If We Never Met (Whisper Lake #5) - Barbara Freethy Page 0,20
didn't want to answer. Of course, none of that concerned him as much as seeing Keira again.
They'd agreed to be friends, which was the best decision for a lot of reasons. Unfortunately, the idea of just being her friend wasn't appealing. He was attracted to her. He'd felt it since the first second she'd sat down at his table, and he felt it even more now that he'd gotten to know her. She was outgoing and friendly and had a dry, self-deprecating sense of humor. She didn't seem to take herself too seriously, and he liked that. He also liked how protective she was of her mom.
He wondered if she'd discovered anything new when she'd met with Langley yesterday. The guy seemed nice enough. He'd passed him in the hall earlier and exchanged greetings. They were the only two rooms on the third floor, so he had a feeling they'd be seeing each other a lot.
Turning away from the window, he knew he had two options. He could go into town and find a restaurant and eat alone, or he could join the crowd downstairs. One good thing about staying in was the opportunity to avoid the press. He hadn't seen anyone since Friday night, so it was possible they didn't know where he was staying yet. He had used a credit card attached to a corporation, so his name wasn't on the register, but this was a small town. He doubted his anonymity would last long. Maybe he'd at least check out the party, get the vibe. If it was uncomfortable, he could always leave.
He grabbed his keycard and phone, slipped them into the pocket of his jeans and headed downstairs. The laughter and chatter hit him as soon as he reached the foyer. When he walked into the living room, he saw that Lizzie had rearranged the room so that all the couches and chairs faced a large-screen TV. The bar in the corner was quite busy with Lizzie's fianc茅, Justin Blackwood, pouring margaritas. In the adjacent dining room, two long tables had been set for a buffet while another six round tables were covered with linen cloths with flower centerpieces.
There were probably two dozen people mingling between the rooms, but while a few he recognized as being guests at the inn, he didn't see Mark Langley. Nor did he see Keira.
He headed to the bar. When he reached the front of the line, Justin gave him a smile.
"Margarita, wine, beer? What's your pleasure?" Justin asked.
"I'll take a margarita. It looks like that's the drink of the day."
"It is, and I make a good one. Don't tell Lizzie how strong they are," Justin added with a laugh.
Justin was a tall, good-looking guy with a dark-blue gaze that sparkled with amusement. From what Lizzie had told him about her fianc茅, he knew Justin ran a huge company, specializing in robotics. Apparently, after falling in love with Lizzie, he'd decided to set up a field office in town so that Lizzie could continue managing her inn. The sacrifice was impressive. He didn't know a lot of guys who would move for a woman, although he certainly knew a lot of women who had moved to follow their men all over the country, from the minor leagues to the majors, and city to city.
Justin handed him a margarita. "Let me know what you think."
He got a strong taste of tequila. "Very good. I like your pour."
Justin leaned in, lowering his voice. "It will make watching an awards show a lot more fun."
He smiled. "Sounds like we're on the same page."
"Most of the guys here are on that page, not that we don't love Chelsea. Lizzie's sister is a sweetheart and so talented. Her voice can give you chills. I love watching her perform, and I really hope she wins the award she's up for. It would show that she's officially made her comeback."
"Comeback?" he queried.
"She quit music for several years. It's a long story. But she's back, and her talent is more impressive than ever."
"I'll have to listen to one of her songs."
"She sings a mix of country and pop. She's on all the platforms."
"I'll check her out."
"Check who out?" Lizzie asked, interrupting their conversation. "Hello, Dante. I'm so glad you decided to join us."
"I could smell the food upstairs."
"That's how I lure people down," she said with a laugh. "So, who are you checking out?"
"Your sister. Justin said I should listen to one of her songs."