in the baseball game taking place on the flat-screen located above the bar. But with his thoughts consumed by Story, he saw none of it. Where had she gone tonight? What was she doing? Shit, on a Friday night in Manhattan, a beautiful girl like her wouldn’t make it ten feet without getting hit on. Men would try to take her home or at least score her number. Was she wearing the same flimsy dress she’d had on this morning at the hospital, or had she changed into something else? Jesus, he’d gotten her all wound up in that stairwell this morning without satisfying her, and even now she could be flirting with some lucky fucker who would benefit from his touch.
It made him want to repeatedly bang his head against the table. At least in his unconscious state, he wouldn’t have to think about her with someone else. He temporarily appeased himself by slamming his already-empty glass down on the table.
“All right, Danny. Out with it.” Brent slapped his own glass down. “You’ve barely spoken since we got here, which makes it difficult to have a decent conversation since Troy never leaves his troublemaking girlfriend alone for more than two seconds, and Matt here barely talks even on his best day. And”—he shivered in mock disgust—“do you realize you’ve been watching a Yankees game for the better part of an hour?”
Holy shit. Had he? Like Brent and Matt, Daniel was a die-hard Mets fan, through and through. Watching the Yankees when they weren’t playing the Mets was tantamount to treason.
“It’s nothing.”
Matt elbowed Brent in the ribs, jerking his chin toward something behind Daniel, but he didn’t turn to see what it could be. Brent, however, leaned to the left, peered around Daniel and gave a low whistle.
“Nice call, Matt.” They high-fived. “Danny, our mute colleague here just pointed out the cure for what ails you. There are two incredibly attractive females sitting less than forty yards away with your name on them. Go for it.” He nodded solemnly. “I’ll be right here if you require my assistance, soldier.”
When Daniel made no move to stand up or even bother turning around for a glimpse of the girls in question, both Matt and Brent leaned forward slowly, twin looks of comical disbelief on their faces.
“Oh, dear, sweet Jesus. It’s a girl. Danny’s all fucked up over a girl.” Brent turned and called to the bar. “We need some shots over here STAT!” He turned back to Daniel. “Who is she?”
He kept his expression bland. “Who?”
“Don’t give me that shit. Do I know her?”
“No.”
Looking impressed with himself, Matt finally spoke up. “He’s never struck out before. She must be unavailable.”
“Excellent point, but do you mind quieting down, buddy?” Brent jerked a thumb toward Matt. “You can’t get a word in edgewise with this guy.” They laughed when Matt rolled his eyes. “Did you use the panty move on her?”
Daniel groaned. “I can’t believe I ever told you about that.”
“You did . You used the move and still struck out.”
“You better not be using that fucking move,” Daniel warned him.
“I don’t need your sorry moves, asshole.” Brent looked affronted. “I mean, maybe Matt here could use a few pointers, but not me.”
Matt flipped him the bird. “She married?”
Daniel shook his head.
“Dating someone?”
“Nope. At least, she wasn’t as of this morning.”
Matt flashed a rare smile and Daniel knew he’d said too much. “Weren’t you at the hospital this morning visiting Jack?”
Brent brightened. “Ah, a nurse. Does she have any friends? Do they want to meet me?”
“She’s not a nurse.” Matt took a long drink of his beer. “I went to see Jack this morning, too. Where I had the pleasure of meeting his lovely daughter.”
Daniel’s spine went rigid. “So help me God, Matt, if you go anywhere near her, I will strangle the life out of you with my bare hands.”
Matt winked at him, then went back to his
It made him want to repeatedly bang his head against the table. At least in his unconscious state, he wouldn’t have to think about her with someone else. He temporarily appeased himself by slamming his already-empty glass down on the table.
“All right, Danny. Out with it.” Brent slapped his own glass down. “You’ve barely spoken since we got here, which makes it difficult to have a decent conversation since Troy never leaves his troublemaking girlfriend alone for more than two seconds, and Matt here barely talks even on his best day. And”—he shivered in mock disgust—“do you realize you’ve been watching a Yankees game for the better part of an hour?”
Holy shit. Had he? Like Brent and Matt, Daniel was a die-hard Mets fan, through and through. Watching the Yankees when they weren’t playing the Mets was tantamount to treason.
“It’s nothing.”
Matt elbowed Brent in the ribs, jerking his chin toward something behind Daniel, but he didn’t turn to see what it could be. Brent, however, leaned to the left, peered around Daniel and gave a low whistle.
“Nice call, Matt.” They high-fived. “Danny, our mute colleague here just pointed out the cure for what ails you. There are two incredibly attractive females sitting less than forty yards away with your name on them. Go for it.” He nodded solemnly. “I’ll be right here if you require my assistance, soldier.”
When Daniel made no move to stand up or even bother turning around for a glimpse of the girls in question, both Matt and Brent leaned forward slowly, twin looks of comical disbelief on their faces.
“Oh, dear, sweet Jesus. It’s a girl. Danny’s all fucked up over a girl.” Brent turned and called to the bar. “We need some shots over here STAT!” He turned back to Daniel. “Who is she?”
He kept his expression bland. “Who?”
“Don’t give me that shit. Do I know her?”
“No.”
Looking impressed with himself, Matt finally spoke up. “He’s never struck out before. She must be unavailable.”
“Excellent point, but do you mind quieting down, buddy?” Brent jerked a thumb toward Matt. “You can’t get a word in edgewise with this guy.” They laughed when Matt rolled his eyes. “Did you use the panty move on her?”
Daniel groaned. “I can’t believe I ever told you about that.”
“You did . You used the move and still struck out.”
“You better not be using that fucking move,” Daniel warned him.
“I don’t need your sorry moves, asshole.” Brent looked affronted. “I mean, maybe Matt here could use a few pointers, but not me.”
Matt flipped him the bird. “She married?”
Daniel shook his head.
“Dating someone?”
“Nope. At least, she wasn’t as of this morning.”
Matt flashed a rare smile and Daniel knew he’d said too much. “Weren’t you at the hospital this morning visiting Jack?”
Brent brightened. “Ah, a nurse. Does she have any friends? Do they want to meet me?”
“She’s not a nurse.” Matt took a long drink of his beer. “I went to see Jack this morning, too. Where I had the pleasure of meeting his lovely daughter.”
Daniel’s spine went rigid. “So help me God, Matt, if you go anywhere near her, I will strangle the life out of you with my bare hands.”
Matt winked at him, then went back to his
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