When Lightning Strikes (Whiskey Creek #1)(56)
Author: Brenda Novak

He opened a script called “To The Bone,” yet another thriller, but he couldn’t concentrate. His eyes kept wandering to Matt, who had his own drink now and was sitting with an audience in the same booth where Simon had joined Gail and her friends yesterday.

“You going to the crab feed over at the school?” one of his admirers asked.

“Of course.”

“You give ’em anything to auction off?”

“A signed jersey, but I do that every year. Hell, everyone in town has my jersey by now,” he joked.

“You’ll have to go for a jockstrap next year,” someone quipped.

Suddenly Matt glanced up and met Simon’s eyes. Something passed between them. Simon wasn’t sure what. An acknowledgment of their interest in the same woman, perhaps. Simon expected Matt to realize he was being rude if not confrontational by staring at him with that challenging expression, but he didn’t seem to care. He didn’t glance away until someone addressed him again.

“You heard about Gail, right?” A man at Matt’s table had noticed the exchange. Seeing Simon had obviously reminded him of Gail.

Lowering his gaze to his computer as if he was no longer paying attention, Simon strained to hear Matt’s response, but it was impossible. The football player mumbled his words while turning in the other direction.

Simon almost got up to leave. There was no point in staying if he was too distracted to comprehend what he was reading, but before he could sign off his computer, Gail walked in.

The memory of waking with his hand up her shirt brought a deluge of testosterone. He hadn’t touched her on purpose, but once he came awake he’d known instantly what he was doing. He’d stayed where he was for a few minutes, savoring the feel of her. It’d been an effort not to roll her onto her back so he could put his mouth where his fingers were. But then he grew so hard he was afraid she’d be able to feel his erection. So he’d gotten up and left before she could accuse him of trying to seduce her.

“Over here,” he called with a wave.

She smiled brightly—until she saw Matt. Then she almost missed a step.

Wanting to be sure she came to him first, Simon stood to regain her attention. But Matt had spotted her, too. Getting up, he limped quite handily past Simon, despite his knee, and swept her into his arms. His bigger body all but engulfed hers, reminding Simon of the comment she’d tossed at him yesterday: He’s so big.

Even with the memory of that statement ringing in his ears, Simon might not have minded. It was just a hug. Except that Matt held on a little too long—and Gail closed her eyes during the embrace, making Simon feel he was witnessing a far more intimate exchange.

When Matt finally released her, they had a short conversation. Then, without even glancing at Simon, Gail headed to the counter to place her order and Matt started back to his seat. Simon thought he’d pass right by. He’d already put on a show that underscored his importance in her life, which, Simon suspected, was exactly what he’d hoped to achieve. But he stopped, and he seemed more upset than smug when he rapped his knuckles on Simon’s table. “She’s a good woman,” he said.

He gave Simon no clue how he was supposed to interpret that remark, but Simon could guess. And he didn’t like the implication: She’s too good for you. “Is that why you backed off last summer?” he asked.

A flicker of surprise appeared on Matt’s broad face. “Damn right. It’s the only reason. She’s the type you take seriously.”

“You don’t call marriage serious?”

“Not when you don’t have any idea what marriage means.”

Leaning back, Simon crossed his arms. “You’re saying you do?”

“Damn right.”

“Then I guess your loss is my gain.”

“We’ll see about that,” Matt retorted.

“Excuse me?” he said, abandoning his relaxed pose.

Matt lowered his voice. “I’ll be waiting when you screw up. And if I know you, that won’t be long.”

Simon couldn’t help clenching his jaw. “You don’t know me. That’s the point.”

“Everybody knows you,” he said, and moved on.

Gail joined Simon a second later. She must have seen their interaction, but didn’t ask what her old flame had to say. Obviously she didn’t want to talk about Matt. “How do you feel this morning?” she said instead.

Simon felt as if he’d just been slugged in the stomach, which was an odd reaction considering his fear that she might get too attached to him. “As if I’m standing in your way,” he admitted.

“Why?” Lines of confusion appeared on her forehead, but then understanding dawned. “You mean…” She dropped her voice to a whisper. “You’re not standing in my way. I told you, it was one date. And he never called me after.”

Simon sipped his espresso. “I think he’s regretting not making his intentions clearer.”

“I doubt it.”

He definitely was, but Simon didn’t argue. He wasn’t used to being with a woman who wanted someone else. His ex had cheated on him almost from the start, but only because she relished his jealous reaction. No matter how much he professed his love, making him prove it was the one thing that reassured her he still cared. She’d thrived on getting him so angry he was ready to kill whatever man she’d been with, and the second their relationship settled into a calm or even semiregular routine she’d pull something else. Especially after Ty was born, because threatening to split up and take him with her instantly threw Simon into the panic she was hoping for.

Gail wasn’t like that. She was emotionally stable, didn’t indulge in theatrics. But she’d married him even though she was in love with someone else, and he wasn’t quite sure what he should do about it.

Maybe nothing. In two years she’d be free to marry Matt. Still, making her put her life on hold for so long felt pretty selfish, particularly now that Matt seemed ready to step up.

Somehow Simon had lost interest in reading scripts. “Have you heard from Kathy?” he asked.

“I have.” She put her cup on the table. “She left a voice mail while I was in the shower. She has a purchase agreement for us to sign, said we can drop by her office anytime.” She motioned to his computer. “What have you been working on?”

“Nothing.” He closed his laptop. “Can we get the key today? Move in?”