“Caught, red-handed,” she said between her teeth as she pasted on a smile. She shrugged and wiggled her fingers in a wave to him.
He laughed and then winked at her.
Her insides tumbled.
What in the world was going on? She never acted like this. Not this schoolgirl crush stuff. No, not her, Peg, ever efficient, loved her job and never wanted to do anything else, Newbury. Beezus and sassafras, she needed to get out of here and away from him. Pronto!
***
As Austin held the drinks and walked back to the table, he couldn’t help but smile at her. What a breath of fresh air. He liked her funny sayings. He liked her unvarnished truth. He liked the way her wide, brown eyes revealed all her emotions.
What he didn’t like was his attraction to her.
That he could have done without.
He’d spent two long years touring the world with his band. Females of every color, shape, and size flashed him, threw themselves at him, tossed their thongs on stage at his feet, and was willing to sleep with him for a few hours. He hadn’t accepted. They didn’t understand the word no.
Even before he broke up with his last girlfriend months ago, very publicly in the press on her part, the women came in droves. Why couldn’t they accept he was a one-woman man? Why him?
He’d stayed clear, before and even after the break-up. Most of the guys in the band were on hand to soothe the groupies. Everyone knew what they bought into. No one got hurt.
And he’d shake his head and watch from the sidelines.
It was getting old. Fast.
Now, after all this time, he felt the tug of heat with his sister’s friend, of all people.
Peg hustled out of the booth and, clutching her clipboard, met him halfway. She held out her hand, and then realized his were holding the glasses, so she dropped hers. “Well, Austin, it’s been swell, pal. But I’ve got to skedaddle.” She tapped the board. “You know, a date to find.”
“Hold up, Peg. Is it just Peg or Margaret?” He wondered why he even bothered to ask. His interest in her disturbed him. Austin tried to convince himself it was because he promised Ev he’d do her a favor by looking out for Peg. Yeah, right!
“Peg. That’s it. Folks realized I was a square peg right from the get-go. I’m a giraffe compared to the rest of them. If I hadn’t have popped out of my mother, I swear I was adopted or bred by aliens.”
With laughter bubbling up, he realized he didn’t want the night to end just yet. “You can’t leave me holding these…”
Shrugging, she snatched the apple martini out of his hand and knocked it back in one swig. She smacked her lips. “Yummy! I’m off. Gotta meet up with Rico in,” she squinted, “four hours. Strategize.”
She shoved the glass back at him, and then breezed by him.
Austin stood dumbfounded, watching her walk away.
What the hell just happened?
***
“Peg, wait up,” he called, chasing after her. Her long strides nearly outmatched his. But he caught up to her. “You owe me, remember?”
She pulled up short. Gently punching him in the belly, she said, “I’m not your next roll in the hay, bub, got it?”
He sucked in a breath. “Nice right hook. But, that’s not what I meant. I saved you. Now, you save me.” Where did that come from?
Her frown said it all. “How?”
Lord, if he knew! “Um…I need a place to stay. Short term. No strings attached.” He could easily get a hotel room, so why was he even going there?
“You broke?”
“Nothing like that…” He couldn’t out-and-out lie to her. “Okay. Just for tonight.”
Turning on her heel, she walked out.
Austin shoved the glasses at the scowling maître de, who glanced at Peg and muttered, “Finally, she’s leaving!”
“Hey, buddy,” Austin said. “Can you get my bag? It’s in the coat check room.” He tossed him the ticket and didn’t wait for a reply, but stormed outside after Peg.
The cold wind whipped through him. Icy drizzle pelted him. She was there huddled on the sidewalk, obviously waiting for a cab.
“Come on, Peg,” he said, touching her elbow. She was shivering. The maître de from the restaurant came carrying his denim coat and black duffle bag.
“Mr. Rhoades,” he said, scrunching up his shoulders against the brutal weather.
He tipped the guy, thanked him for his help, and then grabbed his things. With a murmured thanks, the guy rushed back inside, throwing a dark glare over his shoulder at Peg.
“Here,” he said, wrapping his coat around Peg’s shaking shoulders and bundling her up. When she looked at him like that, he melted. “I’ll sleep on the floor. I’ll make you breakfast.” Then he’d go meet his sister afterward.