I hesitate. Avoiding his suggestion, I opt to talk about Avery instead. “No worries. Those guys behaved themselves so there were no problems. And we had Tyler watching out, too. Dude, you need to talk to your brother about Avery. He clearly wants her.”
“Why are you changing the subject?” His eyes don’t leave me, and this unnerves me even more. He’s watching me so closely it almost feels intimate.
The dance my heart has been doing turns into a nervous, uncoordinated jig. “I’m not. I’m just pointing something out to you.”
“I don’t involve myself in my brother’s love life.” He continues to hold my gaze, and I know he’s waiting for my response to his suggestion. I’m struggling to understand how nervous he’s making me feel—I never get this nervous with men.
“Thanks for the job offer, but I’m going to follow up on some waitressing gigs I’ve had mentioned to me first. If they don’t pan out, I’ll see if you still need someone.”
“You’ve already got some offers?”
“Yes,” I lie, willing him to either believe me or drop this. I’ve decided it wouldn’t be good for me to be in his presence more than I already am.
“Okay, but let me know if anything changes. Like I said, I could do with the help.”
“I will.” My heart stops doing that jig and resumes normal beats. Thank goodness he’s letting me be, even though I’m sure he can read the truth of the situation.
Leaning forward, he asks, “Why do you keep looking online for love? Every guy you’ve met on there has turned out to be a loser or not your type.”
I know he means no harm, but his words sting. I already feel like a loser who can’t find a guy or even just get laid; I don’t need Luke to be verbalising the fact. Crossing my arms over my chest, I reply, “I’m not a quitter, Luke. I’ll eventually find someone.”
“I hardly think you’d be classified as a quitter if you stopped scouring dating sites. All I’m suggesting is that perhaps if you stopped trying to force something, it might happen when you’d least expect it.”
Standing, I grab my laptop and bag. My heart has started doing that goddamn jig again, and I’m sure my face has turned a lovely shade of red. I don’t want to talk to him anymore today. I’m a twisted mix of embarrassed and pissed off now. The pissed off side wins when I snap, “I see nothing wrong with using a dating site to look for love and if I want to scour those sites, that’s my business, not yours.”
With one last glare at him, I turn and stalk out of the café. I know I’m being irrational and overreacting, but Luke has this way of provoking me.
Screw you, Luke Hardy.
I’m going to find me a man and show you it can be done.
2
Callie
“Where the hell did you find this guy?” Avery demands, her eyes all over my date and her tongue practically hanging out of her mouth.
I don’t blame her for drooling. The dude’s hot in every way a girl wants her guy to be hot.
Tall.
Dark, wavy, looks-like-he’s-just-been-fucked hair.
Muscles that indicate he’d be able to carry me to bed with little exertion.
Tom Hardy lips that you could kiss for hours on end.
Ian Somerhalder eyes. Seductive as hell.
There’s only one catch with this dude. When he opens his mouth and speaks, the ugly shows through. I’ve just spent the last two hours having dinner with him and within the first twenty minutes, I wanted to leave. I’m convinced he could talk about himself for days without taking a break, and that’s exactly what he did. However, when he suggested we go for a drink after dinner, I jumped at the opportunity to bring him to Luke’s bar and show him off.
To Luke.
Nobody needs to know I’m as far from attracted to him as a woman can be to a man. I’ll tell Avery the truth later, but for now, I want Luke to see me with a guy I found on a dating site. And I want him to see me smiling and having a good time with said guy.
I’ll show Luke that I can find a guy online.
God, he stirs my crazy behaviour, and as much as I know it makes me seem ridiculous, I’m unable to stop myself.
“Dwayne was one of my matches on the dating site,” I answer her as I lean against the counter and watch him talk to the guys. Luke’s face seems to be set in a permanent scowl as he listens to Dwayne. Tyler, on the other hand, appears quite animated, as if he’s interested in the conversation. And he probably is—Dwayne has hardly shut up about football all night, and Tyler loves talking footy.
I turn to catch Avery licking her lips. She grins at me and says, “I bet that man is a master in bed. Look at those muscles. I’m sure he’d have stamina to last the night through.”
She’s right, but sex is the last thing I want from him. And that’s saying something because three months without it is messing with my mind. I'm pretty sure all I think about is getting some.
Reaching for the vodka she’s just poured, I take a long sip before shaking my head. “I’m not even interested.”