The Wrong Mr. Right (The Queen's Cove Series #2)(20)

“How about I touch my ear?” I asked, brushing my fingers over my earlobe. “Like this. If I need help.”

He nodded, the corner of his mouth hitched in amusement. “Sure. I doubt you’re going to need my help, but I’ll be there in case you do.”

There was a flutter in my stomach. Nerves about the date that night, probably. “Thanks, Wyatt.”





“Hannah! Hannah! Watch! Watch me!”

I shot Carter a tight smile and nodded. “I’m watching.”

His friends crouched down, grabbed his legs, and flipped him upside down. He chugged the beer but choked, coughing and spraying it everywhere. The group of his friends gathering nearby—six other guys—all groaned and laughed.

“Almost got that one.” He wiped his mouth and dropped into the seat across from me. Beer splattered the collar of his shirt.

“Almost,” I agreed, playing with the condensation on my glass.

Across the bar, Wyatt sat back in his seat, watching with amusement in his eyes. His gaze rested on me but I refused to meet it. I didn’t know whether it was because I was embarrassed or because I’d start laughing and never stop.

I took another sip of my beer and shuddered. Gross. I didn’t like beer, but Carter had bought a pitcher and had placed a glass in front of me when I arrived, and I didn’t want to be that girl. You know. The one who made a big fuss.

“I bet you’ve read like, lots of books.” Carter suppressed a burp against his fist.

I played with the paper coaster under my glass. “I mostly like romance, but I was reading this book by a sleep researcher that I couldn’t put down. It’s amazing how sleep is tied to almost every aspect of our health.” His foot bumped mine and I shifted, tucking my feet further under my bar stool.

He smiled at me. His eyes were glassy. “Wow. That’s cool.”

I didn’t know what to say so I shrugged. “You moved here from Calgary?”

He nodded and put his arms in the air. “C-TOWN, BABY!” His friends all turned from where they stood at the dart board and cheered. He shrugged at me. “No surfing there, though.”

I shook my head. “Nope.”

“You ever been?”

Another shake of my head. “Nope.”

He nodded. “That’s cool, that’s cool.” He slugged back half his beer.

I squirmed in my seat and glanced around, again avoiding Wyatt. This whole thing was a huge mistake, and I was totally failing on my date. I couldn’t even hold a conversation. My chest was tight at the awkwardness.

The silence stretched between us and embarrassment burned in my stomach. He clearly regretted saying yes.

Carter slapped the table and I jumped. “You know what we need to do? A beer bong.”

His friends in the corner raised their arms and cheered. “Beer bong! Beer bong!” They surrounded our table, chanting, and one of them produced a long tube with a funnel.

“You guys bring a beer bong to the bar?” I asked Carter.

He nodded. “I bring it everywhere. You never know when you’re going to need it.” He moved to a kneeling position and his friends cheered again.

The entire bar was staring at us.

Oh my god. My face heated and I glanced around for Wyatt, already tugging on my ear. He wasn’t in his spot. He sat there a second ago and now he wasn’t there. His beer was still there, though.

Carter held the bong up and one friend poured his beer into the funnel. Carter’s throat worked as he chugged.

“CHUG! CHUG! CHUG! CHUG!” His friends cheered as the rest of the bar patrons watched with open mouths.

I wanted to die. My gaze darted around the bar again. My earlobe was about to come off, I was pulling it so hard.

Beer trickled from the corners of Carter’s mouth, down his neck, soaking the collar of his t-shirt. Male cheers boomed around me as he finished, stood up, and raised his arms in the air with victory. He pointed straight at me and panic streaked through me.

“You’re up!”

I shook my head and opened my mouth to protest but a warm hand landed on my shoulder.

“Why don’t you join me at my table for a bit?” Wyatt said in my ear. His breath tickled my skin and made me shiver.

Olivia, the bartender, was right behind him, and she was pissed. Her hot pink hair was tied up into a messy bun on top of her head. She glared at the group of Carter’s friends. She was half the size of some of them but they recoiled in fear from her.

“Out.” She pointed at the door. “No frat boy bullshit in here. Bars are where people come to be depressed. No chanting.”

“Come on, bookworm.” Wyatt’s hand came to the small of my back and he gave me a gentle push away from Carter and his friends.

We approached his table and I glanced over my shoulder at Carter and his friends disappearing through the door. Carter didn’t even look back to see where I went. My face heated more. I could feel it crawling down my neck.

I took a seat across from Wyatt’s spot. “I think that was me falling off my board.” Face first into the water, nose burning and choking on seawater.

He shook his head, that familiar amused expression back on his face. “You’re doing great. Carter fucked up this date, not you.” He tilted his head again.

Olivia appeared at the table and placed two champagne flutes between Wyatt and I.