Like she’d stupidly told Nina, Haleigh must have left the phone in his car Saturday night. It had probably slipped under the seat. Or maybe he’d found it that morning. With his office practically next door to his apartment, he usually only drove to run errands or have a couple beers at Amarillo Sour. He’d planned to spend most of Sunday at the office, which meant he probably hadn’t even been in his car.
She eyed the phone still grasped in her hands. At least that was one thing off her to-do list. Once she charged it, she’d be back in business. Then she could message Nick—if he hadn’t blocked her—and set up dates for Wednesday. She also needed to come up with the right way to set Nina straight. She’d figure out Haleigh had been up to something when she showed up to the reunion with someone else.
When Nina broke her stream of constant chatter to come up for air, Ian took advantage and asked to speak with Haleigh in private. Giving them a knowing glance, followed by a parting scowl just for Haleigh, Nina made her way over to the rest of the speakers.
Alone at last, Ian lowered his voice. “Are you okay?”
Her cheeks flushed again. He really had seen her in a bad moment.
“I’m fine—relieved to have my phone again. I looked everywhere for it.”
“Ford told me when I called the bar last night.”
Her heart thudded. “Oh yeah?”
“Yeah . . .” He shoved his hands into his pocket. “When you hadn’t responded to any of my texts, I wondered if you were giving me the shake off.”
“Why would I do that?” Had he said or done something to upset her that night? Was that the final missing piece from her fuzzy memory? That didn’t seem right. And, honestly, if he had been terse with her, she’d probably deserved it. She’d been in rare form.
He shook his head. “I don’t know. I couldn’t figure it out either, which is why I worried. I tried to text, then I called.”
“But I didn’t have my phone.”
“Exactly.” He shifted from one foot to the other, never tearing his clear blue gaze from hers. “I even considered dropping by your house, but it was late by the time I got out of the office. I knew you had a busy day planned, and I didn’t want to risk waking you.”
“So you called Ford. Who told you about my phone.”
“And that you’d been in to pick up your car and didn’t seem any worse for the wear.” His eyes narrowed. “Are you any worse for the wear?”
“I told you I’m fine.” She gave a short laugh. “Maybe I’m a little embarrassed, but that isn’t the worst thing.” She’d waited long enough. She had to thank him. “What you did Saturday night . . . helping me get home . . . making sure I was safe. Standing up for me. I . . . I can’t thank you enough for that.”
“It was nothing.”
“To me, it was.” She started to say something, but the principal chose that moment to appear. A glance at the clock reminded her she was on a schedule. “You really don’t have to do this.”
“Didn’t a teacher once say this was the sort of thing her students would like to learn more about?”
She had said that. The night they’d met. “I vaguely remember her saying something to that effect.”
“And, according to your friend, LD has been remiss in being a community partner.” He lifted a shoulder. “I have time, if you have room in the lineup.”
“I can make room.” She reached for his hand without thinking, squeezed it. “Thank you.”
He squeezed back. “Glad to do it.”
The next few minutes passed in a blur of organized chaos as students took their seats and she introduced the panel. Taking a seat in the front row, she watched the speakers take their turns at the microphone. They started with a local park ranger followed by an accountant. Ian went third.
Standing with his hands shoved into his pockets once again, his shoulders slumped forward, Ian introduced himself. After telling them his job title and where he worked, he went into how he’d come to be part of Lincoln’s hottest app development company.
“If you asked my father, he’d tell you I fell into this job with dumb luck.” That earned him a few chuckles from the crowd. “He’s not completely wrong. I was a senior in college the year LD’s founders launched the company. I had an apartment across the hall from one of them, which is how I got an interview for the internship. Right place, right time. Dumb luck.”
His eyes met hers, and her stomach did a somersault.
“Jobs don’t always fall into your lap like that. But no matter how you find work, it’s up to you to figure out how to prove you deserve to be there. Sometimes that means putting in extra time. Sometimes it’s taking on extra projects. Whatever it is, you have to give it your best.”
God, he was cute. The self-deprecating humor, the sparkle in his eyes. Even the stubble on his chin and messy hair were appealing. He was always in such a hurry to get where he was going, he tended to forget about his appearance.
She could kiss him.
She really wanted to kiss him. Again. And again and again. Imagining his lips pressed against hers, their arms wrapped around each other, made the tips of her fingers tingle.
But that wasn’t it. Even more than she wanted to kiss him, she wanted to introduce him to her friends, to her parents. She wanted them to see what a charming and clever person he was for themselves. She wanted to find out what he’d be like on casual Saturday mornings or on a late-night grocery run.
The tingling stopped, and her blood froze.
This wasn’t part of the plan. Not just their plan for this whole crazy situation of theirs. It hadn’t been part of her plan. She’d gone into this looking for a date to her reunion and nothing more. When a person had more—felt more—she opened herself up. Not just to the possibility of love and a future, but to heartache and betrayal and judgment and . . .
No. She couldn’t panic. Not now. Not today. Just like she couldn’t let Ian matter too much. Tightening the grip on her phone, she sucked in a deep breath through her nose. She held it for five counts and let it out slowly.
