by Leanne Tyler
He nodded and turned to his sister. “Did you know?”
“I figured it out from things you both said that you’d met,” Keely replied and took a tiny step back into her office. “Sue, show Alex how to get back to the elevator for me. I need to get ready for my meeting.” Without another word, she closed her office door.
Alex ran a hand through his sun-streaked brown hair. “She never said a word.”
Sue swallowed. “It isn’t that big a deal. So I work for your sister. You’re Phil’s friend. I’m Kimberly’s sister. We’re both in the wedding. And we’re bound to see each other a lot over the next several weeks.” She gave him a quick, tightlipped smile. “Do you really need me to show you back to the elevator or can you find your way?”
He studied her for a moment and she noticed his steely blue eyes for the first time. She swallowed again. Why hadn’t she noticed the streaks of sun in his hair or the color of his eyes the other night? They were definitely having a strange effect on her right now.
“I can find it.” He pivoted half a turn. “I guess I’ll see you later.”
“Oh, I’m sure of it.”
She walked back to her desk, but waited until he’d gone around the corner and she heard the ding of the elevator before she sat down. Covering her face with her hands, she closed her eyes tight and shook her head. Why did he have to be Keely’s brother?
Keely. She groaned and hurried to the closed office door. Raising her hand, she hesitated a moment and took a deep breath before she knocked.
“Come in.”
Sue opened the door, stepped inside and closed it behind her. “I owe you an apology.”
“For what?” Keely looked up from the papers on her desk.
“What I said Monday morning about Alex. I didn’t know he was your brother or I wouldn’t have said those things to you.”
“There is no need for you to apologize. It’s a free country. Last time I checked the First Amendment is still valid. You can speak freely even if it was hard for me to imagine my brother in that way. I’ve studied him since and I find him handsome, but I can’t quite make myself see him as sexy.” Keely stood and slipped her suit jacket on. “And just because you work for me, doesn’t mean you can’t like my brother. I have no objection to you dating him either.”
Sue grinned. “I still feel awkward.”
“It’s really okay. But if it will make you feel better, I’ll let you make it up to me by babysitting and changing a few messy diapers once the baby comes.”
“Gee, thanks.”
“Don’t mention it. I’ve got to get to my meeting. Is there anything else?”
“Yes. Don’t say anything to Alex about what I’ve said or that I might like to date him.”
“Okay.” Keely laid a hand on her arm and smiled. “Don’t worry. I won’t utter a word.”
“Thanks.”
“Now do one little favor for me. When Darren gets back to the office ask him to make dinner reservations for us somewhere nice. I think I want to go out tonight.”
“You got it.”
Alex opened his truck door and Duke jumped out. He led him over to the fenced in back yard and put him inside, taking off his leash. The appointment at the vet took longer than he planned since Kyle was late getting there because of Jama’s doctor appointment. But the wait was worth it to hear that Duke was no longer in danger of bloat, that the daily exercise routine Keely had kept him on while he’d been away had helped the dog reach a maintainable healthy weight.
He filled the dog’s water bowl with fresh water before he scooped kibble into the food bowl. “I think skipping your jog this afternoon will not kill you. What do you say?”
Duke yawned and lay down beside both bowls. He sniffed at them then looked up at Alex with woeful eyes.
“What?” he asked. “Don’t you like your food?”
Duke yawned again and laid his head on his front paws, closing his eyes.
“Fine. Be that way. Don’t eat it, but you’ll find it tastes good when you’re hungry enough.”
Once inside the house, he took a quick shower and changed into khakis and a polo shirt before heading over to pick up Phil. As he hurried to his truck, he again noticed a flash of white fleeting across the back yard. However, Duke did not appear to be disturbed. He lay snoozing beside his now empty food bowl.
“See, I knew you’d eat it.”
Duke’s tail thumped against the ground and Alex grinned. “See ya later, boy.”
He opened up the truck door and climbed inside before heading across town to pick up his friend, still unsure where they were going tonight. He just hoped it wasn’t someplace where he’d feel out of place. He wasn’t into the flashy nightclub scene, and Phil knew that. Yet he didn’t mind kicking back and listening to some good music, having a decent meal and conversation with his buddies either. Phil was the same way so he had to trust wherever they were going it would fit into his expectations.
Pulling to a stop outside of Phil’s place, he blew his horn and waited for him to come out. A minute later Phil appeared dressed in khakis and a button down plaid shirt. Alex relaxed a little and waited until his buddy got into the truck and shut the door before he asked, “So where are we going?”
“Downtown.”
“Can you be a little more specific?”
“Head toward the Old City.”
“Really?”
“Yeah.”
“So this great spot is down there?”
“Don’t be so skeptical. It isn’t what you remember it being. It’s the place to be these days.”
“If you say so.”
“I do. It’s where I met Kimberly. You’ll like it.”
“You met Kimberly there? Well…I guess that means it must be an okay place because she doesn’t seem like the type to hang out just anywhere.”
Phil punched him in the arm. “It’s a gastropub and it draws the university crowd as well as the downtown business scene.”
“Is it new?”
