David cocked his head. “Is that the Jackson After-Hours event they have monthly?”
July shrugged. “All I know is that I’m supposed to show up at a downtown brewery by five with my camera ready.”
“It’s good to see you getting involved in the community,” he said after a long moment.
July let the comment go. While Adam’s father might be here, once her job in Jackson Hole was done, there was nothing keeping her here.
Chapter Eight
David hadn’t been to a Jackson Chamber event in several years. He’d tried to get Celeste interested in the group. That hadn’t gone well but her business wasn’t in Jackson so he’d had to agree there was little point in networking here.
He always hoped that in time she would start meeting people, making friends, putting down roots. But her travel schedule made that hard to do. Then she was gone.
He paused at the bottom of the steps leading to the front door of the popular brewery. Laughter and talk floated in the air. How long had it been since he’d just relaxed and socialized with anyone other than family? David thought for a moment. It had been in Chicago…with July. And she was the reason he was here tonight. He wanted to speak to her without Granny and Mary Karen listening to his every word.
Thankfully, for a Friday it had been a slow day in the E.R. and he’d been able to leave the hospital on time. David climbed the stairs with purposeful steps. Once inside the restaurant he followed the sounds of conversation to the bar. A few gray-haired businessmen and women were in attendance but most were young professionals in their thirties and forties.
Though the area was packed, he spotted July immediately. Dressed in a green silky shirt, black pants and high-heeled boots, she fit in perfectly, yet still stood out. Maybe it was the red cast to her hair. Or perhaps the proud, confident stance. Whatever it was, just like in Chicago, he found himself intensely aware of her.
After grabbing a glass of beer, David made his way through the crowd. Though he stopped several times along the way to talk, he kept July firmly in his sight. She’d occasionally snap a few pictures but seemed more interested in the man at her side than in working.
David recognized the guy flirting with her. Tom Harding was the manager of one of the sporting goods stores in town. With messy sun-bleached blond hair and sporting a year-round tan, Tom always looked more like a ski bum than a responsible husband and father. Although he had a perfectly lovely wife, rumor was Tom still liked the ladies. And from the attention he was giving July, it appeared the rumor had some validity.
A surge of something that felt an awful lot like jealousy rose up inside David. He told himself it was merely a protective urge. She was a guest in his sister’s home and new to town. And then, there was still a possibility they shared a baby together.
David made his way to the end of the shiny mahogany bar where July now stood with her back to him. As he drew close a look of surprise crossed Tom’s face. “I sure didn’t expect to see you here tonight. Still doing the triathlons?”
While the man’s tone was friendly enough, the proprietary way he glanced at July told David he didn’t appreciate being interrupted.
“Last triathlon I did was Pinedale,” David said. “I’m planning on competing in a couple marathons this summer.”#p#分页标题#e#
July whirled at the sound of his voice. The shock in her eyes told him Tom wasn’t the only one surprised to see him.
“July, here,” Tom gestured with his head toward the redhead, “has been a casual runner and she’s interested in getting in marathon shape. I offered to do some one-on-one training sessions with her.”
The lecherous hint in the man’s eye told David exactly what he had in mind for those sessions. And the fact that he was even talking about running told David that July had failed to mention she’d just had a baby. It would be a good month before she could do more than walk.
“Hello, July,” David said when Tom made no attempt to do introductions.
If July felt the energy sizzling in the air between them, it didn’t show. “Hello, David.”
Tom’s brows slammed together. “You know each other?”
“She lives at my sister’s house.” David kept his tone as offhand as hers.
“Tom has done quite a few marathons.” July took a sip of club soda and gazed at him over the top of her glass. “Isn’t that nice of him to offer to help me?”
David tightened his fingers around his drink. If he didn’t know better, he’d think she was trying to make him jealous. He kept his expression neutral and focused on Tom. “I’m surprised you have time for that.”