She spent the rest of the hour staring at the black curtain draped around the platform’s border. She counted each pleat back and forth, starting over if she lost track.
When the last of the speakers finished, the students jumped out of their seats and made a break for the doors. Except for the Girls Who Code. They swarmed Ian before she could get to him. Maybe she could use them for cover. She could slip out unnoticed and take a few minutes to herself in the quiet solitude of her classroom.
It was the cowardly thing to do, but Haleigh didn’t care. She needed a break before she broke.
Chapter Thirteen
With the reunion only a little more than a week away, Haleigh had arranged a rare Tuesday date night. After Career Day, Ian had been quick—eager even—to appease her. While he’d thought everything had gone fine, by the time he’d finished catching up with the Girls Who Code, Haleigh had disappeared. Once her phone charged, she’d sent him a text thanking him for his help.
That had been it. While he didn’t expect anything more, it was so matter-of-fact and impersonal. Cold.
Whatever he’d said or done to upset her, he wanted to make it right.
Scanning the bar, he found Haleigh engaged in a close conversation with . . . Patrick? Before he could take another step, Sidney appeared at his side, his usual pint of beer in her hand.
“Haleigh asked me to make sure you had this as soon as you arrived.”
“Is she—”
“Talking to Patrick? That’s right.” Sidney leaned a hip against the bar. “That’s a theme for tonight.”
“Theme?”
“Redemption. She’s scheduled three second dates with three of the men she’s already met.”
“But—”
“She says she doesn’t have time to keep meeting new guys. She wants to find out if she can work something out with one of the first dates now that she’s her best self. Those were her words.” Sidney studied the other wo
man with an appraising eye. “It’s not a bad idea, actually. Inspired.”
Still struggling to make sense of what was playing out, Ian allowed her to usher him into an empty seat next to Ford. He raised a glass in silent greeting.
“I’ll say this for your girl. She’s resourceful. Who’d have thought she’d give Patrick another go?”
“Not me.” Ian couldn’t seem to stop staring. If he hadn’t known the backstory, he would’ve guessed that Patrick and Haleigh were any new couple on an early date. Though he couldn’t hear their conversation, their forms were relaxed, their faces animated. “How long have they been at it?”
“Maybe twenty minutes.”
“More like forty,” Sidney corrected. “She’s sorry she had to start without you. But three is a lot of dates. You saw what happened last time.”
He had, and based on that, he was dumbfounded she’d try it again. He focused in on her glass. “Is that water?”
“She’s pacing herself on more than the dates tonight.” Sidney casually rested a hand on Ford’s shoulder and leaned against his side. “She’s also sorry date one can’t be traced back to the app. She hopes it won’t mess up your report.”
“Screw the report,” he muttered. “She really wants to see if Patrick will take her to the reunion?”
“She said it was worth exploring.”
The exploration lasted another ten minutes. Patrick finished the last of his drink, and Haleigh gave him a light hug before leaving. Noticing Ian’s stare, Patrick raised a hand in greeting on his way out.
Still holding court at her corner table in the back of the bar, Haleigh spared him a glance for the first time. Flashing a bright grin, she waved. Relief rushed through him. She must not be mad at him. If he had to guess, she was probably preoccupied with this new plan of hers. After he returned the wave, she turned her attention to her phone.
Good. She was finally going to explain exactly what was going on tonight. He hoped so. He hadn’t been out of the loop on any of this before, and it made him . . . edgy. Picking up his own phone, he waited for the message to arrive. Long minutes passed, but no messages came.
He looked up again, annoyed when he saw she was still swiping away through her phone. Swiping! She was either flipping through a photo album or sorting through matches on the app.
Tired of waiting, he pushed up from the bar, but Sidney magically appeared again.
“Stay put, sugar.”
The endearment—one that was more Flo the waitress than Sidney the bartender—gave him pause.
“Sugar?”
Beside him, Ford frowned. “Sugar?”
Ignoring them, she nodded toward the door. “Redemption Date Number Two has arrived.”
Swirling in his stool, Ian’s eyes widened as James walked in.
“The professor?” He shook his head. “He wasn’t even a real date.”
“Maybe not, but it looks like he made an impression.”
For the first time in his life, Ian wished he had it in him to stiff a bartender on her tip.
As the professor made his way around the bar, Haleigh rose to greet him. When he pulled a red rose from inside the leather jacket, she let out a delighted gasp and lifted it to her nose.
“What, is he a magician?”
“That’s not even the ace up his sleeve,” Sidney said.
“Ace up his sleeve?”
“She says he reminds her of David Tennant.”
David Tennant? Really? She was obviously projecting. And setting them both up for disappointment. For her, it would come when she went to bed with the Doctor and woke up with a professor. James would be destroyed to have yet another woman fall for a fantasy only to be disappointed.
He might be projecting a little, but Ian didn’t want to see either of them hurt. They were his friends. He cared about them. His frown deepened.
“Oh, don’t be jealous.”
“I’m not,” he grumbled, without conviction.
Sidney narrowed her eyes at Ford. “And don’t you be jealous either.”
“Why would I?”