“Not really. I believe it opened up right after you left town. You’ve probably seen the sign from the interstate. It took Regas’s old billboard sign spot.”
“Oh you mean that goose sign.”
“Yeah. It’s called the Crown and Goose. They have their own parking lot across the street so we won’t have to search for parking.”
“That’s good.
“It’s got a British feel to it.”
“I figured that when you said gastropub. You forget I’ve traveled extensively with my job while you’ve stayed put, meeting the woman of your dreams.”
Phil punched him in the arm again. “Don’t hold that over me. You can still meet ‘the one’. Just give it time. If you haven’t already.”
“Speaking of that, you will never believe who works for my sister.”
His friend shrugged and furrowed his brow. “I don’t see the connection, but who works for Keely?”
“Sue.”
“Are you serious?”
“As the day is long.”
“Well…they.”
Alex grinned at Phil’s saying. He’d been uttering that phrase as long as Alex could remember when he had nothing else better to say about something.
Sue checked her lipstick and waited for her sister to return to the table. She’d heard of the Crown and Goose before but had never been here. The menu offered an assortment of items she’d never thought of trying together and the drink selection was as varied. When Kimberly said they’d go out like old times, she’d imagined them going to Sapphires or another nightclub, not to a gastropub.
“Sorry.” Kimberly slid into the booth. “I’ve been drinking a lot of water lately. I need to drop two more pounds so my wedding pictures will reflect my true size. You know how the camera angle can make a person look like they weigh more than they do. I don’t want to be recorded for the rest of my life looking chunky.”
“Like that is even possible,” Sue muttered without thinking. Her sister was the per
fect size and weight, always had been, but she worried over it afraid she’d gain an ounce.
“There’s that tone again.” Kimberly frowned. “I swear you aren’t happy I’m getting married.”
Putting down the menu, Sue reached for her sister’s hand. “Stop being so touchy. You’re reading too much into my words. How many times do I have to tell you I am happy for you and Phil before you believe me?”
“Then at least smile when you lie to me?”
Sue rolled her eyes and picked up the menu again. “So why did you choose this place?”
“It’s where I met Phil. I thought it might bring you some luck.”
Without thinking, Sue reached up and touched the gris-gris. A little more luck couldn’t hurt. “Okay. So since you’ve been here before, what do you recommend on the menu?”
Kimberly winked. “Leave that to me.”
The waitress came by a few moments later and she gave their order. “We’ll start with two Tennessee Raspberry Mojitos and an order of Mozzarella Croquettes.”
When the waitress left, Kimberly turned back to Sue. “So how was work?”
“Fine.”
“Just fine?”
Sue shrugged. “Yeah. Everything is going good. Wright and Associates is strong again, not as unstable as when Keely and I joined the firm.”
“That’s great. How is Keely? Didn’t you tell me she’s expecting?”
“Yeah. She’s getting bigger as the days go by. Our boss Jama is due soon so we’re anxiously awaiting the birth of her twins.”
“Gosh. Babies seem to be popping up all around me. I can’t wait to have one of my own.”
“Really?” Sue tilted her head and stared at her sister for a minute before speaking again. “You never wanted kids before.”
“I know.” Kimberly grinned like a Cheshire cat. “Phil kinda freaks when I bring it up so I know we won’t be starting a family anytime soon, but just thinking about holding one of our own makes me feel all warm inside. Who would have thought me, the one who wouldn’t even play with a baby doll as a kid, would be itching to have a baby of her own.”
Sue slowly nodded feeling as if her little sister had been abducted by an alien and replaced with someone she didn’t know. First she gets engaged and now this? If things didn’t pick up in the romance department Sue was really going to start feeling like an old maid.
Luckily before she could get too depressed by Kimberly’s revelation the waitress returned with their drinks and appetizer.
Still smiling, Kimberly picked up her glass in a toast. “Here’s to getting what we both want.”
Sue raised her own glass and touched the rim to Kimberly’s then took a sip. But before she could fully swallow, she caught a glimpse of the last person she expected to see tonight. And he wasn’t alone. Phil was with him. Choking on the drink, she set the glass down and reached for a napkin, covering her mouth as she coughed.
“Are you okay?”
She nodded and pointed toward the door as her coughing slowly subsided.
Kimberly swiveled in her seat. “I don’t believe it.”
“You didn’t tell him we were coming here?” Sue heard the accusation in her tone and winced.
“No.” Kimberly turned back around, frowning. “I told Phil we were going out and he should go out with his friends instead of staying home. Does it really matter that they picked here?”
“Yes. It matters. I can’t seem to get away from that guy. He keeps showing up everywhere I go.”
“I don’t understand. I think this is kinda perfect. You need another opportunity of a chance meeting for him to ask you out.”
“I found out today that he’s Keely’s brother. Did you know that?”
“No. I didn’t. How would I? Is that really a problem?”
Sue nodded. “It could be. Though Keely did say she didn’t have a problem with me dating him.”
“Just because they’re here doesn’t mean they’ll see us. We can have our fun and slip out without them noticing.”
“I don’t think that’s going to happen. Another guy has joined them and he spotted us.”
