Casanova(48)

I laughed. “It’s an act. I would actually rather be at home binging on Netflix right now. Besides, all the good being done from the donations today is making me forget why I really don’t like a lot of people.”

Now it was his turn to laugh. “Yeah, I get that. So the paper, huh? What do you do when you’re wherever you are these days?”

“Freelance journalism.” I half-smiled. “The traveling is fun.”

“Ah, that makes sense.”

“How about you?”

He looked a little sheepish as he said, “Worked for my parents until I saved enough money for a deposit on a building. Now I own a gym.”

Involuntarily, my gaze darted across his upper body. Yeah. I could tell.

I coughed and stepped back when a light flush heated my cheeks. “Sorry. I’m apparently a little awkward today.”

Xavier grinned slowly. “Don’t worry about it. Hey—I’d love to put an ad in the paper. Do you have a card so I can call you this week?”

I pulled one out of the back pocket of my jean shorts and handed it to him between my fingers. “Smooth. Real smooth.”

His eyes sparkled as he took my card from my hand. “No idea what you mean.”

“Of course.”

“Xavier. How you doing?” Brett swept in from behind me and clapped Xavier on the back.

I blinked and stepped back, away from them both. “Who are you? Joey Tribiani?”

Brett shot me a dark look as Xavier returned the stupid manly back pat.

“Not bad, man. You?” Xavier said.

“All good. I’m afraid I need to steal Lani for a few minutes. Are you all done here?” Brett looked between us.

I pursed my lips.

“Yeah, we’re done, right?” Xavier looked at me. “Did you get everything you needed?”

I forced myself to smile. “Sure did. Thanks, Xavier. I’ll speak to you soon?”

“I’ll call you this week.” He winked as he stepped back and tucked my card into his pocket. “See ya, Brett.”

“Yeah.” Brett watched as Xavier disappeared into the crowd and then turned to me. “What the hell was that?”

“It’s called a friendly conversation. You should try it some time.” I shot him the bitchiest smile in my arsenal.

Brett’s jaw twitched. “You gave him your number?”

“No, I gave him my card. My number just happens to be on it.”

He grabbed my arm and dragged me away from the crowd. He opened his mouth to speak, but before he could, I yanked my arm out of his grip and jabbed my finger into his chest.

“If you ever manhandle me like that again, my palm is going to manhandle your pretty little face,” I warned him.

His expression didn’t change. He kept his dark gaze, flickering with anger, focused wholly on me, and his jaw ticked. “In case you don’t remember, Xavier Ryan is an asshole.”

Without hesitation, I replied, “So are you.”

“He looks at you like he just wants to fuck you.”

“So do you.”

“He’ll fuck you and not care about you the next day.”

“I’m sorry, are we still talking about Xavier?”

“Damn it, Lani!” He ran his hand through his hair. “The guy is a prick. Don’t go there.”

Wow.

Was he seriously going there?

He was.

I swallowed hard and folded my arms across my chest. “It’s none of your business where I do or don’t go. In case it’s escaped your notice, I happen to be an adult these days. Not to mention that you lost the right to have any fucking say in my life eight years ago.”

Brett stilled. “What does that mean?”

Shit.

“Nothing.” I dropped my arms and stepped away from him. “Don’t you have a race to run?”

His gray-blue eyes stayed intent on me for the longest minute. I forced down the lump in my throat and slowly took in a deep breath as if it would stop him looking at me the way he was.

Like he knew I was avoiding something.

Like he knew there was a reason.

“Where were you this morning?” The question blurted out of me before I could stop it.

Brett closed the distance before us and pried the recorder out of my hands. He looked at it for a moment and then hit the button before he lifted it to his mouth. Then, with his eyes on me, said, “Brett Walker is doing the color run for Whiskey Key Elementary. New equipment will be delivered to the school for the gym hall in time for the new school year, and part of their fall term will be dedicated to setting up the new vegetable garden with the help of a local gardener. He’ll also go in weekly, for as long as he’s needed, to keep their vegetables growing correctly and teach them the importance of what they’re doing.”

My lips parted as he turned the recorder off and put it back in the palm of my hand.

“There,” he said in a low voice. “Don’t ask me how much it costs. I’m not gonna tell you. I don’t talk money like these cheap fools.”

Oh my god. He actually did it.

“Where were you this morning?” I asked quietly, clutching the recorder to my chest.

A sly smile crept onto his lips. “Are you going to go out with Xavier when he asks you?”