The Love Wager (Mr. Wrong Number, #2)(21)

“Ahh, she was the bride.” Hallie followed him into the building, and the early-twentieth-century structure did not disappoint. Everything was meticulously designed and maintained, so it was almost like stepping into a fancy building from the past.

“I miss this building,” Jack said, leaning against the wall after knocking on his sister’s door. “So quiet.”

After a few seconds, the door opened and his sister—whom Hallie remembered the minute she saw her—smiled warmly. “Well, hello. It’s so nice to see you when my brother’s date isn’t throwing wine in your face.”

Hallie smiled back. “Right?”

“Where’s Col?” Jack asked, leading Hallie inside as Olivia held the door open.

“Colin,” Olivia yelled, “your little play friend is here.”

A door opened, revealing a room that looked like an office, and a guy walked out. She remembered him from the wedding because he was quite possibly the most attractive person she’d ever seen, and he grinned when he saw Jack.

“Did you come over for the game?” He walked over to the living room and picked up a remote. “Three minutes left in regulation.”

“I missed the whole damn thing,” Jack said.

“This is Hallie, by the way,” Olivia said, hobbling into the room. “Hallie, this is my husband, Colin.”

He smiled from across the room. “The wedding bartender. Nice to formally meet you.”

She felt a little weird about the fact they both seemed aware of her existence, but then Jack said, “My entire family sees you as a hero because you broke up me and Vanessa.”

“I didn’t do anything,” she said.

“Don’t ruin it.” Olivia laughed. “You’re like a legend.”

Before Jack had a chance to give her a tour of the condo, Olivia linked her arm through Hallie’s and said, “We’re going out on the balcony to chat. Don’t bug us.”





Jack


“Is she going to ask Hallie a hundred questions?” Jack asked, watching Olivia close the sliding door behind them.

“She’s your sister—what do you think?”

Jack looked at the girls through the window. “Maybe I should go out there.”

“Do you care, though?” Colin tipped back his bottle, drained the last of it, then said, “I mean, if she’s just a friend, who cares if nosy Liv pokes around?”

“Y’know what?” Jack stared at Colin for a second. “You’re right. It doesn’t matter.”

“She’s cute, though.”

“Huh?”

“Your bartender. Not too hard on the eyes, right?”

Jack looked at Hallie, chatting with Olivia out on the balcony.

No, she was not.

He’d barely noticed her looks the first time he’d met her at the jewelry store, probably because she’d been such a smartass while showing him rings, but now he found that fact pretty tough to believe.

Her green eyes, that lush mouth, the way she fell into easy laughter—TB was fucking hot. The image of her in those squirrel panties popped into his head, and he quickly pushed it away. That ridiculous undergarment shouldn’t have been sexy, but it sure as fuck had been on her.

Dammit.

It felt important that he forget—or at least try to forget—their sexual details and history. He liked their partnership (friendship?), and he didn’t want to get confused by attraction.

Again.





Hallie


“So.” Olivia sat down on a deck chair, propped her foot on the small matching table, and said, “Jack told me you’re, like, perma-wingmen to each other, is that right?”

“That’s actually a perfect description.” Hallie sat down on the other patio chair, relaxing a little since it was clear she wasn’t trying to grill her or something. “We’re both trying to find someone through the app, so we commiserate.”

“But the two of you . . . aren’t . . . like, interested in each other at all?”

“God, no.” Hallie shook her head and said, “We’re absolutely platonic.”

“And you’ve actually discussed that you aren’t into each other?”

“Wait, are you thinking he’s into me or something?” Hallie asked. “Because he’s totally not.”

“No, no, not at all,” she said. “Can I be honest with you?”

“Of course.”

“Jack’s kind of a hot mess right now. He’s always breezed through life, enjoying flirty-fun relationships with women like an overgrown child. But last year—”

Olivia leaned her head toward the door, making sure no one was coming out.

“Last year, his life was kind of upended. First, Colin and I fell in love and moved in together, so he kind of lost his best friend. Then our uncle Mack, his favorite relative and totally his hero, passed away suddenly.”

Hallie remembered Jack mentioning that his uncle Mack was with them at the baseball’s corresponding game. “Oh, I’m so sorry.”

“It’s okay. But for Jack, it was like everything in his life changed overnight. And then when Mack died and the only people who came to his funeral were people in our family, it really screwed with Jack’s head.”