“Don’t tell me you know who she is,” Collin said.
“Remember me mentioning that, on the flight out here, I ran interference for a chick with some douche, ex-fiancé?”
“I remember that it was fucking stupid, and the main reason we take the private jet. Go on,” Alex said.
“That’s her,” I said, glancing over and seeing her saddened expression as the other place setting and glasses were picked up by the waiter. “Somebody stood her up?” I reached for my plate.
Alex grabbed my arm before I stood. “Hey,” he said as I rose anyway. “Stop it with the charity cases.”
“Yeah,” Collin said from across the table. “Lillian—does that fucking charity case psycho-bitch ring a bell?”
I smiled. “She’s not like that.” I glanced over at her as she studied her menu. “Nothing like that. I highly doubt she’s some crazy, gold-digging freak.”
“The courts will decide that, Jimbo.” Collin smirked, using the one name I despised.
“Calm down,” I said. “I’m not going to let her eat alone in a place like this. I’m taking my food over there. I’ve had dinner with you two for the last three nights, so I think you’ll live.”
Both men looked at each other, and I knew exactly what they were thinking, but they didn’t have the whole story. I’d sat with the woman and heard all about the shitty hand of life she’d been dealt. She was solid. If anything, she was a breath of fresh air. It was nice to talk about something other than women and work, or what got us labeled this ridiculous billionaires’ club name—only entertaining wealthy women to protect our asses and assets. These two jokers I was currently leaving behind were the two who got that rumor going—though it was my ex, Lillian, who kicked the can of gasoline on that raging fire of bullshit.
Avery seemed like she’d been stood up, either by her sister or some complete idiot who would be dumb enough to turn down the most beautiful woman I’d ever had the pleasure of seeing. Seriously. Her black hair set off her striking blue eyes, and I swear the woman looked like the one of the pixies that my sister-in-law had painted for her art gallery. I couldn’t take my eyes off her on the plane, and I couldn’t take them off her now.
Chapter Two
Jim
Avery’s eyes scanned the area, and she covered her mouth when I approached her table. I opted to not take my plate of food with me as if to appear like a high school kid in the cafeteria, wanting to sit by a hot chick who was eating alone.
I reached for the back of the chair and returned her confused smile. “Avery?” I questioned, not fully knowing what the hell I was doing.
I could feel the stares from Collin and Alex, burning a hole into my back as they watched me do the most uncharacteristic thing I’d ever done. This was unlike me in every way. Maybe Jules did fuck with my mind, and now I felt I needed the presence of a beautiful woman to blot out the disgusting reminder of a married woman humping my hard cock. Disgusting. Yeah, that was definitely it. That’s why I was randomly leaving my dinner and joining a woman I’d met on a plane three days ago. Fuck it.
“Shit.” She covered her smile and glanced around the room. Her cheeks tinted pink as she tried to control her laugh. “Sorry, I don’t think this restaurant allows cursing.” She looked around again, and I could tell she was entirely out of her element.
“It depends on whom you are offending,” I said, taking the chair and sitting across from her. “Mind if I join you?”
Her perfectly shaped eyebrow arched over her long black lashes, and her blue eyes glistened like sapphires. “Well, I…um.” Her scratchy voice was sexy as she laughed at this bizarre scenario. “Okay. I remember you from the airplane. You saved me from my ex-fiancé. I also remember getting a little too drunk and cried my sad life story to you the entire flight here.”
“I’m happy you remember me.” I smiled and motioned for the waiter. “Have you decided on your meal yet?”
“Sir,” she responded, sitting back in her seat, “I’m embarrassed to admit that I can’t remember your name when you remembered mine.”
She had the cute yet sexy face of a younger version of Meg Ryan, my childhood Hollywood crush. This woman was a dark-haired version of her, especially when she pursed her lips and scrunched her face up in confusion like this.
“I’m Jim,” I reintroduced myself. “Please, don’t be embarrassed. I’m pretty good with remembering names,” I said with a laugh, pulling the menu she’d given up on over to me. “Honestly, I’m only naturally good with names of people who’ve made an impression on me, be it good or bad.”
She crossed her arms over the strapless top of the dress she wore. “And you remember mine because of which? Did I make a good or bad impression?”
“How could a woman as lovely as you possibly make a bad impression on anyone?” I smirked, only because this woman was amusing me with her rigid body language and charming facial expressions. “May I ask why you are here alone?”
“My sister’s meeting got held over.” She smiled. “She’s a busy girl, so I can’t blame her, and I won’t. I’m here on her paycheck, not mine.”
I wasn’t going there with money or jobs. That was too personal, although I was curious. I hadn’t forgotten the daughter she’d mentioned on the plane, or her asshole ex who was going to fight her to the death for custody. Obviously, I had only one side to this story, so it was better to remain silent about it. The guy did sound like a fucking dickhead on the phone, though, and I was pretty good about reading people.
“A shame.” I smiled and glanced down the menu. “What are you up for tonight?”
“Um.” She pinched her lips together and squinted her eyes in humor. “I’m so hungry I could eat the entire menu if you want to know the truth.”
“I’d like to see that.” I grinned.
“I’m dead serious,” she said, catching my attention with her lowered tone.
I licked my lips and caught my bottom lip with my teeth. “You’re serious?” I leveled her with a gaze, trying to maintain my composure and not laugh.
“Dead serious.” She leaned her crossed arms up on the table and smirked. “I can’t afford more than an appetizer at this place. My sister is paying for the meal.” Her eyes scanned the ceiling and back to me. “And this fifty-dollar-a-plate restaurant was her idea and not mine. So she’s paying up, but if it were up to me, I’d be at some restaurant near the attractions I was enjoying touring alone and be just as happy.”
“You do realize that even those terrace eateries can be quite costly, especially when you’re out alone, and someone takes advantage of your purse, correct?”
“I know the rules.” She arched a brow at me, her irises captivating me further. “I keep my passport hidden behind zippers and my cash separate in my wallet.”
“Yeah?” I said, not really remembering what the hell we both were talking about.
“My point is,” she took a sip of her Chardonnay, “I’m going to eat small here and go pig out somewhere else.”