sniffed and crossed her arms over her body, “Yes, thank you. But now I need to go.” Her eyes held mine for the briefest of seconds, and in that instant my insides jumped into some kind of jiggling rhythm, and I wanted to hold that gaze forever. But she was already turning around, heading away from me.
“See you at the office,” I called, though if she heard me, she didn’t respond.
El joined her friend on the other side of the dance floor, and while her friend looked back at me with a quizzical expression, El kept right on wobbling toward the parking lot, clearly hating me with every unsteady step. Man, she was cute.
For the second time in a few minutes, another body jolted into my side, tearing my attention away from the pretty girl who despised me. I was evidently in the middle of a high traffic area or something.
This time, the body was Chad, and from the grin on his face, I knew he’d slammed into me on purpose. One of his less-charming ways of commanding my attention. Like a puppy, the guy didn’t seem to realize his own strength.
“Good day, bro?” he asked, the grin still in place.
“I take it you had a good time?”
“I always have a good time.” That was true. I envied that about him, actually.
“I’m glad.”
“That one was a firecracker,” he said, nodding at El’s distant form, making slow progress through the parking lot. The fading sun was lighting her blond hair, making it gleam with glints of gold.
I faced him. “What do you mean?” My stomach turned over itself uncomfortably. “You didn’t, uh . . .”
“What? Here? No.” Chad’s eyes went a little misty and I knew he was picturing it. I kicked myself for putting the idea in his head. He shook his head and his gaze cleared. “Nah, she’s not my type. Too . . . I don’t know. Too something. Seemed kinda overeager, if you want the truth.”
“What do you mean?” Could a sweet girl like El really be interested in a guy who called himself ‘The Chadder’?
“I mean, I like a girl who’s into it, you know?”
“But?”
“She asked for my digits. Like five minutes after meeting me.” He nodded like this proved some kind of point. “I’m a pretty serious catch, I know, but even a guy like me likes a little more foreplay than that.”
“Dancing at a wine festival is not foreplay.” For some reason this conversation was putting me in a really terrible mood.
“Not for you,” Chad threw back. I had a sudden urge to stomp on his foot or sucker punch him in the gut.
“So you gave her your number?” I tried to imagine them going out. Would I be able to swallow this misplaced jealousy if Chad and El got serious? I’d probably have to stand up at his wedding. I wasn’t sure I could do it, but I’d have to try.
“Not exactly,” an amused twinkle glinted in Chad’s eyes.
“What do you mean, not exactly?”
“I gave her a number.”
I sighed. I’d have to practice my ‘everything’s fine’ face so I could do a good job at their wedding.
“It just wasn’t my number.”
I stared at him.
“It was yours.” He let out a hearty laugh and one hand hit my left shoulder in his version of a bro hug, clearly about to walk away.
“Wait. You . . . my number,” I clarified. “But she thinks it’s yours.”
He nodded. “Right. See you later, man!”
Chad practically skipped away, leaving me with that little bomb smoking in my lap. He gave El my number? I pulled my phone from my pocket and stared at it stupidly, as if it had betrayed me all by itself.
Would she call? Text? What would I tell her? She would think I was Chad if she did text. I’d need to set her straight, that was clear. If she called or texted, I would tell her immediately what had happened.
“You need me to show you how that works?” Dalton was at my side suddenly, looking at the phone still in my hand. “I know you’re pretty old, but I thought cell phones were well within your capabilities.”
I shoved my phone back into my pocket. “I’m not old.” My voice came out a little steamier than I’d intended.
“Whoa, old timer, no offense, man.”
I glared at him. I wasn’t old. Just older than he was. I was twenty-eight. In my prime.
Dalton, all twenty-four years of him, backed away, saying, “Mom needs help breaking down her tent.”
“I’ll