She continued to stare at her drink until realizing the table had gone completely silent. Lifting her chin, her gaze bounced between the other three women, noting their smiles. “What?”
“Nothing,” Bekki said, her smile widening. “It’s just that you adopted such a forced nonchalant attitude when you answered, it immediately made my antenna go up.”
Sandy nodded, her smile just as wide. “So, is he handsome?”
“Yes,” she admitted, rolling her eyes. “There’s nothing wrong with a little eye candy in the building.”
“Not at all. But why does he have to just be eye candy?” Bekki asked, leaning closer. “I mean, what good is candy if you don’t have a little taste?”
“Oh, my God. I thought I left the adolescents back at school!”
The others laughed, but before they had a chance to pump for more information about her new neighbor, Sandy checked her phone and grinned. “I hate to call it an early night, but that’s one thing about being pregnant, I get tired easily. Rory just got off work and he’s almost here to pick me up. I’ll talk to you all soon.” She slid from her seat and offered hugs before making her way toward the door.
Caitlyn watched her, always amazed that even though Sandy was petite with her thick, long blonde hair and fairy princess face, the crowds in the bar seemed to part for her and she made it to the door easily. Movement next to her caught her attention, and Bekki was sliding from her chair as well.
“Killian’s back from his meeting, so I’m gonna head home.” She hugged Caitlyn and whispered in her ear, “Don’t wait too long for Prince Charming to walk through the door. Killian’s brothers are gorgeous!”
Laughing, she nodded. “I promise, I’ll let you know if I decide I’m desperate for a blind date!”
Now that it was just her and Erin, she looked toward the bar and realized only Maeve was there. “Isn’t Torin working tonight?” As part owner, Torin was almost always at the pub.
Shaking her head, Erin said, “He came in early today to meet with the accountants so they could get ready for tax time.”
“Then you need to get home. Anyway, one drink is enough for me, so I’ll walk out with you.”
The two sisters walked out of the pub arm in arm. She stopped at Erin’s car and nodded toward hers just across the street. “I’m over there.” They hugged goodbye again, and while friend hugs were amazing, it was the feel of her sister’s arms around her that caused tears to threaten. Swallowing deeply, she plastered on a smile as she leaned back and watched as Erin climbed into her car. Knowing that Erin wouldn’t leave until she was across the street at her vehicle, she jogged over, then turned and waved.
The night was warm, and a gentle breeze blew down the street from the harbor. Her family used to come to the Inner Harbor when she was younger, and she loved it. A ride on one of the boats, a hotdog at a street vendor, a chance to watch the fishermen come in.
With her hand resting on the handle of her car door, she lifted her chin, lost in thought as she breathed in the salty air. Only the muffled sounds of the pub when the door opened could be heard in the background. Until heavy footsteps came closer.
Whirling around, she gasped as a tall figure stepped into the light from the lamppost near her. Griffin! “Oh, God, Griffin, you scared me!”
“I’m glad,” he bit out, not stopping until he was directly in front of her. His gaze glanced around then settled back on her face. “What the hell are you doing out here?”
Surprised at his tone, she tilted her head to the side and her chin jerked out. “What does it look like I’m doing? I’m getting into my car.”
“That’s not what it looked like from where I was standing.”
“What are you talking about? And why are you here, anyway?”
He leaned against her car, his arms crossed over his impressive chest. His stance may have seemed casual, but energy vibrated from him, which she found strange given the circumstances and yet a real turn on. The breeze had caught his long hair, ruffling the curls the way she wished her fingers could do.
“I just happened to be in the neighborhood.”
Lifting a brow, she decided to adopt his pose. Crossing her arms, she leaned her back against the door of her vehicle. “That’s a line as old as time.”
“It’s true. I’d come with some friends to the pub. We were in the back playing pool. I saw you when you came in and noticed when you left. Since I was getting ready to leave anyway, I thought I’d make sure you got to your car safely. It’s a good thing I did since you were standing here, your mind on God knows what while you weren’t paying any attention to your surroundings.”
“Arrogant,” she grumbled, hating that he was right. With as many family members in law enforcement as she had, she knew the cardinal rule of a woman by herself needing to always be aware of their surroundings.
“I might be arrogant, but I’m right, aren’t I?”
By now, he’d straightened from her car, his arms no longer crossed. Staring up into his face, she saw no smugness, only what looked like concern. She sighed heavily and nodded. “Yes, you are. I know I should always be aware of what’s going on when I’m by myself at night, but… Well, I guess I just have a lot on my mind.”
He appeared to measure her words, his silence almost as disconcerting as his perusal. A strange sense of vulnerability moved over her. Not from fear of him but from fear of what he was seeing when he looked at her. With every encounter they’d had since first seeing each other in the ER, she’d felt lacking. Now, staring up at his face, so handsome in the shadows of the evening, she wanted him to see her differently. Not as a mess but as a woman.
His gaze moved from her face to over her shoulder and back again. “You were looking toward the harbor. If you’d like to take a walk, I’d be happy to accompany you.”
Her eyes widened in delight, and she let out a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding. “I’d like that.” Then, glancing toward the pub, she looked back up at him. “But I don’t want to take you away from whatever you had planned.”
“Didn’t have anything planned. It’s been a while since I walked around the harbor in the evening, so this would be nice.” He dragged his fingers through his hair before continuing. “A friend drove me here. Would you mind if I bummed a ride home after our walk?”
With her hand clasped against her chest, she moaned with great exaggeration, “Oh, it would be so out of my way.”
“You’re a goof,” he laughed, rolling his eyes. He pulled out his phone and mumbled, “Let me shoot my friend a text letting him know I’ve got a ride.” Shoving his phone back into his pocket, he nodded.
They left her car on the street and walked along the sidewalk leading toward the harbor. Several bars and restaurants were still open, and the streetlamps provided plenty of illumination.
They continued walking, side-by-side but not touching. Her mind wandered to her younger days and she inwardly winced at what she knew she would have done: pretend to stumble over a crack in the sidewalk so that he would reach out and take her hand. Find a way to joke with him so that she could shoulder bump him, which almost always led to hand holding as well. She would have giggled and flirted, excited to maintain his attention.