The discovery of semi-decent cell service within the boundary of the resort had been the only bright spot in Bellamy’s otherwise trying afternoon. Right up until the three voicemails and nineteen texts from her boss popped through, anyway.
Jenna held up a hand. “Oh, no you don’t. We’re not worrying about any of that crap until tomorrow. Tonight is supposed to be about you forgetting your sorrows. Now knock it off before I find out whether or not that karaoke machine is functional. I’d love to see you belt out some Lizzo.”
Bellamy had a retort on the tip of her tongue when she heard the sound of a very deep, very male throat being cleared.
“Excuse me, ladies. My friends and I were wondering if you’d like to join us for a drink.”
No pick up line, no nonsense, no veiled suggestions of any kind. Now this was something she could get on board with.
Bellamy turned to look at the source of the voice. The man’s eyes were right on hers as she peered up into his classically handsome face. His blond hair was slicked back with a suspicious amount of product, but then again, she could do worse than a guy who cared about his appearance. She exchanged a look with Holly, who had already gotten the subtle nod from Jenna.
What the hell. If they were going to have a drink or two, they might as well make it a party. The guy seemed nice enough; plus, how bad could it be with Holly and Jenna at her side?
“Why not,” Bellamy said, giving up a smile.
“Marcus Lawrenson.” He extended his hand. His handshake was softer than she expected, but the smile that went with it had potential.
Marcus was not prettier than her.
Which made him absolutely perfect in her book.
5
Shane leaned a forearm over the bar and took a lazy draw from his beer. The Double Shot already teemed with its typical Friday night crowd, and even though going out wasn’t necessarily Shane’s thing, it was hard to find anything wrong with a cold beer after a long day.
“So, can I ask you a question?” Jackson gave him a look that suggested he was going to no matter what Shane’s response turned out to be.
“Shoot.”
“How come you work so much? I mean, I like cars as much as the next person, but really? Every guy needs a break. Hook up with someone on the side, maybe get a little drunk here and there, go fishing with his buddies. You? For the year I’ve known you, all you’ve ever done is put your nose to the grindstone. What gives?”
Shit. Shane knew this question was overdue, yet he’d still been dreading it. “Nothing gives. I’m just a get-it-done kind of guy, that’s all.” Shane shrugged, hoping Jackson would drop it.
Not a chance. “Look, I know you saved Grady’s business from going down the tubes after he had that heart attack last year. If you hadn’t drifted into town when you did, he’d have probably ended up having to sell the place. But still, you gotta loosen up, Shane. Life’s too short, you know?”
Shane had all but drained his beer during the course of their two-minute conversation, and he was going to need another one, stat. “I’m loose enough, man. Really, you’re worried over nothing.”
Jackson’s laugh turned a couple of nearby heads, even with the music blasting from the speakers. “Really? When was the last time you got laid?”
“That’s a little personal, don’t you think?” Shane placed his empty beer on the bar and signaled the bartender for a replacement, dodging the question like a pro.
“Sounds like it’s nothing personal to me. Come on, Shane. There are tons of pretty girls in this bar. I’m not saying you should marry one of them, but it wouldn’t kill you to get somebody’s number, would it?”
“I just haven’t met anybody I’m interested in, that’s all,” he replied, wanting nothing more than for the conversation to end. Jackson’s eyes scanned the bar with careful precision, and Shane narrowed his gaze on his friend.
“What are you doing?”
“I’m trying to find a girl who looks interesting. What about her?” Jackson flicked his gaze down the bar and let it settle on someone in the crowd by the door.
“Marcus Lawrenson? I don’t think he’s my type,” Shane chuckled.
Jackson let out a breath, exasperated. “Not Captain America, you dick. The girl he’s talking up.”
Shane smirked, finally enjoying himself a little bit as he turned around. “Oh, all right. Let’s see who Marcus has his sights set on tonight.”
As soon as Marcus shifted his stance, giving Shane a clear line of vision to the girl leaning against the bar, his stomach did a lurch/backflip move that shocked the hell out of him.
Across the room, Bellamy Blake smiled up at Marcus like he was God’s gift to women. And was she holding his hand? Shane’s beer suddenly tasted bitter, and he rolled the bottle around to check the expiration date.
Jackson lifted a brow. “What?” Unfortunately for Shane, Jackson hadn’t missed a thing, and the big oaf was smarter than his who me? charm let on. But Shane hadn’t given any woman a second look since he’d moved to Pine Mountain, and he wasn’t about to start now.
“Nothing. That’s, ah, the girl who belongs to the toy car sitting up on the lift at Grady’s.”
Jackson’s eyes glimmered with interest. “Let me guess. Not your type either?”
This one was a no brainer. “Definitely not.”
Yet his eyes disobeyed his brain and arrowed in on Bellamy again. Okay, so she wasn’t holding Marcus’s hand. It must have been the guy’s poor excuse for a handshake that Shane had witnessed. Right.
Why did he give a shit?
“She’s pretty. You sure she’s not interesting enough for you?”
Shane didn’t need to feed Jackson’s imagination any further, especially not when it came to his being interested in a snobby little blonde from the city. Which he wasn’t. At all.
“She’s plenty interesting if you want to date a headstrong pain in the ass. Me? I’ll pass. Hey, isn’t that Samantha Kane over there, looking at the jukebox? You should go talk to her before someone else swoops in and steals her away.” Shane jutted his chin at the willowy redhead standing by the jukebox with a gaggle of her friends.
Forgoing subtlety, Jackson swung his head around and studied the situation. “If I’m going to talk to her, I’m not going alone. Why do women travel in packs like that, huh?”
Shane exhaled in relief at the shift in focus. “Relax, Romeo. I’d be a poor excuse for a wingman if I didn’t go with you.” He barely registered his subconscious glance in Bellamy’s direction before his eyes were back on his friend. “Who knows. Maybe one of her friends will be interesting.”
Jackson finished his beer and looked at Shane with a grin. “Atta boy. You might get lucky tonight after all.”
Bellamy spent more time listening to the conversation around her than participating in it, which proved to be increasingly amusing as the night—and the drinks—wore on. About thirty minutes in, she’d spotted Shane leaning against a wall, looking like an old-school bad boy, complete with his battered jacket and five o’clock shadow. By the time she’d finished nursing her beer, he was getting cozy with a sexy brunette wearing a low-cut top and a high-watt smile.