Page 20

How many times had I driven past this place and never noticed it? Was it a local hangout? When I cut my engine and checked my watch, I realized it was only a little after one in the afternoon. The few cars in the lot had to be the lunchtime crowd.

Between Lorenzo’s workaholic tendencies and Rome’s preference for being in the house, it was rare that we ever went out. Dinner a couple nights ago was the first time we’d gone out since Enzo’s birthday in February.

And I was suddenly aware of how problematic that was. We had a pretty social life back home in King’s Town. And now we were probably known as the town’s recluses. Maybe it was time for us to change that. And maybe this bar was the perfect place to start.

Shaking my head with a small smile, I snatched my key out of the ignition and flung my door open to hop down.

Parked on my right was a white Audi with blacked out windows. On my left was an old pale blue and white Volkswagen bus. I smirked because those two cars were the perfect representation of Bliss Peak’s demographic.

Inside, my prediction about this place being a local favorite was confirmed when I saw the amount of people cramped around the bar, baskets of food and cold beer sitting in front of them. Deciding not to add to the mayhem, I walked over to the far right wall and started looking for an empty table. I wasn’t that hungry anyway, I just wanted to people watch.

I made it about five steps over the creaking wooden floors before golden blonde curls stole my attention and left me standing a few feet away from her booth.

The woman didn’t notice me, she was too busy fucking up a burger and cheese fries while tapping periodically on her phone screen. She was completely caught up in her own world and I stood there for a second admiring the abandon on her face as she wiggled in her seat with every bite.

And I would have stood right there, admiring the stranger God had placed in my path for the second time in as many days, but someone bumped my shoulder and startled me out of my trance.

“My bad, man. It’s tight in here,” a deep voice said before moving around me.

I didn’t acknowledge him as I inched closer to Goldyn. She sat alone in a booth big enough for five people and looked content to keep it that way.

Clearing my throat, I ignored the persistent thumping behind my ribcage. “Is this seat taken?”

“Hmm?” Goldyn replied absently, grabbing a bunched up napkin to clean her fingertips before she went back to tapping her phone screen.

“Goldyn,” I called.

Her head snapped up and recognition shone in her sultry, amber gaze.

“Oh! Hi.Hi! Sit down,” she nodded to the section of the booth facing her.

After I took my seat, I stared at her for another beat and didn’t bother hiding the smile on my face.

“Hi, Sincere.”

“Hi,Goldyn.” There was a natural inflection on her name and her smile brightened when she noticed.

Fuck me.

How was she this pretty? So effortlessly?

She pushed her hair away from her eyes and then propped her chin up on her hands, leaning in to me. I bit my lip, not trusting what I would say if I gave in to my instincts right now.

I’d spent the last two days obsessing about seeing this woman again and a random sign on the side of the road led me to her.

“Why do you look so distracted? Is everything okay?” She grabbed a new napkin from the dispenser and wiped at her hand diligently.

I wasn’t distracted, I wasawestruck.

With her attention split between me and her task, I took the time to get my shit together and smiled at her.

“What were you doing when I got here? Did I interrupt something?” I asked after a quick glance at her phone, realizing the screen was now black. Even though I knew she might have been busy, I was still selfish enough to hope she didn’t send me away because of it.

“Oh, I was reading,” she answered, her voice airy. “I usually eat alone so I always bring entertainment.”

“Why do you usually eat alone?” I asked, frowning on instinct.

Her face softened at my question, but she didn’t answer it. She asked a question of her own instead. “How are you, Sincere?”