Or at least get drunk.” A man glowered down at her.
But not a stranger. And definitely not someone interested in a hookup.
“Cam!” She jumped up to hug her brother. Now it felt like she was home. “It’s so good to see you.”
He rubbed his palm over the significant blond scruff on his chin. “Had to look twice to be sure it was you. You’ve grown out your hair.”
“About a dozen times. Chopped it all off just as many.” She sat back down. “Where’ve you been? Dad just said you were out of town.”
“That’s the pot scraping the kettle for info. You’ve been out of town for more than a decade.” He tugged at her bun. “Me and Zach were hired to help out on a private sail in the Virgin Islands. A guy with a summer place here wanted to teach his kids how to sail for the holidays.”
“So you got charter money and a tan? Not bad.”
“You said it. Just got back, so we’re posted up here to drink to our good fortune.” Then he pointedly turned to Alex. “Hi. I’m Syd’s brother, Campbell.”
“Alex. Nice to meet you.”
Cam leaned down, bracing himself on the table. Kept his voice pitched loud over all the voices pinging off the ceiling in the long, open room. “Treat her right. Or I’ll come find you and treat you to my left. Left hook, that is.”
Sydney pushed at his shoulder. “God, Cam, that joke wasn’t funny in high school, and it certainly hasn’t aged well.”
“I enjoyed it. Got my point across. So it’s a two-fer. Your not liking it doesn’t so much matter.”
“I’ve got a little sister. So I get your point, loud and clear. No worries.” Alex motioned at the chair next to Sydney. “Would you like to join us?”
“No!” How were they supposed to establish their romantic couplehood with her brother as a third wheel? “We’re on a date, Alex.” Sydney finished with a significant eyebrow waggle that he had to be capable of interpreting as drop it.
“Oh, that’s blindingly obvious. I have zero wish to sit here and watch you paw at each other. Just wanted to say hey. I’ll swing by the Merc tomorrow and catch up with you?”
“That’d be great.” Whew. She’d gotten a reprieve in telling him about her ‘engagement’ here, surrounded by all the locals. Unless…someone mentioned it while he lingered at the bar. Better to tell him the unvarnished truth at the store tomorrow. “You should move on to the Retriever Bar. No kids. You sailors can be as salty as you like.”
“Good idea.” Cam dropped a kiss on the top of her head and moved off.
Narrow escape achieved.
Alex wiped the back of his hand across his forehead in an exaggerated gesture of relief. “Glad I didn’t have to fight him for you.”
“You’d probably lose. Cam’s a boatman. Biceps like tree trunks from pulling ropes and lifting engines for his whole life.”
His eyebrow shot up. “Wow, when you said no date talk, you weren’t kidding. Insult duly noted.”
“Sorry.” Sydney’s hands flew to cover her mouth. She’d gone too far. Because she was so comfortable with Alex. Because she wasn’t treating him like a date at all, but an easy-to-talk-to friend. That was terminal honesty territory. Aka not at all appropriate with someone you barely knew. “Oh, God, I’m really sorry. I wasn’t denigrating your manhood. I mean, I wouldn’t. I couldn’t, actually, seeing as how you’re so handsome and, well, manly.”
Oh, geez. In digging herself out of the self-created hole, she’d just made it crumble all over her.
Alex leaned forward, his voice low and dark and as velvety as a chocolate truffle. “Did you know that your cheeks turn a lovely shade of pink when you’re embarrassed?”
No. But she did know that his words upped her core body temp by at least five degrees. “Is that another back-door attempt at delivering me a date-like compliment?”
“Just an observation. No different than admiring the blue-gray color scheme of this restaurant that must blend well with the river view when the sun’s out.”
Sneaky man.
The waitress delivered their plates of fish and chips. Nodded at Sydney’s request for another beer, but fawned all over Alex long enough for Sydney to pour a pool of ketchup and eat six fries. The fries were excellent. Hot and crispy. They were never as good in other countries, no matter how fancy the restaurant, as back here at home.
Once the waitress sashayed off, Sydney said dryly, “You did an admirable job of not flirting