He looked down at her, brows raised.
“Hey there, buddy.” She plastered a grin on her face and patted the seat beside her. “Why don’t you take a seat? Or are you just going to stand there making the place look untidy while my brothers single-handedly clean out the kitchen?”
“Buddy, huh?” He sat his butt down and leaned back, heavy thighs spread, arms crossing over his wide chest.
Do not check him out. “That’s what we are, right? Or can’t you be friends with women you consider annoying little sisters?” Crap. She probably shouldn’t have said that.
He shifted in his seat, looking uncomfortable. That was a first. She liked it.
“Of course we’re friends.”
“Awesome.” The waitress put her drink down in front of her and she lifted the shot glass. “Cheers.” She downed it and ordered another.
Adam frowned at her, and that pissed her off as well. Looking down on her, judging her, like everyone else. She was so over it. So damn sick of it.
“So what’re you doing here?” She turned in her chair and her knees slid along the outside of his thigh. That stubborn jaw got tight and he actually jerked away. Didn’t that just make her feel like the smelly girl with cooties? So she did what she always did when she felt hurt or embarrassed, she lashed out. “Why aren’t you out sowing your wild oats? I mean, that is if you have any oats left. You do dish them out pretty freely. Does it get exhausting, fucking a different woman every night?”
Adam stared at her, jaw not only tight but ticking like he was grinding his teeth.
“No?” She’d much rather fight with him and have him hate her than him learn the truth, that she was some sad, pathetic idiot who’d completely messed up her own life.
There goes Lucy, fucking up again.
Only this time was worse because she’d destroyed that family. She was the reason those kids didn’t have their father living with them anymore. She knew how that felt. How it felt to think you must have done something to send him away. That it was your fault.
And as bad as all that was, it wasn’t even the worst of it.
She jerked on the brakes, bringing those thoughts to a screeching halt.
Perhaps the powers that be decided to take pity on her, because her next shot arrived. She downed that one as well. When she looked up, Adam was watching her.
“Think you’ve had enough,” he muttered for her ears only.
“You do?” She turned to the waitress. “I’ll have another, thanks.”
“Lucy—”
“That’s not really your call, buddy.”
He gave her a dark look.
Whatever.
The music turned up again and a song she loved started playing. She’d changed her mind; she didn’t want to argue with Adam, she wanted to get the hell away from him.
She bounded out of her seat. “I’m dancing!”
Shay clapped her hands and Darcey wolf whistled as Lucy headed to the dance floor. Laughing, she did a little butt wiggle, ignoring the three scowling male faces at the table, and weaved her way into the center of the room.
Abella’s was packed with sexy Italian dudes. Maybe she should take a page out of Adam’s book and make the most of it. What the hell. Everyone already thought she was irresponsible. She ignored the voice of reason yammering in her head, telling her it was the alcohol talking, that this was her trying to forget the pain of the last few months—a way to get Adam out of her goddamn head—and entered the thick of it.
Soon she was singing and dancing with an extremely hot guy. His smile was bone-meltingly sexy and he smelled divine. This was exactly what she needed.
Right. If that was the case, why wasn’t she the least bit into him? Instead she was on high alert, every part of her tuned to Adam sitting a short distance away. Occasionally she glanced over at their table, and every time those blue eyes were on her. What was he playing at? Was this some kind of game to him?
Shay suddenly hopped up out of her seat and waddled over to join her, with Darcey instantly hot on her heels. Joe stayed where he was for all of thirty seconds before he came and grabbed Darcey to dance with her. Hugh, on the other hand, stayed where he was, looking like he was sucking a lemon. Her big brother did not dance. Ever. He was also possessive as hell and it was obvious watching Shay dance surrounded by guys, even though they weren’t touching her, was killing him.
Lucy leaned into Shay. “Hugh looks like he’s about to blow a fuse.”
She smirked. “He’s been refusing to practice for the wedding.”
Lucy laughed. “You may look sweet and innocent, but you’re an evil mastermind, Shay Freestone.”
And sure enough, Hugh dragged his butt out of his chair, and looking like he was about to be drawn and quartered, joined Shay on the dance floor. The poor bastard hated every minute, standing there barely moving while Shay twirled around him giggling like crazy, unlike Joe, who was swinging Darcey around the dance floor and grinning like lunatic while she laughed her ass off.