He tilted his head back to look at her. “Dinner. That thing where you get food. I get food. We eat. Talk. You remember that, don’t you?”
“Of course I know dinner. But I can’t. Actually, I was going to talk to you about tonight.”
“You were?”
“Yes. My cousin Jenna’s new music club is opening tonight. The whole family is going to be there. I was wondering if you’d like to come.”
Now it was his turn to pause. He sat up and she stepped back while he swung his legs over the table. “What?”
“I’m inviting you to come with me to my cousin’s club opening.”
He wanted time with her. Alone. Not with her entire family. He didn’t do family. The whole family thing was awkward and uncomfortable, like with his family. “Oh. No thanks.”
She cocked a brow. “Why not?”
“It’s your family. I’d be intruding.”
“It’s not a private thing, Garrett. The club is opening to the public tonight. My family is going to be there to help celebrate. Jenna and Ty—hell, my entire family has worked hard on making this happen. I’d love for you to be there.”
“Yeah, I don’t do the family thing. But thanks for asking.”
She shuttered her feelings behind a blank stare. “Okay. Lie back down so I can finish stretching you.”
He’d hurt her. She’d backed off, he’d pursued, and then when she’d relented and invited him back in, he’d turned her down. What kind of a dick was he, anyway?
Dammit. How could he explain to her how uncomfortable family gatherings were for him? Every time he saw his mother, despite how happy she was with her husband, it reminded him of the pain of his parents’ breakup and how it had shattered him. And his dad? Yeah, that rarely if ever even happened. His dad was off in his own world, his own life with the woman he’d left them all for. His father couldn’t be bothered with his son.
He liked Alicia’s cousin, Gavin, mainly because they’d been teammates before Alicia and he had ever gotten together. And maybe he never thought what was going on with him and Alicia was ever going to be anything more than just a right-now kind of thing. Nothing long-term, and sure as hell nothing that involved interacting with each other’s families.
“Okay, we’re done here. I’ll get the ice pack.”
“Alicia.”
She stopped. “Yes?”
“About this event tonight. Let me explain.”
She offered up a smile that didn’t transform her face like her typical smiles did. “No explanation necessary, Garrett. I’ll be right back with that ice pack.”
Shit. He raked his fingers through his hair. Somehow he’d have to work around this. He didn’t want to hurt her feelings, but damn if he wanted to thrust himself into the middle of her family tonight.
But after expressing her fear about the two of them being seen together, she’d offered up an olive branch.
And he’d just snapped the branch in two.
Maybe he was an asshole after all.
TWENTY-FOUR
ALICIA WASN’T ONE FOR DRESSING UP OR GOING TO clubs. Not that Jenna’s club was fancy. She’d created it to be casual and welcoming, just like the original Riley’s bar.
But it was opening night, and this was a big damn deal, so she’d bought a new dress and some strappy high-heeled shoes that were expensive and sexy as hell, just like the thigh-skimming dress that showed off way more leg than Alicia typically did.
Riley’s Club was officially open, and there was already a line outside to get in. Jenna must be out of her mind with nerves and excitement. Alicia hadn’t even had a chance to talk to Jenna tonight, other than a quick hug when she’d come in an hour ago. Jenna had looked gorgeous in a skintight short black dress and knee-high black high-heeled boots, her hair in its customary spiked-up short cut with purple tips, her left ear adorned with a multitude of piercings, her body a tattooed map of her life experiences.
Jenna was a former wild child tamed by the love of her life, hockey-stud Ty Anderson, the smiling, calming influence standing by her side right now, his hand around her waist while she welcomed everyone into the club.
“They look stunning together, don’t they?”
Alicia nodded at Savannah Brooks, her brother Cole’s girlfriend—no, make that fiancée. When they’d returned from their extended vacation, Savannah had been sporting one hell of a sparkler on her ring finger and a glow on her face that told Alicia they’d had a very special, very romantic vacation.
“They look about as much in love as you and my brother.”
Savannah grinned. “That man melts my butter. Sorry, I know he’s your brother, but he’s more than I could have ever dreamed of.”
Alicia linked her fingers with Savannah’s. “I think he’s pretty lucky, too, Savannah. You saved his career.”
Savannah waved her hand. “He turned his own career around.”