted. “I don’t fucking get jealous. If he wants to come over here and flirt with you, then he can. I’m not going to stop him, or you. It’s a free country. I did my share of fighting to keep it that way—and so did he.”
She bit down on her tongue so hard it brought tears to her eyes. He was being ridiculous in his denial, but if she laughed like she was about to, he’d get angry. And if he got angry, they would fight. And if they fought, everyone would figure out why.
But if he wasn’t jealous, then she would run down the street naked.
In daylight.
After she pulled herself together, she said, “Be angry all you want, but it’s not my fault that your sister decided to throw a handsome, single stranger my way—”
“Handsome?” He growled and grabbed her hand, hauling her after him and toward the door. As they passed Holt and Lydia—who both watched them with wide eyes and open mouths—he said, “We forgot something out in the car. We’ll be right back.”