I note the new location of her little dot with a frown. I know the bar and grill that's at that address. It's located right next to her campus, and it's always filled with horny frat guys and coeds looking for a good time.
What the hell is she doing at a sports bar?
I stand and button up my suit coat.
Looks like it's time for me to take a ride and get a glimpse of my little ruby.
three
Sophie
"No way, Vera. You know I burn easily." I'm shaking my head firmly at my best friend
"Oh come on!" she pleads with those big puppy dog eyes of hers. "I'll buy you a hat!" She spits that last statement out like it solves everything.
I just raise an eyebrow at her. Yeah, like a hat is going to keep my light-complected skin from burning to a crisp after sitting on the beach all day.
"And I'll put sunscreen on you every two hours!"
I let out a laugh.
"I'll buy you like SPF one thousand! The highest we can find!" she adds for good measure before she goes back to begging. "Come on, Sophie! I can't go alone, or I'll look like a loser."
I roll my eyes. I already know how this is going to go down. If I agree to go with Vera on this little weekend beach vacation she wants to go on, she'll spend all of five minutes with me before a hot guy grabs her attention. And then she'll prance off to do God knows what with him, and I'll be left sitting all alone on the beach to burn.
"Vera, it's just not a good idea." I try to shoot her down again.
My friend opens her mouth to say more, and I let out another sigh, knowing that she's not going to shut up for at least two hours. She's going to use every trick in the book to get her way. Vera is like a dog with a bone when she wants something. She doesn't give up.
If she would only channel that same tenacity into her career, she would be unstoppable.
My bestie doesn't get to speak another word before a deep, masculine voice interrupts us.
"I agree," it rumbles from right behind me.
I feel a shiver go up my spine. I would recognize that voice anywhere. I still remember how it felt skating across my skin and the way it made my toes curl when it whispered right into my ear.
"Axe." I turn around with a surprised frown on my face. "What are you doing here?"
He doesn't do any of the things a normal person would do. He doesn't apologize for eavesdropping on us or interrupting our conversation.
Instead, his eyes just bore down into mine as he repeats, "I agree. It's not a good idea for you to go off to the beach by yourself."
Vera's mouth is gaping open now. She starts sputtering defensively, "But she won't be alone! She'll be with me!"
He interrupts her by casting her a cool look. "I forbid it." His tone is firm.
I blink in astonishment and let out an incredulous laugh as I look between him and Vera.
Vera's eyes flick to me in half shock, half betrayal.
Of course, she knows the Cliff’s Notes version of what went down the night Axe called me up into his office, but she's looking at me now like I've held back on her, like maybe I've gotten into a relationship with him since then and not told her about it.
And it's no wonder she thinks that what with him barging in here and forbidding me to go on a trip like he has any right to make demands of me. I mean, who the hell does this guy think he is? He has no right to forbid me from doing anything.
I straighten and turn my back to him. He's nuts, I mouth to Vera. Her eyes begin to sparkle because she already knows what's coming.
Vera knows how stubborn I can be, and she also knows how if someone tells me not to do something or that I can't do something, that only makes me want to do it even more. I've always been that way.