“Really?” Kimbely turned around again and waved. “Oh, that’s Brandon. Did you meet him the other night?”
“No. I didn’t. Is he in the wedding too?”
“Yeah, he’s the best man.”
“Finally you get here,” Brandon said, coming up to Alex and Phil as they waited at the hostess stand to be seated. “What took you so long? I came straight from work and figured I’d be the one late.”
“I took a short cut.” Alex frowned, crossing his arms over his chest.
“You mean you took what you thought was a short cut. A lot has changed while you were gone,” Phil retorted.
“It looks like we aren’t the only ones here tonight. I just spotted Kimberly and her cute sister at a booth,” Brandon said.
“You’re kidding?” Phil stepped around him to get a better look into the dining area. “Well they…. I had no idea they were coming here. Maybe we should go somewhere else.”
“Why should we do that?” Brandon asked. “You two aren’t fighting are you? Did you call the wedding off?”
“No,” Phil barked.
Alex smiled. “Then should we go say hi?”
“No.”
Phil’s quick response surprised him. He’d figured his friend would have wanted to at least say hello to his fiancée.
“Okay then. Should we sit at the bar or grab a table?” he asked as the hostess arrived.
“Booth.” Brandon and Phil chimed in unison.
The hostess picked up menus and wrapped utensils from the stand and flashed them a bright smile. “Right this way, gentlemen.”
Alex waved at Sue as they walked past their booth. She half-smiled at him and quickly looked away as a flush crept in her cheeks.
“Phil,” Kimberly said, causing his friend to stop.
“Go on, I’ll catch up.”
“Sure.” Brandon grinned and punched Alex in the arm. “I bet he’ll ask them to join us.”
“I don’t know. He was pretty adamant about our guys’ night out.”
“Don’t let that fool you. He has been so wrapped up in her since they started dating I was shocked he even wanted to go out tonight.”
“Really?”
Brandon nodded.
That sure didn’t sound like the Phil he had known before he left town because that guy was always going out on the weekends to have a good time.
The hostess showed them to a round corner booth large enough to seat six. She laid down the menus, smiled, and left.
“Apparently the hostess thinks so too. Why else would she seat us at a table larger than what we need?” Brandon sat and slid to the center of the round.
Alex sat down and scooted in, shaking his head. When he looked up he saw Phil and Kimberly holding hands and walking toward their table together. Sue followed close behind them.
“I hope you don’t mind us joining you.” Kimberly slid in beside Brandon and Phil joined her.
“Not a problem. Is it Alex?” Brandon shot him an amused look and he could silently hear the ‘I told you so’ in his voice.
“No problem at all.” He scooted closer to his friend to make room for Sue to slide in beside him.
She set her drink and the half-eaten appetizer on the table before sitting down. “Sorry to spoil your guys’ night out.”
“You haven’t. The more the merrier. Isn’t that right, Alex?” Brandon said.
Alex shot his friend a look and kicked his foot underneath the table before he turned to Sue. “It’s good to see you again.”
“Same here.” She smiled and reached for her drink.
“That looks good. What is it?” he asked.
“A raspberry mojito.”
“Too girly for me,” Brandon said, reaching for one of the croquettes.
Sue watched him snatch one and her eyes enlarged.
Alex had a feeling that was strike one ag
ainst his friend in her eye. “You’ll have to excuse him. He grew up without learning any manners.”
“Obviously.”
“What?” Brandon asked, looking between them.
Kimberly giggled, snuggling closer to Phil. “Pay Sue no mind, Brandon. Help yourself. You too, Alex. We can order more if necessary.”
“I’m good for now.” He turned his attention back to Sue. “I hope my sister didn’t work you too hard this afternoon.”
“She didn’t. It was pretty quiet once she left for her meeting.”
“Right. I forgot she said she had one.”
Sue tapped her painted nails on the drink glass. “How was the rest of your day?”
“I took my dog to the vet.”
“Oh? Is Duke ill?”
“No. Just a routine check-up, but we had to wait a long time because his vet was late returning to the office.”
“I bet Kyle went to Jama’s doctor’s appointment with her.”
“Yeah. Something about her doctor having to make an unexpected delivery right before their appointment. I guess babies have no concept of those things.” He grinned, hoping she found his humor amusing.
But she didn’t. Instead she nodded politely and looked across the table at her sister before she checked the time on her watch. He had a feeling she was itching for an excuse to bolt. Neither Phil nor Kimberly would appreciate that so he tried to find a way to make her stay.
“I hear there’s a dance club next door. Do you like to dance?”
“Sometimes. It depends on the kind of music that’s playing.”
“What’s your preference?”
“Current pop, a little hip hop. But sometimes I’m into more standard sounds like Michael Bublé.”
His brow arched. “So a waltz or slow dance?”
She nodded.
“What’s the mood tonight?”
“The slow dance.”
“Maybe a moon dance?”
She grinned, running her finger around the rim of her glass. “What are you suggesting, Mr. Jones?”
“That I know Bublé like you know Bublé.”
She giggled. “Not many guys would.”
“True. But music became a passion of mine while I was in Alaska.”
