“I didn’t. She said I was immature, which I’ll admit was true at the time, and she refused to date me.”

“I don’t see how that constitutes being dumped.”

“Hey, work with me here.”

She grinned, and he smiled back, and something inside her melted, right along with the last bite of mud pie. She quickly excused herself and headed for the ladies’ room.

Which was when the trouble started.

Chapter Fifteen

She’d noticed the woman earlier, bony and bitter-faced, with harsh makeup and dyed black hair. She and the grizzly-looking man sharing her table had been drinking steadily all evening. Unlike so many other restaurant patrons, neither of them had approached Dean. Instead the woman had been staring a hole through Blue. Now, as Blue passed her table, she called to her in a drunken slur, “Get over here so I can talk to you, Pee Wee.”

Blue ignored her and entered the restroom. She’d just latched the stall when the outer door banged open and that same belligerent voice intruded. “What’s the matter, Pee Wee? You think you’re too good to talk to me?”

She began to tell the woman that she didn’t talk to drunks when a familiar male voice intruded. “Leave her alone.” Dean the charmer had been replaced by the field general who demanded instant obedience.

“You touch me, asshole, and I’ll scream rape,” the woman snarled.

“Oh, no, you won’t.” Blue stomped out of the stall. “What’s your problem?”

The woman stood in the harsh yellow light by the sinks, with Dean’s big, broad-shouldered frame filling the open doorway off to her left. Her sneer, the jut of her hip, the coil of her dead, dyed hair, all signaled someone embittered with the world and determined to pin her failures on Blue. “You walked right pas’ me, that’s my problem.”

Blue slammed a hand on her hip. “Lady, you are drunk.”

“So what? All night you been sitting there looking like you’re better than every woman here, just because you’re fuckin’ Mr. Hot Shit.”

Blue stalked forward only to have Dean snake his arm around her waist and pull her back. “Don’t do it. She’s not worth it.”

Blue hadn’t intended to fight her, merely enlighten her. “Let me go, Dean.”

“Hiding behind your big bad boyfriend?” the woman jeered as Dean steered Blue toward the door.

“I don’t have to hide behind anybody.” Blue planted her feet and shoved at his arm. It didn’t budge.

The grizzly bear the woman had been sitting with loomed in the doorway. He was barrel-chested, with a lantern jaw and biceps that looked like tattooed beer kegs. The woman was too focused on Blue to notice. “Your big, rich boyfriend wants to make sure you don’t get too messed up for him to fuck tonight.”