Midnight Kiss (Virgin River #12)(13)

“Shopping?” she asked.

“I have to draw the line there,” he said firmly. “That just doesn’t do it for me. If I need clothes or shoes I take care of it as fast as I can. I don’t like to screw around with that. It’s boring and I have no skills. But I get that you have to look at least half decent to get a girl to like you.” He smiled. “A pretty girl like you,” he added.

“Then how do you manage that? Because tonight, you weren’t even aware there was a party and you don’t look that terrible.”

“Why, thank you,” he said, straightening proudly. “I either ask my oldest sister, Erin, to dress me—the one who made the lean-to into a showplace—or failing that I just look for a g*y guy working in clothing.”

She burst out laughing, not realizing that Nate, Annie, Jack and a few others turned to look. “That’s awful, shame on you!”

“Gimme a break—I have g*y friends. You can say anything you want about them but the common denominator is—they have fashion sense. At least the guys I know do.”

“Then why not ask a g*y friend to go shopping with you?”

“I don’t want to mislead anyone,” he said with a shrug.

“Sure you’re not just a little self-conscious about your…um…somewhat flexible status?”

He leaned so close she could inhale the Michelob on his breath. His eyes locked on hers. “Not flexible about that. Ab. So. Lutely. Not.” Then he smiled. “I only swing one way.”

She couldn’t help it, she laughed loudly. Happily.

“You gotta stop that, my sunshine. You’re supposed to be miserable. You were left at the altar by a juvenile idiot a year ago tonight. We’re grieving here.”

“I know, I know,” she said, fanning her face. “I’m going to get back into depression mode in a sec. Right now, tell me another thing you find impossibly sexy, and keep in mind we’ve already covered that na**d thing.”

“Okay,” he said. He rolled his eyes skyward, looking for the answer. “Ah!” he said. “Her lingerie in the bathroom! It’s impossible. Hanging everywhere. A guy can’t even pee much less brush his teeth or get a shower. I hate that!” And there was that wicked grin again. “Very sexy.”

“Okay, I’m a little confused here. You hate it? And it’s very sexy?”

“Well, you have to be a guy to get this. A guy goes into the bathroom—which is small like the rest of your house or apartment until you’re at least an evil senior resident—and you put your face into all the satin and lace hanging all over the place. You rub it between your palms, wear a thong on your head for a minute, have a couple of reality-based fantasies, and then you yell, ‘Penny! Get your underwear out of here so I can get a shower! I’m late.’”

She put her hands over her face and laughed into them.

His eyes glowed as he looked at her. “Be careful, Sunny. You’re enjoying yourself.”

She reached across the short space that separated them and gave him a playful slug. “So are you! And your breakup was more recent.”

“Yeah, but—”

He was about to say but not more traumatic. At least he wasn’t left in a Vera Wang gown hiding from two hundred wedding guests. But the door to the bar opened and in came the local Riordans—Luke, Shelby and little Brett, their new baby. Luke was holding Brett against his chest, tucked under his jacket. Drew jumped to his feet. “Hey! Son of a gun!” Then he grabbed Sunny’s hand and pulled her along. He turned to her and said, “Kind of family. I’ll explain.”

Leaving Sunny behind him a bit, he grabbed Shelby in a big hug and kissed her cheek. He grabbed Luke, careful of the baby and Luke scowled at him and said, “Do not kiss me!”

“All right, but gee, I’ll have to really hold myself back,” Drew said with a laugh. He winked at Sunny before he pulled her forward. “Meet Sunny, here visiting her uncle. Sunny, remember I told you about the sister who turned the shack into a showplace? That’s Erin—and while she was up here finding herself, she also found Luke’s brother Aiden. They’re engaged. That makes me almost related to these guys and little Brett.”

Shelby reached out to shake Sunny’s hand. “I heard you’d be visiting, Sunny. We know Nate and Annie. I sometimes ride with Annie.”

“Hey, I thought you said you weren’t coming out tonight,” Jack said from behind the bar. “Baby sleeping and all that.”

“We should’a thought that through a little better,” Luke said. “Brett prefers to sleep during the day and is a regular party animal at night.”

Mel moved closer and said, “Aww, let me have him a minute.” She pulled the little guy from Luke and indeed, his eyes were as big as saucers—he was wide awake at nine-thirty. Mel laughed at him. “Well, aren’t you something!”

Shelby said to Sunny, “Mel delivered him. She gets really invested in her babies.”

“Let’s have your resolutions,” Jack said. “Then I’ll set you up a drink and you can graze the buffet table.”

“What resolutions?” Luke wanted to know.

Jack patted the fishbowl full of slips of paper on the bar. “Everyone has contributed their number one, generic resolution. You know the kind—quit smoking, lose ten pounds, work out everyday. We’re going to do something fun with them at midnight. A kind of game.”