About Last Night Read online

  About Last Night

  J. S. Cooper

  Copyright © 2020 by J. S. Cooper

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Contents

  Blurb

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Epilogue

  Blurb

  About Last Night

  Emily Finland, twenty-five, college graduate, hot mess, lover of all things cheese. Hasn’t had a date in a year. Yeah, that’s not something I would put in a dating profile. Ever. I can’t be bothered to date. There are so many awful guys out there. I much prefer to Netflix and chill with a pizza. But of course, my busybody best friend Charlotte was having none of that. She persuaded me to go on a blind date, and even though I was reluctant, I decided to go.

  I never expected to meet a man like Liam Montgomery.

  Forty years old, rich, cocky, wears a Rolex, likes expensive whiskey, completely out of my league. Of course, just because he’s gorgeous doesn’t mean he’d make a good boyfriend. Plus he’s way too old for me. That doesn’t stop me from flirting with him, though. Or from spending one very long, exciting night with him. Ironically, it turned out that Liam hadn’t even been my intended date. Oops!

  Unfortunately for me, hot mess Emily, the biggest shock of my life was still to come. For while Liam and I should never have been, he’s not about to leave my life quite that easily. You see, I’m celebrating my dad’s retirement with my folks and Liam is also there. Only this time, he’s not alone.

  Chapter 1

  “I don’t want to go on this date. Please don’t make me, Charlotte,” I pleaded with my best friend, though we both knew I was going. I hadn’t blown out my hair and worn heels for nothing.

  “Emily, it will be amazing, trust me. I mean, it’s almost like fate set this up for you guys. He’s newly single, and supposedly he’s amazing. Go and have fun. I think you getting off work early today was a sign that this date was meant to be.”

  I rolled my eyes. There were no clouds in the sky today. That could have been a sign, too. But I don’t believe in signs or coincidences. As far as I’m concerned, everything that happens in your life is going to happen, whether you like it or not. But I knew that Charlotte would not give up unless I said yes to a blind date, so I resigned myself to just going.

  “Emily, you deserve to find a good man.” Charlotte continued her pep talk as I started running along the street like a madwoman. I’d just noticed the time and I was going to be late if I didn’t run. I didn’t want to go on the date, but I also didn’t want to be rude. “Just enjoy the date and have a good time.”

  Her voice was light and happy, and I tried not to roll my eyes again at her words. Just a few months ago, she’d been down on men as well, but now that she’d found love, she felt everyone should be searching for it. And by everyone, I meant me. She wasn’t going to stop until she had me in a relationship. A part of me was touched that she cared so much, but another part of me was over it already. I enjoyed my life. Granted, it was a bit lonely and boring, but Netflix and pizza nights would never break your heart. They might add a few pounds to your hips, but I was okay with that.

  “You know I hate blind dates,” I rasped as I glared at the traffic light, willing the light to change to green so that I could cross the road. “This is not how I want to spend my Friday night.”

  I was breathing hard from running and ready to curse someone out. How was I this out of shape? Didn’t I go to the gym two times a week to ensure I didn’t run out of breath when I ran?

  No, you go to ogle the hot guys, a little voice whispered inside of my head and, I stifled a giggle. This was not the time to be laughing, though I resolved that maybe I’d look into getting a personal trainer because walking on the treadmill at 3MPH was obviously not making me any fitter.

  “You’d rather be watching Netflix and eating pizza?” Charlotte said in her judgmental voice, and I once again tried not to roll my eyes at her tone. Who was she to judge me? Netflix had never broken my heart, and pizza only added to my weight, not my stress levels.

  “Uhm, just three months ago, we were watching Netflix together,” I reminded her. My calves were burning from the running and I suddenly wished that I had gone to those Zumba classes I’d signed up for after all.

  “Yes, but now I have Max, and I want you to find love like me.” Charlotte was almost singing, and I wanted to gag.

  “Charlotte, you’ve been dating Max for three months.” The light changed and I crossed the street. “How can you be in love already?” I didn’t add, How can you love a guy you started off hating? because I knew she wouldn’t wanna hear it. And I didn’t want her to think I was some sort of hater.

  “Emily, once the love bug bites you, you know it. It doesn’t matter if it’s three days or three months.” Charlotte laughed. “Now, please give this guy a chance.”

  “Yeah, yeah. Oh, do you want to hear something funny that I learned today?”

  “Sure, what is it?”

  “There’s a mob boss in Italy that trained an African grey parrot to say, Now, ‘I’m going to shoot you,’ to threaten people.”

  “No way.” She laughed. “That’s wild.”

  “Crazy, right? I think we’re going to incorporate it into the script of a movie we’re making.”

  “Emily, you’re changing the subject,” Charlotte replied. “Right now, you need to concentrate on your date.”

  “Ugh, fine,” I mumbled. “I’m sure my date isn’t going to be as fascinating as a parrot owned by the mob.”

  “Emily, think positive thoughts. Didn’t you say you were going to create a vision board?”

