Before I could finish my sentence, Trex was already walking toward the small crowd of hotshots gathered with Darby and a few other women who’d joined them.

Trex put his hand on the small of Darby’s back. She turned, a perfect smile on her face. She might have fooled Trex, but I could tell she was pissed off. I was happy for him. She liked him too.

Trex greeted her, and after a short exchange, Darby looked past Trex to scan me for a few seconds.

Trex and Darby returned to my table, both looking like they were about to throw up.

“Nomes, this is Darby,” Trex said.

I smiled wide. “It’s Naomi, actually. So you’re the famous Darby. Nice to finally meet you.”

Trex’s eyes lit up. He knew immediately what I was doing.

“Hi,” Darby said, holding out her hand to shake mine. “So you work in the Forestry Department?”

“No,” I said, still smiling. She wasn’t getting shit out of me. “You work at the hotel?”

Darby glanced at Trex. “Yes.”

She was pissed, thinking Trex was at the bar with me—gross—but I had to butter her up. Trex could thank me later. “You’re as beautiful as he said you were. Wow.”

“Thank you.” She said the words as if she’d heard them a million times. She probably had. She was stunning. No wonder Trex was so into her. But it looked like he had some competition. She was there with Zeke. “So … what do you do?”

“I’m an independent contractor,” I said. It was the truth. That way, later when Trex ended up having to beg her forgiveness for lying, I wouldn’t be the bitch friend who’d helped him lie.

“Oh, okay. Well, it was nice to meet you.”

“Would you like to join us?” I asked before Darby could walk away. “I know Trex would love it.”

Trex looked at me in disbelief. He had no clue what a kick ass wingman I could be when I wanted.

“I’m here with friends, but thank you. I know Watts would appreciate it if I offered to have you join us.”

“We were just here trying to distract me from my dead husband but thank you.”

Trex closed his eyes, and I tried to care, but sometimes I just couldn’t help myself.

“Oh. Oh, goodness, I’m so sorry,” Darby said, stunned. Her eyebrows shot up.

“Nomes,” Trex said. “I’m sorry,” he said to Darby.

“I can see why you’re friends,” Darby said with a smile. “You do prefer bluntness.”

“Naomi is certainly that,” he said. “But that’s not it. Her husband, Matt, was a good friend.”

I wasn’t prepared for Trex to say Matt’s name, and I had to swallow back the typical smart-ass remark that would hide the unique pain I felt when someone spoke about my husband in past-tense.