“Because out of her mock dates, she picked James over you or me.” Then she smirked. “Of course, I’m not Haleigh’s type. I’m not sure what that says about you.”
Ford opened his mouth but clamped it shut again. Directing a scowl at Sidney, to Ian he said, “Don’t worry. I’m firing her just as soon as her shift is over.”
Laughing in his face, Sidney left to take the professor his drink. It gave Ian another chance to study Haleigh unnoticed while both women were completely focused on James. Considering it was a school night, and that she’d already had a busy week, she was chipper and bubbly. Which was strange. While he’d known her to be energetic and bright, she’d never been this effusive before.
Maybe she really did like James. If so, why did that bother him?
Ford cleared his throat. “Dude, you have to say something.”
“What?” He tore his gaze away, but only for a minute.
“To Haleigh.”
“About?”
“That you’ve got it bad.”
Because he was distracted by the way Haleigh had leaned in to hear something James was saying, it took Ian longer than necessary to fully comprehend the statement.
“I don’t have it bad.” He raised the pint glass to his lips. “I don’t have anything. Just . . .”
“Friendship, respect, and a business interest?” Ford shook his head. “Don’t even bother saying you think of her like a little sister. You don’t even believe that.”
That was mostly true. Surely Ian’s only interest in Haleigh was to help her find a date so he could get a story for the investors. Then he could get his promotion. Right? Of course, there had been those odd moments when Ian had found himself more curious about hearing how her day at school had gone instead of what she’d thought of her latest matches. Then there were the times he couldn’t seem to stop staring at her lips and wondering what they’d taste like.
None of that meant he had romantic feelings toward her. Or did it?
He mediated on that question throughout the rest of her date with James. While she took a quick break, he considered the possible outcomes of what might happen if he did want more than friendship. He’d just about come to a decision when the door swung open behind him.
“Son of a . . .”
Mr. Perfect was back for another round. Filling the door with his hulking frame and stature, the other guy looked like he’d come straight from a photo shoot for the next firefighters calendar. Ian wasn’t the kind of guy who paid much attention to other men’s appearances, but even he realized this man was probably the flesh-and-blood answer to most women’s—and some men’s—every fantasy. How could Haleigh not want the guy?
Everything clicked. In that moment, he knew. It wasn’t the gentlemanly thing to do. It was probably even below him. He didn’t care. If he didn’t step in and say something now, he’d regret it.
Before he could overthink it, or ask any more questions, Ian stood to meet Mr. Perfect.
Recognition dawned on the other man’s face. “So, you’re still here to babysit, I see.”
“That’s not why I’m here.”
“Oh yeah?” Mr. Perfect’s dark eyebrows shot up. “I figured that might be what was going on here.”
Apparently, everyone else had realized that Ian was crazy about Haleigh before he had.
“Why are you here?”
“Seriously?” Mr. Perfect gave a short laugh. When Ian’s stance didn’t waver, he shrugged. “She sent me a note, apologizing for how things went down the other night. I was already feeling a little bad about the way things had ended. And now . . . I’m here.”
That was fair enough, and as good of a reason as any, he supposed, to step aside and let the other man proceed. But Ian wasn’t ready to stand down just yet.
“Look. I know I have no reason to ask this, and you have no reason to go along with it, but could you give me five or ten minutes to ta
lk to Haleigh? Alone.”
Mr. Perfect just stared at him, unblinking before shaking his head. “Yeah, okay. I’ll be in the beer garden.”
Ian let out the breath he’d been holding. He honestly hadn’t expected that—at least not without a little more persuasion. Maybe Mr. Perfect had sensed Ian’s desperation and took pity. Or maybe he was actually a decent guy who could see what was at stake. Whatever the reason, Ian had a brief window with Haleigh. Now, he needed to figure out how to use it.
***
It was becoming more and more difficult for Haleigh to keep her distance. It was harder still to pretend she didn’t care, to pretend she couldn’t feel Ian’s stare on her the whole time she’d met with the men.
Maybe she should have told him about her second-chance romance plans for the night before he’d arrived. Better still, she could have kept him entirely in the dark by not telling him she was meeting dates at all. She’d considered that option. But she hadn’t wanted to risk him coming into Amarillo Sour and finding out on his own. She would have had to choose another location, but she hadn’t wanted to risk losing her newfound dating skills either. While Ian would tell her she was crazy to think there was a link between Amarillo Sour and her abilities—and he would probably be right—she didn’t have time to change the variables.
Mostly, she’d told him because she didn’t want to lie. Not to Ian.
It had actually been Dexter’s idea to stage the second dates with her top three candidates. After he’d found her breathing into a bag in her classroom on Career Day, she’d come clean about the whole situation. But only once he’d solemnly sworn not to breathe a word of it to anyone—most especially Nina.
Once she’d finished her confession, he’d paused a moment, eying her with interest, like he’d never really seen her before.
Then he’d said, “If you just want a date for the reunion, take one of the guys you’ve already met.”
“But I didn’t like any of them—not like that.”
“Then what’s the problem?” He’d shrugged. “Schedule a quick second and third date with a few of the guys, then at last-minute tell them about the reunion.”
Counting on You (Amarillo Sour, #1) Page 13
