Page 51 of Kiss Me Like You Mean It

‘Heaven,’ I agree, and she nods again in satisfaction.

‘Randall!’ Darlene yells over her shoulder. ‘You pour Nico a beer while I mix up a mean martini for Miss Lee, here.’ She sends me a wink and then sashays off to start making my drink.

‘Oh my god,’ I whisper and I realise I’m clutching Nico’s arm. ‘You could have warned me. I love Dolly Parton!’

‘I know.’ Nico is clearly pleased with himself. ‘You had that photo of her on your wall for years. I couldn’t resist.’

‘I know she’s not Dolly,’ I say, watching Darlene out of the corner of my eye, ‘but is it weird that I’m still fan-girling?’

‘I think Darlene’s used to it. Sometimes tourists refuse to believe it isn’t her, they think Dolly Parton is living some secret double life, pulling pints in a bar in Maine.’

‘But what if…’ I say, wide-eyed, and Nico laughs again.

A rail-thin Black man with a dazzling smile props a pint of beer on the bar in front of Nico. ‘Lee, this is Randall, Darlene’s husband,’ Nico introduces us. ‘Randall, this is Lee.’

‘Your wife!’ Randall shakes my hand with great enthusiasm.

‘Er, yes,’ Nico takes a deep sip from his drink. ‘Better get used to that, I suppose.’

Randall nods. ‘Nice to meet you, Lee.’

‘You too,’ I manage.

‘Hey,’ Nico looks down at me. ‘You okay?’

I nod tightly.

‘I’m right here with you,’ Nico says. ‘And if you want to leave, you say the word and we’ll go.’

‘What word?’

He tilts his head, looking at me with a smile. ‘Coastal casual.’

Against the odds, my own mouth curves up. ‘Fine, coastal casual it is,’ and getting a tight grip on the stem of my martini glass, I make my way over to Nico’s friends.

Chapter Seventeen

Nico

‘Hi, Lee.’ Luke shoots to his feet as we approach the table. ‘Good to see you again.’

I narrow my eyes. He seems a bit too eager for my liking, but his warm welcome has Lee’s shoulders coming down.

‘You haven’t met my sister Kat or our friend Mei yet, right?’ he continues, making the introductions. Lee smiles shyly at the other two women, but Kat bundles her straight into a hug.

I wince and Mei rolls her eyes underneath the blunt cut of her dark fringe.

‘Kat, release,’ Mei says firmly, like she’s talking to Taco when he’s chewing up one of my shoes.

‘Sorry!’ Kat pulls away from Lee, who looks a little flustered. ‘I forget not everyone is a hugger.’ She beams at Lee. ‘I’m Kat and I’m obsessed with you already. I need to know where you got those boots, and this coat!’ She strokes Lee’s sleeve reverently. ‘I’m dying over this coat.’

‘Kat,’ Luke sighs.

‘Okay, yes.’ Kat pulls back again with a rueful look in her eyes. ‘I’m doing it again. In my defence I have had two of Darlene’s strawberry margaritas and I’m tipsy.’

She’s still smiling as she eyes Lee expectantly.

‘Um, I think the boots are old Ralph Lauren,’ Lee says finally.