get me during working hours. Tonight, I have a date.”
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Trevor
Shana stares at me pointedly as we sit across the table from one another at a quaint little pub near my apartment. Truth be told, I’ve exhausted my repertoire of cooking skills and people can only eat so much pizza. Thankfully, we had Kimbra’s cooking yesterday, and Shana has offered more than once to cook, but my cupboards are bare. And I’d rather spend time with Shana doing things other than shopping for groceries.
“He said you knew. Why didn’t you say anything?” she asks.
“Why didn’t I say anything?”
Shana’s lips come together as her eyes widen.
“You’re asking me why I didn’t say anything to you about Max still being in town.”
“Yes, Trevor, that’s exactly what I’m asking. Now that we have that cleared up, could we move on to your answer?”
I grin as I take a small drink of my beer. It’s a local craft with a dark color and a surprisingly non-hoppy taste. After I swallow, I look again at the feisty lady staring me down. If I thought she was really upset, I wouldn’t take this so lightly. The way she started the conversation with Oh my God, wait until I tell you what’s happening with Stephen... is what has given me this pass. “You know you’re cute when you try to be snippy?”
“I’m not trying to being snippy. One of my best friends had a relationship crisis—”
“Which—may I interject—was never explained to me. All I knew was that the two of you ran out of the bar after you got more than snippy with Max.”
Shana takes another bite of her French fries before answering. “It wasn’t up to me to tell. I couldn’t betray his trust. After all, you were a friend of the enemy.”
“Max and I are still friends,” I say.
“The difference is that apparently now he’s no longer the enemy.”
I think about how Max hasn’t called me today, how I’m waiting to hear from his investors and his firm about McCobb’s proposal. Maybe now he is my enemy? I need to give that some more thought. “Okay, can you tell me now?”
“First, tell me why you didn’t tell me he was still in town?”
“Shana, when did we discuss Max and Stephen before tonight? I asked what happened the night we met at that bar. You mentioned pond scum, and then said you couldn’t talk about it. Yes, I met with Max last Friday, but how was I to know that you didn’t know he was here? He and I talked mostly about business. And, if I need to be perfectly blunt, from the moment you arrived to my apartment last Friday night until you rushed out this morning, talking about business or Max or even Stephen wasn’t high on my agenda.”
Her cheeks rise as she leans forward.
I do my best to keep my eyes on hers. After all, they’re bright and blue and beautiful. It’s just that if I move my gaze slightly down, her blouse has a great neckline that gives me a hint of her perky breasts below. When our eyes meet again, she shakes her head at me.
“What?” I ask innocently.
“If I didn’t know better, I’d think your agenda hasn’t changed.”
“I confess, Shana Price, I’m crazy about you, and if we follow my agenda, after we finish this meal, we’ll go back to my place and continue not talking about anyone else. I’m okay with not talking at all. Personally, I like those noises you make when you’re too consumed to talk.”
With each word I say, pink fills her cheeks until they’re both as red and rosy as my grandmother’s—who used to wear way too much rouge. It’s not that I’m an expert on makeup, but I remember the term rouge because my mom always thought it was funny.
“Trevor, I can’t stay at your place tonight. All my work clothes are at the hotel.” She looks down. “As it is, I wore the same outfit I wore to Kimbra’s to work today.”
“Would it be too forward to offer to pack my own bag and accompany you to your hotel suite?”
“I guess I do owe you one night for the night in Indianapolis.”
“Best night of my life,” I say.
“Really? We didn’t do anything.”
I reach for her hand and lift it until her knuckles reach my lips. “Yes, we did, my lady. We met.”
She lets out a long breath. “Of course, you can stay. I need to gather all my things in your apartment anyway.