That Second Chance (Getting Lucky #1)(50)

“You’re a boxed wine kind of gal?” I nod in appreciation. “I like it.”

“Do you ever dabble in the box?”

I bring my beer to my lips and shake my head. “I’m a beer guy. My sister, Jen, could give you a run for your money when it comes to the box, though. She has to have one in her fridge at all times. Reid, the dickhead that he is, once hid her box when she was hosting a barbecue at her house, and she lost it. She was on a rampage until she found it. Just like you don’t touch my dad’s fudge supplies, you don’t touch Jen’s wine.”

“Did Reid lose an appendage that night?”

“Pretty damn close.”

A waiter passing around samples of cheese comes up to us and holds out a silver tray; small triangles pierced with toothpicks decorate the surface. “Care for some cranberry-nut brie?”

Ren and I each take a toothpick and thank the man. She takes her brie and clinks it with mine before putting it in her mouth and smiling at me. “Cheers,” she says through a mouthful of cheese.

Fucking enchanted by this woman, I take the cheese down in one smooth bite, the flavors mixing terribly with my beer. I pucker my lips and try to chew and swallow as quickly as possible.

“Didn’t like that?” She laughs.

I tilt my beer back and take a few swigs, trying to wash down the taste. “Jesus, that was terrible. Didn’t really compliment the beer.”

“That’s why you should be drinking wine.” She takes another sip from her glass before smacking her lips together. “Delightful.”

“Are you mocking my alcohol choice?”

“Not mocking, just showing you there were better choices out there.” She sways cutely back and forth in an “I told you so” kind of way.

“You’re getting a little cocky there, Ren.”

She presses her hand against her chest. “Am I? Or am I just comfortable with you now?”

Hell.

“A few meals together, and you think you can tease me?”

She pokes my arm, her eyes lighting up from the touch. “I know I can tease you.” And hell if I don’t like that. She nods toward the Mustang. “Do you know anything about this car?”

I study her for a few beats before I turn toward the car and down the rest of my beer, needing a little more liquid encouragement to be around this addictive woman.

“This is a 1965 Ford Mustang convertible. It’s one of Brig’s favorites. He always puts it on display. It was the first one he ever refurbished. It has six cylinders and is a hell of a time to drive.”

“He lets you drive it? I’d think it was his baby.”

“You would think, but not Brig. He sees cars a little differently than the normal collector. He believes cars, old and new, have a purpose in life, and that’s to be driven. He never lets them just sit in the garage. He’s always using them or renting them out. He says if something happens to them, he can fix them.”

“Wow, really? So I could rent one of his cars if I wanted to?”

I nod and stuff a hand in one of my pockets. “For a pretty penny, but yeah, you can rent one. It’s one of the reasons he holds this cheese-and-wine event; he usually has a few bookings after.”

She stares at the car, a smile playing at her lips. Lightly she shakes her head and takes a sip of her wine. “You know, you Knightlys really impress me. You have your hands in every part of this town, always thinking of ways to enhance the Port Snow experience. It’s really cool.”

“You think so?”

“Yeah. I do.”



“You have got to be kidding me!” Ren turns toward me on the bench we’re sharing, absolute disgust on her face. “There is no way you can say Coke is better than Pepsi.”

“Oh, it is, by far. Just look at the sales. Coke outsells Pepsi every day. Sales speak for themselves.”

“You don’t know that. You don’t know the numbers.”

“Oh, I know them.” I playfully nod.

She pokes me in the side. “No you don’t!”

“I know we sell Coke at the Landing for a reason.”

She’s sitting cross-legged next to me, her toned legs illuminated by the fire in front of us, the feistiness in her eyes highlighted under the moonlit sky. There are still plenty of people milling about on the lawn, but I have yet to say hi to any of them. Ren has stolen all of my attention for the past few hours, and I’m not even the slightest bit mad or sorry about it.

“You know, Griffin.” I like the way my name sounds coming off her tongue. “I think this could be the end of our friendship. I think we should cut our losses now and move on.”

“Over soda?”

She nods. “How can you even justify Coke over Pepsi? Hello, Pepsi has Mountain Dew.”

And there it is, the one flaw with Coke. There is no Mountain Dew.

I don’t even try to fight her. “I’ll give you that.”

She pauses, her wineglass halfway up to her mouth as she blinks a few times, as if she’s trying to comprehend what I just said. “Did you just . . . concede?”

“No.” I lean back on one of my hands casually. “I said I’ll give you the fact that Pepsi has Mountain Dew, but that’s all they have. Coke is still by far superior.”