I worried that my answer would shift the mood of the evening but Patrice just nodded and ran his hand over mine again. He gave me a tiny smile and when he spoke his tone was intentionally gentle. “I know this stuff is not all on you. I just want you to know that I’ve been working with some of the groups in town and people are organizing for whenever it happens again.”

My heart sped up then, worried for him, and once again feeling like we were making a huge mistake with our silence.

“Patrice.” I wasn’t even sure what I wanted to say, but he lifted his gaze to mine as if he was also thinking of how to say what was on his mind. I leaned closer, waiting for his answer, when a voice from behind startled me.

“Well, well, well and here I was thinking that I’d have to show my new colleague around. I guess he’s doing just fine.”

I pulled back to see who the voice belonged to, and when I glanced at Patrice he was barely containing his annoyance. I didn’t blame him, Brad Gunham was a piece of work. We’d known each other since we were kids, and had had one very underwhelming date when I was trying and failing to get Patrice out of my system, so I couldn’t exactly pretend I was blanking on who he was.

“Brad.” Patrice’s flat tone made it clear that though they might be colleagues, they were not friends.

While I was still trying to figure out where this was going Brad leaned in and spoke very close to my ear, completely violating all personal space rules. “I haven’t heard from you in a while, Easton.”

I sat there wondering what exactly this guy thought he was doing. We’d gone on one bad date that ended up in mediocre sex before we went our separate ways. Why he thought he needed to come and talk to me when I was obviously with someone else was a mystery to me, especially given our history. Which I really hoped did not come up tonight.

I leaned further back from him until I was flush against the bar before I spoke. “Brad, I’d make introductions, but you know Patrice.” I extended my hand, intentionally ignoring his comment.

When I turned, Patrice was sitting upright and sending a very unfriendly look in his colleague’s direction, then trained his eyes on the spot on my arm Brad was touching.

When he spoke his voice was a barely restrained growl. “We work together.”

Brad’s smirk was condescending enough to make me want to smack it off. He gave his back to Patrice as he spoke.