Emily and I were fortunate that our girls lived in this section of town and came to this bar all the time, convincing one of the waitresses they were friendly with to reserve us a table.

Fiona and I kissed cheeks, and I sat on one of the open stools, next to Emily, beers already waiting for us on the high-top.

“You guys are good,” I said, lifting the cold bottle in the air, waiting for them to do the same.

“To marathon day,” Rebecca said, and we all clinked and took sips.

“Good Lord,” Emily groaned, glancing around. “This place is cray. I bet we could sell this table for a thousand dollars right now.”

“You’re selling?” I heard in a man’s voice.

I swung my neck to the right, where a redheaded guy was standing just behind Emily and me.

“You’re buying?” Emily responded.

The redhead removed his wallet, counting the bills inside. “I’ve got about seven hundred on me.” He cupped his hand around his mouth and shouted, “Hey, Caleb, do you have any cash on you?”

I looked in the direction the redhead had yelled, and a man at the back of the bar line had turned at the sound of his name, now facing us.

Caleb’s eyes were such a radiant blue that I could see them from all the way over here.

The redhead waved him over, and Caleb looked in his wallet as he approached, stopping once he reached his friend.

“I’ve got about a thousand,” he answered. “Why?”

As the last word left his mouth, our eyes fell upon each other, this handsome man’s incredibly sexy gaze holding me captive. One that was unapologetically covering my entire body.

Despite the wave of heat moving across my face, I was frozen.

And suddenly, the connection between us was broken when Emily squeezed my arm and said, “Are we selling these brutally uncomfortable seats for seventeen hundred dollars”—her eyes widened, moving to each of the girls before returning to me, signaling that was her preference—“or are we going to sit here for only an hour and then leave, like we planned to all along?”

Caleb came in closer, resting his hands on the table. “I have an idea.” His eyes were aimed at me. “How about we buy you a drink while you think about it?”

“Is it too early to tell you I love you?” Emily teased.

The redhead held up his left hand, showing a gold band around that important finger. “You’re about five years too late in doing that.” He nodded toward Caleb. “But that one is as single as they come.” He checked the screen of his phone and held it up to his ear as he said, “Smith, how’s Dubai?” before he walked away from the table.