Page 24 of Love is Grand
Sophia waved her hand in the air at Teddi, acting like the bartender was her own personal servant, and bile crawled up my throat. “Glass of pinot noir,” Sophia said to a scowling Teddi, no please or thank you.
Bringing Sophia to the wedding was a mistake ... a huge one. I didn’t usually make errors like this. Typically, I was a very calculated man.
Holding my breath, I watched as Teddi eyed her and poured the drink without flinching, but this girl was hip to more than she was letting on.
“Here you go,” she said as she slid the wineglass toward Sophia on a napkin.
Not missing a beat, Sophia picked up the glass and took a sip without a word of thanks. To me, she said, “It’s fine. I’ll see if the hair salon here can take me tomorrow and before the wedding, so I don’t have to keep wasting my time.”
Her dark eyes on me, Sophia waited for me to respond, knowing that the salon charge would go to the room and be paid by me, so I nodded. Sliding into the chair Adam vacated, she sipped her wine.
“I don’t know why we can’t hire a town car,” Sophia said, continuing to whine. “The Jeep is so bumpy.”
Wow, I was really regretting my poor choices when it came to her. But here we were, so I needed to try to make the best of it.
“I thought it would be fun,” I said, forcing a smile. “I’m brushing up on my wrong-side-of-the-road driving skills now that Adam lives here.”
And Shell lives here sneaked into my thoughts before I could stop it. Like I mentioned, I was fucked.
Taking a deep breath before Sophia could respond, I said, “Shall we?” I knew Sophia wouldn’t finish her wine. Too many calories, so she would be happy to be done.
“I’m going to check with the concierge on hair appointments,” she said and left me to handle the bill.
I looked at Teddi, who was busy cutting a few lemons in the corner, and she popped over.
“Something else?” she asked in a saccharine tone that I knew was purposeful.
“Just the check.”
Teddi reached for it and slid it over to me. “She seems like a nice gal.”
I looked up from signing the check with my room number. “You always provide this type of commentary to customers?”
“Nah, just the special ones,” she said with some sass.
“Well, she’s not a nice gal. I’m starting to realize that.”
Teddi raised a brow. “Just now?” She poured me an extra finger of Scotch. “On me. You may need it, and maybe you should take that driver. Jack.”
I slapped a fifty-dollar bill on the bar. “From me, and I think I may do just that if it will get her to shut up and allow me to drink some more. I don’t think driving is in my future this evening if I want to stay sane,” I said, humoring the bartender.
I wasn’t going to bite on her comment about Jack, though. She was obviously baiting me.
“Want me to call out to the valet and see if Jack’s free?”
Downing my Scotch, I said, “I have his cell.”
“I thought so. For all those secret outings.”
“Didn’t we just meet?”
Teddi nodded. “But I feel like I know you, plus you seem like a decent guy, saving Shell’s kid.”
“I didn’t save her. She was fine.”
“Who will save Shell?” Teddi said, giving me the eye.
“Christ,” I murmured. “I don’t know what you’re getting at, but you need to cut your fishing expedition short.” I stood without waiting for her reply. “Nice meeting you.”