Page 44 of Bad Boy Crush
“Sounds like God Himself is cheering you on, brother,” Xavier joked from the stage.
May and Lisa laughed. Lou didn’t. Or maybe she couldn’t. A storm was coming. She did not like storms when she was home, and she hated them when she wasn’t.
She dug in her purse for her phone and scrolled to the weather app. A red banner across the top of the screen warned of a thunderstorm in the Cove. The radar showed a slow-moving reddish-orange blob directly overhead.
Fantastic.
Outside the windows of Salty Dog, the sky darkened like it was nighttime, and the trees waved their curled leaves back and forth in the wind. Her flight mode kicked in, making it impossible to sit still. She wasn’t sure what to do. She had been driven here by the man of the hour. How could she possibly ask him to leave?
“Something wrong, hon?” May asked when she noticed Lou standing, her purse in hand.
“Nope!” Lou lied.
“You sure?” Lisa narrowed her eyes.
“Totally fine. Just stretching my legs.” She’d never shared her phobia—if that’s what it was—and she wasn’t about to. Her friends were fiercely brave and independent. Lou was too shame-filled to admit that thunderstorms scared her down to her cork wedge heels.
She set her purse on a barstool and turned to find Ant glaring at her from across the room. She forced a smile he didn’t return. The next thing she knew, he was barreling toward her.
* * *
In the midst of hugs and back-claps, Ant had heard another peal of thunder roll long and low through the bar. On the outside, he’d kept smiling, but on the inside, one thought prevailed: Lou.
No doubt she’d already plotted her escape from the bar. The sunny day they’d started with was no more. The sky was a gradient of smoky gray fading into ominous green. While he wasn’t expecting a tornado, he’d bet Mother Nature was pissed off enough to knock over more trees.
“Thanks, man. I gotta get to my girl,” Ant said, wrapping up the conversation with Donny.
“You do that, brother.”
From across the room, Lou gave him a shaky smile. That was all it took to propel him into motion. He pushed through the crowd, ignoring well-wishes from friends and strangers alike.
When he reached her, her eyes were filled to the brim with worry and that same fake smile sat on her mouth. He slid his palm along her lower back and noticed her shaking.
“Looks like rain,” he said calmly. Her attention rerouted to the windows and then back to him. She gave him a jerky nod.
“You have her wound up, Ant,” May said. “Our girl must be turned on by winners.”
“Success is also my catnip.” Lisa casually sipped her drink.
“I have that effect on her.” He set his lips on the shell of Lou’s ear. Keeping his voice low and his tone soothing, he said, “Hate to do this to you, darlin’, but I have an uncovered project at home I need to move into the shop. Is it okay if we leave early?”
“Are—are you sure?”
Well, if that didn’t crush his heart. Didn’t she know by now he’d do anything for her? “I’m sure. Trust me, I’ve had all the adoration I can stand.”
“Okay, then. I guess we’re heading out,” Lou said to her friends.
“You can’t!” May held up her empty glass. “Xav promised us free drinks if Ant won.”
“My fault,” Ant told her. “I have to go home and cover a piece I’m working on.”
May clucked her tongue but gave in. “Fine. Give me a hug.”
He hugged May and then Lisa, and Lou did the same before practically dragging him by the hand toward the front door. They weren’t the only people leaving, so it took a few minutes to file out.
By the time they reached his truck, the wind was so strong, he had to hold his hat to his head to keep from losing it. He helped Lou into the truck and then jogged around to the driver’s side.
“Do you think we’ll have time to go to your house and then mine before the rain starts?” she asked as she peered out the windshield. “This looks bad.”