friend’s full glass.
Joe served up her drink, and with a lingering glance at Annie, he headed to serve other customers.
“You hurt his feelings,” Kelly murmured. “He offered to help because he obviously likes you. And he’s hot, don’t you think?”
Not as hot as a certain Barron brother Kelly couldn’t stop thinking about, but she didn’t want to discuss her attraction to Nash.
“It doesn’t matter what I think,” Annie said. “Joe likes to be in charge. He’s a born nurturer, like my ex-husband. They both like to be in control.”
Kelly raised her eyebrows, wondering what was really going on with Annie. “You talk about your ex a lot. Are you sure you aren’t still in love with him?”
Annie shook her head. “Of course I’m sure!” she insisted. Lifting her drink, she eyed Joe longingly.
Actually she eyed Joe’s behind, but Kelly opted not to mention it. “You like him too,” she said instead.
Annie let out a wistful sigh. “Let’s just say I could be persuaded,” she admitted. “But I know his history, how he cared for his mother after she had a breakdown while his father chased everything in a skirt. I feel for him, but he’s another man who thinks he needs to overcompensate for his past by controlling everyone in his present.”
“Just who is this domineering ex-husband of yours?” Kelly asked.
At the question, Annie looked surprised. “Nash Barron. I just assumed you knew since he’s Tess’s brother and you work for my father.”
Kelly opened her mouth, then closed it again. “I, um… no. It never came up with Richard. I had no idea.”
“Did I just hear my name?” a familiar masculine voice asked.
“Nash,” Kelly said, still processing the shock of finding out her new best friend had been married to the man she dreamed about and wanted more than her next breath.
She hadn’t admitted that to herself before. Helluva time now, she thought. And now that she had? Forget not getting involved or having a physical relationship because of her sister, her interest in Nash was even more wrong now that she knew he was Annie’s ex.
Kelly’s stomach churned and she thought she’d be sick.
She couldn’t let herself get more emotionally involved with him than she already had. Tess’s welfare connected them and that had to be it. Unable to think, the crowds stifling, she needed air.
Nash didn’t know whether to be pleased Annie and Kelly had connected and were clearly friends or concerned because Kelly’s face turned pale and she wasn’t speaking. Kelly wasn’t the speechless type.
“Hi, ladies,” he said carefully.
“Hi, Nash.” Annie treated him to a smile. “What are you doing out so late?”
“Very funny.” He recognized her sarcasm because in their married days, he was the one who’d turned in earliest. “I didn’t know you’d be here tonight.”
Annie raised her glass. “That’s the way it’s supposed to be between divorced people. Kelly and I decided to enjoy Ladies’ Night.”
He glanced at Kelly, who remained quiet. “When did you two become friends?”
Annie grinned. “We’re coffee buddies, aren’t we, Kelly?”
“Are you sure caffeine’s good for you?” he asked his ex.
“I drink decaf.” Annie visibly gritted her teeth. He knew she hated when he told her what to do, but someone had to make sure she was taking care of herself.
“I need some air,” Kelly said suddenly.
“Are you okay?” Annie asked.
“No worries.” Kelly smiled, one Nash recognized as forced.
“Okay, but come right back in.”
“We’ll see. I’ll text you,” Kelly said, turning and hurrying for the door.
Nash stared after her, wondering what the hell had just happened. “What was that about?”
Annie shook her head. “I have no idea. She was fine just a minute ago.”
“Until?” Nash pushed her, unable to tear his gaze from Kelly’s retreating form until she’d disappeared from view.
Annie shut her eyes a second, trying to remember.
Joe served up her drink, and with a lingering glance at Annie, he headed to serve other customers.
“You hurt his feelings,” Kelly murmured. “He offered to help because he obviously likes you. And he’s hot, don’t you think?”
Not as hot as a certain Barron brother Kelly couldn’t stop thinking about, but she didn’t want to discuss her attraction to Nash.
“It doesn’t matter what I think,” Annie said. “Joe likes to be in charge. He’s a born nurturer, like my ex-husband. They both like to be in control.”
Kelly raised her eyebrows, wondering what was really going on with Annie. “You talk about your ex a lot. Are you sure you aren’t still in love with him?”
Annie shook her head. “Of course I’m sure!” she insisted. Lifting her drink, she eyed Joe longingly.
Actually she eyed Joe’s behind, but Kelly opted not to mention it. “You like him too,” she said instead.
Annie let out a wistful sigh. “Let’s just say I could be persuaded,” she admitted. “But I know his history, how he cared for his mother after she had a breakdown while his father chased everything in a skirt. I feel for him, but he’s another man who thinks he needs to overcompensate for his past by controlling everyone in his present.”
“Just who is this domineering ex-husband of yours?” Kelly asked.
At the question, Annie looked surprised. “Nash Barron. I just assumed you knew since he’s Tess’s brother and you work for my father.”
Kelly opened her mouth, then closed it again. “I, um… no. It never came up with Richard. I had no idea.”
“Did I just hear my name?” a familiar masculine voice asked.
“Nash,” Kelly said, still processing the shock of finding out her new best friend had been married to the man she dreamed about and wanted more than her next breath.
She hadn’t admitted that to herself before. Helluva time now, she thought. And now that she had? Forget not getting involved or having a physical relationship because of her sister, her interest in Nash was even more wrong now that she knew he was Annie’s ex.
Kelly’s stomach churned and she thought she’d be sick.
She couldn’t let herself get more emotionally involved with him than she already had. Tess’s welfare connected them and that had to be it. Unable to think, the crowds stifling, she needed air.
Nash didn’t know whether to be pleased Annie and Kelly had connected and were clearly friends or concerned because Kelly’s face turned pale and she wasn’t speaking. Kelly wasn’t the speechless type.
“Hi, ladies,” he said carefully.
“Hi, Nash.” Annie treated him to a smile. “What are you doing out so late?”
“Very funny.” He recognized her sarcasm because in their married days, he was the one who’d turned in earliest. “I didn’t know you’d be here tonight.”
Annie raised her glass. “That’s the way it’s supposed to be between divorced people. Kelly and I decided to enjoy Ladies’ Night.”
He glanced at Kelly, who remained quiet. “When did you two become friends?”
Annie grinned. “We’re coffee buddies, aren’t we, Kelly?”
“Are you sure caffeine’s good for you?” he asked his ex.
“I drink decaf.” Annie visibly gritted her teeth. He knew she hated when he told her what to do, but someone had to make sure she was taking care of herself.
“I need some air,” Kelly said suddenly.
“Are you okay?” Annie asked.
“No worries.” Kelly smiled, one Nash recognized as forced.
“Okay, but come right back in.”
“We’ll see. I’ll text you,” Kelly said, turning and hurrying for the door.
Nash stared after her, wondering what the hell had just happened. “What was that about?”
Annie shook her head. “I have no idea. She was fine just a minute ago.”
“Until?” Nash pushed her, unable to tear his gaze from Kelly’s retreating form until she’d disappeared from view.
Annie shut her eyes a second, trying to remember.
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