hampagne splattered like rain

as she helped the flustered w

n. Gia leaned to help while Noah

profuse apologies. After ensuring the woman was unhurt, Eva spun bac

artying with me always ma

en she felt something icy splash down th

he floral cotton. Lunging for empty glasses was apparently not the smart

und, she came face to face with the dark-suited stranger-now sporti

ed from the stain to lock with hers. Swal

o incredibly sorry sir, I had no i

man interrupted, his tone clipped. Through

careless woman

its ruined without consequence. As her blurtin

recovery, but he preferred isolation from such kind of peo

creasingly flustered at his stern silence. She couldn't read his

egained composure and stepped forward to assi

, let us help fix the damage,"

ssman's evening was really how sh

g," Eva offered in a rush. "I can't imagi

d edition," the man cut in crisply, lifting o

o pays that much for thread

Behind those obscure glasses, his gaze remained trained on Eva like

she repeated pointedly. "But there's no nee

tions." The words sliced out as sharp as the crease

Attractive or not, the arrogance emanating off thi

aren't up to your standards," she retorted, irked. "But unless I happen to h

rring to additional money. I'm curious what el

fed in d

the birthday girl buy you a drink and c

mehow smooth things over with this arrogant stranger? Bef

dged after an interminable pause. "Very well then

it and amber sunglasses indoors? The urge to tell him exactly where he could shove

stretched, Noah gent

ick drink and get on with celebrating your birthd

aled gr

ive stranger her best plastic smile. "One

Glennfiddich neat-because obviously pretentious suits wouldn't just order normal beer. As Eva dug in

mpagne splatter motif is so delightfu

face him, brow cocked. Two outrageously expensive drinks and now

a man clearly accustomed to regularly blowing my entire month's

o a subtly dangerous smile. He extended a larg

s. And your

hand warily, as if it might bite. Or possibly judo flip

um ring bearing an etched HD crest that likely cost more than her car. Clearl

t the urge to pull hers back quick

t to his tone. Before Eva could bristle, the bart

ghtly when he made no move towar

le behind darkened frames. "

ging for cash. Wa

ged quickly. The last thing she wanted was to

another Glennfiddich glass to appear before her. "Co

ess rival to casually manipulate. Temper simmering, she was on the verge o

s enthusiastically to theirs before Eva could object. Scowling,

ng challengingly over the

t and she fought not to embarrassingly splutter. Ey

arly noting her struggle to remain impassive over the dr

to each their poison, right?" She consciously set the near full glass down with decided fin

back the rest of his glass smoothly. Setting it empty on the ba

the drink. And I assure you, next time we meet,

one. Next time they meet? Was this Oscar Hayes actually threatening t

mile thinly. "Yeah, sou

er unblinkingly, Gia chuck

wants birt