Worth the Chance(68)

I need to take my mind off of work for a little while, the only problem is that my work and personal life have become so tightly entwined, it’s difficult to know where one starts and the other ends. Two days without seeing Vinny leaves me feeling anxious and sad, I can’t imagine what a lifetime would do to me.

Walking into the restaurant where I’m supposed to meet Ally for drinks before dinner with Vinny, I’m surprised to find her waiting with her brother Matthew.

“Hey,” I smile and greet Matthew, who stands as I approach. “This is a nice surprise. Ally didn’t tell me she was bringing her bodyguard.” Matthew’s five years older, he’s always been our protector. Only now it’s official, since he’s a detective with the Chicago PD.

“Someone’s gotta keep an eye on you ladies.” Matthew leans down and kisses me on the cheek. “Plus, she talked me into driving her here.”

“Driving her here? It’s only a six block walk,” I question, as I shrug off my jacket, which Matthew is behind me to quietly take. Such a gentleman, he reminds me a lot of his dad. When I was little, I remember going places with the Landry’s and always loving the way Mr. Landry jogged around the car to open Mrs. Landry’s door for her. It’s funny the things you take away from watching adults as a child that stick with you.

“I can’t walk six blocks in these.” Ally points down to her black open toe shoes. Silver buckles adorn the front, clasping the black leather material together from just above the toes to high on the ankle. The inside of the six inch heel is a bright girly pink, a stark contrast to the sleek, rockeresque shoe you see from the front.

“I don’t get why she buys shoes she can’t walk more than a few steps in,” Matthew says, smiling and shaking his head. Turning his attention to the bartender pouring drinks at the other end of the long bar, he motions with a simple wave of his hand for her to come over. “Still drinking cheap wine?” He looks to me for confirmation and I nod and smile.

Leaning on her brother’s shoulder, Ally responds to Matthew’s earlier comment, “I wear them because they’re hot.”

“Creepy Al. My sister’s shoes can never be hot. Nothing about my sister is hot.”

“Bet you would think they were hot on Liv.” She teases, something catching her attention from the other end of the bar, Ally waves to a guy with a goatee. “I’m gonna go say hi, he’s in one of my classes. Watch as my shoes work their magic.”

A full hour goes by and Ally never glances back in our direction…so much for happy hour drinks with my best friend. Although it gives Matthew and me a chance to catch up. It’s been a long time since we’ve really talked. When Ally and I first moved in together, he helped us move and then even came by a few times with his girlfriend Brie.

“How’s Brie?”

Matthew shrugs, “Over.”

“What happened, she seemed really nice?”

“She was. Just wasn’t there.” His face sincere, almost saddened at the recollection, Matthew draws a long pull on his beer and sets it down on the bar. “Can’t control it, although life would be a hell of a lot easier if you could.”

“You can say that again.” I finish my second glass of wine.

“Ally mentioned you were seeing someone. Not the one you would have picked for yourself?”

Vinny’s familiar sexy voice startles me from behind, there’s a hard edge to his words. “I’d like to hear the answer to that question too.”

Swallowing hard, I turn in my bar stool to find Vinny standing less than a foot away, positioned in the middle of the two chairs that Matthew and I fill. He looks angry, hands turning to fists at his sides, torn between coming to me and tearing apart the man I’m sitting next to.

Matthew stands, his naturally authoritative posture firmly in place. The silent gesture serves only to challenge Vinny’s already heated temper. Realizing the need to quickly diffuse whatever is beginning to brew, I stand and wave the white flag of surrender, turning my full attention to Vinny and laying my hands flat on his chest, brushing my lips softly over his.

“Hi.”

Glancing at Matthew and back to me, Vinny asks, “Who’s your friend?”

Stepping back, my kiss erasing some of the anger from his face, yet far from all, I introduce the two men. “This is Ally’s brother, Matthew.”

“Matthew, this is...”

“Vince Stone.” Matthew finishes my sentence for me.

“You know him from watching fights?” My eyebrows draw together in confusion.

“Sort of.”