Part 40 (1/2)
He came to his feet with her. ”Cannon rarely does, but he definitely wouldn't while working, right? And since I have a fight in three weeks, I'm the driver stuck with getting the other lushes home safe.”
Way to drop a bombsh.e.l.l! She leaned against the table. ”You're fighting? Since when?”
He looked self-conscious. ”Since...I don't know. A couple of months ago?”
She pushed his shoulder. ”Why didn't you say anything?”
”I just did.”
”Armie doesn't like any fanfare,” Denver offered helpfully.
”Keeps it to himself,” Stack added, then made a ”shh” sound with his finger to his mouth. ”Don't tell. Wouldn't want anyone to notice, you know.”
Yvette wondered if that had anything to do with his past. ”Where?”
”Where what?”
She crossed her arms and tapped her foot. ”Where are you fighting?”
”Just a local venue. No big deal.”
Of course it was, more so now that she knew he kept secrets. ”I want to watch.”
He rolled one shoulder as if it didn't matter, but then rubbed his neck uncomfortably. ”Fine. Whatever. Cannon will be there. Grab a ride with him if you want.”
”I wasn't asking permission.” She softened, patted his chest, then remembered that Mindi was closing in on Cannon. ”Later.”
He snagged the back of her s.h.i.+rt, bringing her back around.
She was a little more wobbly than she should have been and bounced into him.
He steadied her, then frowned. ”Why the rush?”
Smacking his hands away, she glared at him.
Armie just quirked a brow in that ”what?” way of his.
So why not tell him? Maybe it was the wine making her feel more open, but she liked Armie, felt comfortable with him as a friend. And he could give great insight on Cannon.
”That blonde you were eyeballing?”
”The chesty one struttin' her stuff?”
She did strut, d.a.m.n her. ”Were you eyeballing any others?”
”Pretty much all of them, hon.”
That threw her, but only for a second. ”She works for the lawyer who handled my grandfather's estate, and she's made it clear she's after Cannon.”
With an exaggerated eye roll, Armie took her arm and started with her toward the bar. ”Are you drunk?”
”A teeny-tiny bit tipsy.” She leaned in to confide, ”I never drink.”
”No? Seriously?”
Was he being facetious? ”Vanity says I can't hold my liquor. She's my friend.”
He laughed. ”Okay.”
”But the wine has nothing to do with it.”
”Yeah, it does, because you should know you don't have to worry about-”
She dug in, stalling their progress. ”But Mary is here tonight, too!”
”Who?”
”Keep up, will you? She's the woman Cannon was going to sleep with, except I showed up and accidentally derailed his plans.” Which she was now glad about. ”I'm sure she's hoping to...reconnect.”
Armie blew out a breath, and smiled. ”Hate to break it to you, honey, but Mary and Mindi will have to wait in line.”
They stopped at the front of the crowd, and Yvette found Cannon with a gaggle of ladies hugged up to him for a picture.
More ladies waited, as Armie had said, in a freaking disorganized line.
So many women.
She deflated.
”He doesn't cheat,” Armie said into her ear so only she would hear.
She knew that, but she didn't want him to be tempted either, to maybe regret his decision to move in with her.
Watching the indulgent, comfortable way Cannon interacted with the women put her stomach in knots. These ladies were straightforward, without complications; they wanted him, and he could have them. Any one of them would wallow in his attention and in the pleasure they received.
When someone crowded close to her other side, she paid little attention. The place was so jammed that personal s.p.a.ce was in short supply.
Then the expensive perfume hit her and she wanted to groan. She swiveled her head around and met Mindi's patronizing smile.
”h.e.l.lo, Yvette.”
Armie glanced at her, too, then away. Maybe, Yvette thought, they could shun her and she'd just go away.
That plan got foiled when Merissa waved to them from across the room. Yvette waved back, but Armie, after a m.u.f.fled groan, deliberately stepped to her side and boldly ran his gaze over Mindi from the top of her head to her toes and back again to her cleavage. ”Mindi, right?” he asked her b.o.o.bs.
Smile slow and full of pleasure, Mindi nodded. ”That's right.” And to Yvette, she said, ”You've moved on, I see.”
Not understanding, Yvette lifted her brows.
”I'm surprised,” she murmured, giving Armie a reciprocal study, ”since they're so different.”