  “Eh ... What’s this guy's name again? John something?” I looked up and down the street and tried to locate the small wine bar that I was meeting my blind date in. I couldn’t believe that I’d agreed to this date, but Charlotte and our other best friend, Anabel, had convinced me to give it a shot. I’d gone along not because I was looking for love but because I knew this wine bar was meant to be one of the best new bars of 2020. Who was I to say no to a free drink at some new and upcoming bar?

  “Peter Jackson,” Charlotte corrected me. “He’s one of Max’s business partners.”

  “Okay.” I stopped outside the bar and reapplied my lipstick and patted my hair down. “Ugh, I’m so not ready for a date.”

  “Relax, Emily, you’re going to have a good time. Trust me.”

  “I just don’t think this is a good idea, plus Jack called me this morning. He wants us to meet up.”

  I waited for Charlotte to answer, but silence followed after my words. She hated my ex-boyfriend Jack, and she had reason to. He’d treated me horribly and ended our relationship so that he could date other women. He’d broken my heart, and I had no idea why he now wanted to meet up with me again. But I’d said I’d think about it. I wanted him to beg me to get back with him just so I could say no. I was petty like that. Also, I was curious to see if we still had a connection like before. Not that I would act on it if we did; I wasn’t that dumb.

  Actually, I was that dumb, but I was going to try really hard to make sure that I didn’t slip up and sl
eep with him or take him back.

  “I hope you told him to go to hell,” Charlotte finally said.

  “You know I can’t do that.” I bit down on my lower lip. I knew that Charlotte didn’t want to hear me talk about the good times with Jack. As far as she was concerned, there had been no good times.

  “Why not?” she demanded in her ‘don’t you dare say anything good about him’ tone.

  I wished now that I’d kept my mouth shut all those times he’d said something rude and obnoxious to me. It was very hard for friends to ignore all the shit when they’d heard it so many times. Why hadn’t I told her about the time he’d surprised me with a box of chocolates and take-out? It hadn’t been all bad all the time.

  “Because he was my first love. And it might be nice to have a chat with him.”

  “Girl, that guy is a douchebag.” Her tone told me she was just getting started on all the reasons why I should never let him back into my life.

  “Look, I’m here. I have to go.” I stopped outside a cute bar, the words “Viola’s Tavern” etched on the windows. There were two small trees covered with twinkling Christmas lights next to the entrance, and I smiled at the cozy feel of the place. I hadn’t even entered and I already knew I was going to like it.

  “Have a great time and tell me all about it when you’re done.”

  “Won’t you and Max be too busy making love to talk to me?”

  Charlotte laughed. “Ha ha, Emily. Max’s working late tonight, so he’s not coming by until tomorrow morning.”

  “Well, okay, then. I’ll call you later.”

  I walked into the bar and took a few breaths. This was the first date I had been on in two years, and to say I was nervous was an understatement. I hadn’t wanted to go, but when Charlotte had set it up behind my back, I’d gone along with it even though I was pretty sure the guy was not going to be a winner in the looks department. I hated to think that because I didn’t like to be superficial, but Charlotte hadn’t even shown me a photo of my date and had kept reminding me to be “open-minded.”

  I had a pretty strong feeling that my date was going to be ugly … but at least I’d get a free meal out of it and some drinks.

  And by the looks of this place, the drinks weren’t going to be cheap. It was a pity I wasn’t one of those girls that could date a man just because he was rich. If I wasn’t attracted to someone, I certainly couldn’t see myself in bed with them. I walked up to the hostess and smiled as she looked at me. I could tell from the arch of her nose and the thinness of her lips that she wasn’t impressed by my appearance. Snobby bitch.

  “Hi.” I gave her a wide smile, hoping to win her over with kindness.

  She did not smile back. “Do you have a reservation?” she asked.

  I nodded, trying to remember my date’s name. Shit! I’d already forgotten. My memory wasn’t normally that bad. “Um, Piers?”

  She just looked at me like I was speaking a foreign language.

  “Piers? P-i-e-r-s, like that horrible English journalist that was on The Apprentice?” The hostess just looked at me blankly. “Wait, was it Peter Something?”

  “No one by that name here. Can you please step to the side?” She gave me a snooty, dismissive look, and I bit down on a catty remark about her cheap looking blonde extensions. Keep it classy, Emily!

  “Okay …”

  I looked around the bar and I spotted a man sitting at a table at the back in a dark suit looking around the restaurant. When he caught my eye, I pointed at myself with a questioning look. He grinned at me, and I relaxed.

  “I think I see him,” I said as the man gave me a little wave. I guess Charlotte had shown him my photo. How unfair that he could know what I looked like, but I couldn’t know what he looked like.

  The hostess’s eyes widened as she saw who I was pointing to. “Are you sure?”

  “I’m positive,” I said with a dismissive look of my own.

  “Would you like me to walk you back?” the hostess asked, but I was already making my way past her.

