“You didn’t know?”
“No, I didn’t know. Not until last Saturday.” He shut the dishwasher door. “As much as I want to support Em, given my reputation, a speed-dating event is probably the last place I should be.”
He knew how bad it was when Bri agreed with him.
“Maybe you’re right. But you could just hang out at the bar and keep an eye on Em.”
Josh pocketed his keys as he walked toward Highland Brew. The brewery was housed in the old mill at the base of the falls and was one of the locals’ favorite weekend hangouts, his included. At least, before his eye-opening conversation with Bri, it had been.
A hazy mist floated over the falls, putting a damp chill in the air, and he shrugged into his leather jacket. From the laughter and voices coming from the other side of the stone building, it sounded like Abby’s first Saturday Singles Night had drawn a crowd. He supposed he shouldn’t be surprised—any event Abby promoted on her social media channels drew one. But he’d thought dating apps had replaced speed dating.
Someone behind him let out a low whistle, and he turned. Todd, Em’s coworker, grinned. “I was whistling at the size of the crowd, not you, but you are looking as fine as always, Coach.”
“You’re not looking so shabby yourself.” It was true. Todd was always dressed to the nines, and tonight was no exception.
“I should hope not. This baby set me back a small fortune.” Todd smoothed a hand down the brown leather blazer he wore over a cinnamon-colored turtleneck he’d paired with dark jeans and loafers. “You know everyone in town. What do you think my chances are of finding my soulmate tonight?”
Josh didn’t know everyone in line, again not surprising when Abby was involved. She had a large following and drew people from as far away as Georgia and Tennessee.
“What happened with you and Matteo? You guys have been dating for months, haven’t you?”
“And that’s all he wanted to do. Date.” Todd returned his attention to Josh. “You can’t tell by looking at me—God bless my mother for introducing me to skincare at thirteen—but I’m thirty-six. I’m ready to settle down and have a family. Matteo made it clear he wasn’t.” He quirked his eyebrow and his lips, which Josh thought was quite the accomplishment. “Sound like someone you know?”
“Been there, done that, got the T-shirt, and I don’t want another one, thanks,” he said, taking his place in the back of the line.
“Says the guy who has a new lady on his arm every few weeks.”
“I have a lot of friends who just happen to be female, and I enjoy spending time with them.”
He should’ve stayed home. But Bri was right, Em might need his support. Putting herself out there like this was a huge deal. He still had no idea how Bri and Abby had convinced her to come. He looked over the people in line and didn’t see her.
“Then I will also share with you that several of your female friends are at the front of the line.” Todd made a face. “Awkward.”
It might be for a couple of the women he’d dated over the past year but he decided against sharing that with Todd. “I’m here to support Em. I’ll just hang out at the bar, grab a beer and something to eat.”
“Color me shocked when she told me she was coming tonight. What happened with Neil anyway?”
Josh shrugged. “Not ready to put himself back out there again, I guess.”
“Yeah, Gwen and her husband are worried about him. They were thrilled when they heard he’d agreed to go out with Em. And we were all thrilled you convinced her to put herself out there again. What’s your secret? I’ve been trying to set her up for the past six months.”
“It was Em’s idea, not mine.”
Todd nodded. “I guess almost dying has a way of putting things in perspective.”
“Seems so,” he said, as two women in the middle of the line drew his attention. They were having a heated conversation. He recognized the tall, dark-haired woman on the right. It was Cal’s ex-wife, Raine Johnson. Raine was a talented and respected surgeon, who was heading up the trauma center expansion. She was also not one of Josh’s biggest fans.
It looked like Raine’s friend wasn’t her biggest fan at the moment. She batted Raine’s hand away from her shoulder-length, auburn hair. When the woman sidestepped Raine, Josh got a better look at her, at least from behind. She wore a black-knit turtleneck dress and a pair of knee-high black boots. The fairy lights strung through the trees glinted off the fiery red streaks in the woman’s beachy waves, and Josh felt the pull of attraction. He’d always had a thing for assertive, confident women, and he liked the way she didn’t let Raine steamroll her. He also liked the way she filled out her dress.
Raine pulled the woman back into line, and she dropped her purse at the same time the crowd started moving forward. He couldn’t hear what the woman said, but she looked like she was giving Raine crap while stepping out of line and bending down to pick up her purse.
Oh yeah, Josh thought, he really liked how she filled out her dress.
As though the woman sensed his attention, she glanced back, and a pair of familiar bottle-green eyes narrowed and her full cherry-red lips flattened.
And the buzz of attraction Josh was feeling seconds ago fizzled out and died an embarrassed death. He’d been seriously thinking about hitting on his best friend’s sister.
Em straightened. “Callahan, were you checking out my butt?”
People turned, some of them going up on their tiptoes to see what, or in this case, who, was causing the commotion. He heard a couple familiar female voices at the front of the line mutter his name.
“No, I, um.” He rubbed the back of his head. “Maybe?”
“He totally was,” Todd said. “But can you blame him? You are looking gor-ge-ous.”
Em waved the people behind her on and joined them. “What are you two doing here? You have a boyfriend,” she said to Todd and then looked at Josh. “And far as I can tell, you don’t need help finding a date.”
I might after this, he thought, but instead said, “Todd’s right. You look great, Em.” She didn’t look great; she looked amazing. He was used to seeing her in uniform or in sweats, hair up and makeup free. This new version of Em was unsettling to say the least.
“Matteo and I broke up, and Josh isn’t here for the speed dating. He’s here to support you. Isn’t that sweet?”
The look she gave Josh made it clear she found the idea of him being here to support her the furthest thing from sweet but Todd and his breakup news took precedence. Josh was sure he’d hear about it later.
“What’s wrong with you?” She lightly swatted Todd’s chest with her purse, glancing at it as if she didn’t know what it was, and then continued. “How could you break up with Matteo? He’s a great guy.”
“Ouch,” Todd complained, rubbing his chest. “Why do you think it was me and not him?” When Em crossed her arms, Todd sighed. “Fine. It was me. But I wanted a commitment, and he wouldn’t give me one.”
“Of course he wouldn’t. You’ve been dating all of six months,” Em said, glancing at Raine who joined them. “Do not touch my hair or try to put lipstick on me.”