quick glance back into the bank told Tyler all he needed to know. Casanova was schmoozing the blonde. Tyler stifled a groan and rolled his eyes. He gripped the paper sack tightly in one hand, the paper crinkling loudly, before shoving it into an inner pocket in his kutte. Taking up a position against one of the bank's brick walls, he waited irritably for Jack. His mind wouldn't let go of Miranda Groves, though.
CHAPTER TWO
Another day of work completed, Miranda almost breathed a sigh of relief as she and Naomi traversed the scant distant to their cars. The rest of the parking lot was bare. In the sky, the sun hung low, turning the world a bluish hue. The cool evening air might have been relaxing, if it wasn't for the bomb Naomi just dropped. Miranda groaned as she turned to her friend, “You did what ?”
“Oh, come on, Miranda!” Naomi jutted out her bottom lip as she leaned across the hood of Miranda's car. Behind her, her sporty yellow car clashed against her navy blue outfit. “I can't go alone.”
Miranda glared and pursed her lips. “Don't you think you should check with me before scheduling a double date?”
“It's not a double date,” Naomi replied, reproachfully, pushing herself off the car hood. “It's just hanging out.”
“At the bar,” retorted Miranda with a flat tone. She was less than impressed. Nate just broke up with her and her ex-sweetheart breezed into town. Her emotional capacitors wanted a rest.
“Yeah, at the bar. What's wrong with that?” Naomi's head listed to the side. Her eyes caught the dying rays of the sun, making her baby blues nearly glow in the twilight.
“You're probably going to go knock boots with loverboy and leave me in the lurch with his creepy friend,” Miranda sighed in exasperation. Naomi had pulled the stunt more than once. The worst case seemed so promising, at first. It involved a cute, buff firefighter and his friend, an old buddy from high school with a receding hairline, beer gut, and an aversion to deodorant. She waved her hand, her car keys jingling loudly. “Yeah, no thanks.”
“You shouldn't judge people before you get to know them!” Naomi's lips twisted into a frown. She very blatantly misunderstood Miranda, whether intentionally or from sheer obliviousness. She crossed her arms over her ample bosom and pinned Miranda with a hard look.
Miranda was completely unaffected by her friend's bluff. Naomi didn't have a stern bone in her body. Soon enough, the blonde would switch tones and resort to the puppy dog eyes. “Naomi, it's been a long day.”
“So go to the bar. Let off some steam,” pleaded the blonde, “It'll be good for you!”
“I don't see how, Naomi.”
“Trust me.”
Miranda sighed, yet again. A drink sounded fabulous after everything that happened in the last twenty-four hours. Nate would be to busy with his new girlfriend and who the hell knew where Tyler was. Her stiff shoulders eased a little, “Do we have time to go home and change, first?”
“Yes!” Naomi squealed in delight as she hopped into her sporty convertible. Miranda shook her head as she climbed into her sensible sedan. Together, the two cars pulled out of the parking lot and headed in the direction of Miranda's apartment. She didn't know why she let Naomi talk her into these things.
A noisy bar scene was the absolute last thing Miranda genuinely wanted. Yet, a small voice nagged at her thoughts. Someone, in particular, hung around bars and Miranda very direly wanted to see him again – even if it was a bad idea.
* * *
Smoke clung to the ceiling in the Firebird Bar. Chatter filled the air, along with the scent of cologne and alcohol. Country music spat into the air from the old jukebox and various, tone-deaf patrons sang along. In the far corner, pool tables rumbled and pool balls clacked loudly, punctuated by whoops and hollers. Underfoot, peanut shells cracked beneath Miranda's heeled
CHAPTER TWO
Another day of work completed, Miranda almost breathed a sigh of relief as she and Naomi traversed the scant distant to their cars. The rest of the parking lot was bare. In the sky, the sun hung low, turning the world a bluish hue. The cool evening air might have been relaxing, if it wasn't for the bomb Naomi just dropped. Miranda groaned as she turned to her friend, “You did what ?”
“Oh, come on, Miranda!” Naomi jutted out her bottom lip as she leaned across the hood of Miranda's car. Behind her, her sporty yellow car clashed against her navy blue outfit. “I can't go alone.”
Miranda glared and pursed her lips. “Don't you think you should check with me before scheduling a double date?”
“It's not a double date,” Naomi replied, reproachfully, pushing herself off the car hood. “It's just hanging out.”
“At the bar,” retorted Miranda with a flat tone. She was less than impressed. Nate just broke up with her and her ex-sweetheart breezed into town. Her emotional capacitors wanted a rest.
“Yeah, at the bar. What's wrong with that?” Naomi's head listed to the side. Her eyes caught the dying rays of the sun, making her baby blues nearly glow in the twilight.
“You're probably going to go knock boots with loverboy and leave me in the lurch with his creepy friend,” Miranda sighed in exasperation. Naomi had pulled the stunt more than once. The worst case seemed so promising, at first. It involved a cute, buff firefighter and his friend, an old buddy from high school with a receding hairline, beer gut, and an aversion to deodorant. She waved her hand, her car keys jingling loudly. “Yeah, no thanks.”
“You shouldn't judge people before you get to know them!” Naomi's lips twisted into a frown. She very blatantly misunderstood Miranda, whether intentionally or from sheer obliviousness. She crossed her arms over her ample bosom and pinned Miranda with a hard look.
Miranda was completely unaffected by her friend's bluff. Naomi didn't have a stern bone in her body. Soon enough, the blonde would switch tones and resort to the puppy dog eyes. “Naomi, it's been a long day.”
“So go to the bar. Let off some steam,” pleaded the blonde, “It'll be good for you!”
“I don't see how, Naomi.”
“Trust me.”
Miranda sighed, yet again. A drink sounded fabulous after everything that happened in the last twenty-four hours. Nate would be to busy with his new girlfriend and who the hell knew where Tyler was. Her stiff shoulders eased a little, “Do we have time to go home and change, first?”
“Yes!” Naomi squealed in delight as she hopped into her sporty convertible. Miranda shook her head as she climbed into her sensible sedan. Together, the two cars pulled out of the parking lot and headed in the direction of Miranda's apartment. She didn't know why she let Naomi talk her into these things.
A noisy bar scene was the absolute last thing Miranda genuinely wanted. Yet, a small voice nagged at her thoughts. Someone, in particular, hung around bars and Miranda very direly wanted to see him again – even if it was a bad idea.
* * *
Smoke clung to the ceiling in the Firebird Bar. Chatter filled the air, along with the scent of cologne and alcohol. Country music spat into the air from the old jukebox and various, tone-deaf patrons sang along. In the far corner, pool tables rumbled and pool balls clacked loudly, punctuated by whoops and hollers. Underfoot, peanut shells cracked beneath Miranda's heeled
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