With Sabrina, he would bet his favorite ACOG scope that Sabrina give heartache a new meaning.
When he was folded into her ruby red car, he took a sip of the rich brew. Nice and dark, just the way he fixed it. No weak shit for him.
He put on his seatbelt as she zoomed through the RV park.
“So why, exactly, am I going to be thanking you later?”
She giggled again, and her giddiness washed over him. Dammit if she didn't make it hard to remain unaffected. He might look placid but that was only because he'd long ago mastered the art of the poker face.
Inside he was on a slow boil and he could feel his heart warming up. He'd much rather it remain encased in ice.
“Because we're having brunch with Allen Croft.”
His head swiveled in her direction so quickly he heard his joints pop. “What?”
There was that laugh again. She smiled over at him, obviously having too much fun.
“Now aren't you glad you came?”
He looked out the windshield and saw she was navigating toward the highway. When he glanced her way again, her tongue peeked between her lips as she concentrated.
“Okay, explain.”
“Allen is an old friend of mine. I made his wedding invitations. And today, I'm delivering concepts for his baby shower invitation and birth announcement to him and his gorgeous wife. They're in town for the weekend. I figured you might like tagging along. Poor Allen has no one to talk to when Marissa and I get going. You two can talk shop. You'll be doing me a favor, actually.”
She jerked her thumb toward the backseat. Glancing back, he saw a folder with an old, tattered notebook on top.
“Well, this is a surprise.” He should've showered.
“Don't worry.” She glanced over at him. “You look sexy as hell.”
His brows rose at her bald appraisal. At least his hair was short enough that there was no chance of a cowlick. Good thing he’d brushed his teeth.
As she accelerated onto the highway, pressing him deeper into the seat, he wondered if he should just relax and enjoy the ride. He could pretend, just for today, that he was whole and that the beautiful woman at his side hadn't pulverized his heart all those years ago. Right?
Sabrina handed her keys to the valet in front of the hotel. She shot the man a smile and thanked him.
Her sincerity was something David had always appreciated about her, but those little details had slipped his mind in the years since he’d seen her last. There was no time for manners on the battlefield. Bullets didn’t stop just because you were cordial.
She slid her arm through his and started for the door. The lobby was gleaming white and polished to perfection. He imagined that a night in a place like this would set him back a couple days salary.
David appreciated that she didn’t fill the air with endless chatter as she guided him down a long, sun filled corridor. He glanced out at the sparkling blue pool and decided that Sabrina fit here. On the other hand, he was completely under dressed, not that he gave a shit. She seemed completely at ease and once again he found himself wondering about her life in California. She’d obviously done well for herself.
Despite his apprehension about reconnecting with her, he was curious about her life. She’d mentioned her college friend that’d passed away from cancer. They’d obviously been incredibly close. Try as she might to hide the shadows behind a brilliant smile, he could see that tragedy had shaped her. That was something he knew about all too well.
The hall gave way to another small lobby and she turned toward the restaurant. Heads swiveled in their direction and he was acutely aware of the men checking her out. David couldn’t blame them but that didn’t stop his protective instincts from kicking into high gear.
He slid a hand to the small of her back and guided her across the room. To anyone else, Allen Croft might seem like just another guy in the crowd. He wasn’t movie star gorgeous by any standard, but David knew who he was.
Allen smiled and stood as they approached. Sabrina skirted the table and stepped into the other man’s embrace. She gave him her warmest smile; the one David was beginning to realize was reserved for her closest friends.
What would it take to get her to smile at him like that?
He shook off the thought and extended his hand as she introduced them.
“Nice to meet you, David. I was impressed with your work on Atticus Divided.”
“Allen likes his explosions,” the redhead said, pushing to her feet.
“That makes two of us,” David agreed.
The two women hugged, and Sabrina oohed and ahhed over the other woman’s belly. Then, as if remembering they weren’t alone, Sabrina pivoted and shot him a smile.
“David, this is Marissa Edwards-Croft.”
“I’d been wondering why Sabrina moved back east,” Marissa said, her glossy pink lips turning up in a wide smile. She darted a glance at Sabrina, then back to him as they shook hands. “Now I know.”
The conspiratorial tone wasn’t lost on him, and it obviously wasn’t lost on Marissa’s husband either.
David thought he heard Allen mutter “hormones” beneath his breath. Then, “Sit. Please. We just got here, and this place has the best coffee.” Allen's gaze swerved left and a waiter appeared almost immediately.
It must be good to be king.
“What would you like to drink?”
Sabrina surveyed Marissa's glass of orange juice and then Allen's coffee. “How about a mimosa?”
“Good, drink one for me,” Marissa said, resting a hand on her very pregnant belly.
“With pleasure.”
“And you, sir?” The waiter’s brows lifted ever so slightly as he turned his attention in David's direction.
“Coffee, black. Thank you.”
“So, Sabrina tells me you're almost finished with the Oponhiem project,” Allen said.
Sabrina handed Marissa the folder and they quickly lost themselves in paper samples, color schemes and talk of the baby.
She'd been right, Allen was very much a third wheel.
“I am. Just a few more