  “No.” I shook my head, trying to get a better look at my date. Right off, the bat I noticed that the man was gorgeous. He had a full head of dark hair and sparkling blue eyes, his suit was dark, and he had a serious expression on his face. I had no idea why Charlotte hadn’t wanted me to see his photo. But maybe she’d been trying to teach me some sort of lesson about not judging books by their non-existent covers.

  “Hi, sorry I’m late,” I said as I stopped at the table and took a seat, smoothing my dress down as I sat. Now I wished I’d worn something a little sexier.

  “Sorry, what?” He blinked at me.

  I stared at his face, unabashedly taking in his stubble and jawline, then I leaned back and started laughing.

  “Something funny?” he asked me, with a curious expression in his eyes, his lips a solid line as he took in my appearance.

  “Sorry, I’m not laughing at you, but I was just thinking to myself that Charlotte could have shown me your photo—because let’s face it, you’re not ugly—but now I think I know why she didn’t.”

  “Charlotte?” He raised an eyebrow. “Why would Charlotte be showing you my photo?”

  I couldn’t help admiring his lips as he spoke. “I know some people don’t like to see photos before a blind date and all that, but let’s be real, there has to be attraction, right?” I paused as I continued to drink him in.

  He was certainly attractive, that was for sure, but I could tell from the lines on his face and the specks of grey hair that he wasn’t exactly young. “It’s just that I know Charlotte told me to be open-minded, but boy, how old are you?” I said, forgetting my manners for a few moments. “Oops, sorry, I’m not trying to be rude, but you’re at least, what? Twenty years older than me?” I went to reach for my phone to text Charlotte but stopped myself. “Don’t get me wrong, you’re handsome and I’m sure you’re very successful, but I just don’t date older guys.”

  I took another look at the flecks of gray in his beard and hair and shook my head. I mean, he was absolutely gorgeous, but he could be my dad. Well, maybe not my dad, but close enough.

  “You don’t date older guys?” The right side of his lip twitched slightly as he looked me over once again. “You think I want to date you?”

  “Well, I’m not saying that you want to date and then marry me, but you obviously agreed to this blind date based upon what I look like, and now I know why Charlotte didn’t want to show me your photo.” I bit down on my lip for a second. “Not trying to be rude, I do know you’re Max’s business partner, and I’m sure they thought we’d have some sort of connection.”

  “Max ...” His voice trailed off and he raised an eyebrow. “Some sort of connection?”

  “Don’t tell me you think this is a booty call? I mean, I know I haven’t had sex in over a year, but that doesn’t mean I’m just going to jump into your bed,” I blurted out and then blushed as I realized what I’d just said. The more I talked, the more rude and immature I sounded, but I just couldn’t stop myself.

  “I see.” He seemed to be holding back a smile, and I was a bit irritated at his self-satisfied look.

  “You’re just not my type,” I said again, though that wasn’t really true. Asides from the gray, he looked amazing for his age. He was perhaps even better looking than Max, Charlotte’s boyfriend, and he was gorgeous.

  “Why’s that?” He leaned back in his chair. “I thought I was every woman’s type,” he said, his manner so smug that I wanted to take him down a few notches.

  “Because you’re just a bit old for me.” I looked into his amused blue eyes. “Not that you’re not handsome and all. I just don’t date older men.”

  “How old are you?” He leaned forward and I could see that he was estimating my age in his head.

  “Twenty-five.” Then, because I couldn’t stop myself and I needed to know, “How old are you?”

  “Forty,” he replied smoothly. “So not quite twenty years older than you.” r />
  “Yeah, I guess only fifteen.”

  “Still too many years on you?”

  “Yeah.” I nibbled on my lower lip. “Not to be rude or anything, but I prefer to date guys under thirty.” I wasn’t sure why I kept saying that. Most probably because I was trying to convince myself.

  “You’ve said that already, but yes, that is understandable.” He nodded and sat back. “So I suppose this blind date is over before it has really even started?” He picked up a small glass of what looked like whiskey and took a sip. “A pity.” He leaned forward and his gaze moved over my face and body.

  I warmed at his once over. He was older, but he was still the hottest man I’d ever seen in my life.

  And if he kept looking at me in the way he was looking, then I didn’t know what would happen.

  “Well, I mean, we could always have a drink and eat or whatever. I did come all the way here,” I said, taken aback by how completely disinterested he seemed to me. He hadn’t even asked me to stay. Did he not like me? “And I don’t want you to be mad at Max because I was surprised by your age.”

  “I don’t want to make you stay here against your will.” He smirked. “I’m sure you have many other dates to go on. Other men to meet and enjoy your Friday night with. Forget Max’s feelings—and my own, of course. I suppose I’m just going to have to live with the fact that at forty, I’m past my prime.”

  “Well, you know …”

  I looked away, now a bit embarrassed. He obviously knew that he wasn’t past his prime and was just making fun of me. I also had a feeling that he knew that I didn’t go on many dates. I mean, I’d just said I hadn’t had sex in a year. Groan. Something in that supercilious tone of his both annoyed and excited me.