One Good Thing Read Online Free Page B

mortifying.
    “That’s neat,” she said. If she thought a Halloween contest for pets was actually lame—and I wouldn’t have blamed her if she did—she didn’t let on. “You guys both have pets?”
    “I have a German shepherd,” Evan said.
    “Oh, I love German shepherds,” Lucy said. “My best friend had one when we were growing up.”
    “He was dressed as Darth Vader,” I remarked, a little too forcefully. “He didn’t win a prize, did he?” I asked only because I was pretty sure he hadn’t.
    Evan shook his head slightly, looking more amused than offended. “Well, he got a box of dog treats for participating.”
    “That’s cute,” I said. “Like a consolation prize.”
    His lips curved, drawing my stupid attention to them. Did he think I was funny? I definitely wasn’t trying to amuse him. “Don’t tell Vader that. He was really happy with his dog treats.”
    Lucy laughed. “Is he actually named Vader?”
    Evan shrugged. “Yeah.”
    A woman I recognized from our department—one of the actuaries—walked up to us with a cocktail in her hand. “Hey, guys,” she said, but I noticed she was looking at Evan. “Are we playing darts? Everybody’s waiting.”
    “Sure,” Evan said. “Do either of you want to play?”
    Lucy shook her head.
    “Dani?”
    Hell no. I already felt awkward enough around him without adding pointy objects into the mix. “No thanks.” And then, for some stupid reason, I felt like I had to explain myself. “I’m not very coordinated with stuff like that. I might, you know, kill someone. A dart through the eye or the temple or something.”
    He grinned. “If you change your mind …”
    “I won’t,” I said quickly.
    Once they were gone, I turned back to the bar and took a big relieved gulp of my drink. “How long has Evan worked at the company?” I asked Lucy, the question tumbling from my mouth before I could rein it back in.
    “Five or six years,” she said. She glanced at me curiously and smiled. “If you like him, you’re going to have some competition.”
    “Oh, I don’t,” I said immediately, horrified. “I was just curious.”
    Lucy shrugged. She leaned closer to me, tilting her head toward the dartboard. “Natalie’s had her sights set on Evan for months now, but I don’t think he’s interested.”
    “Natalie’s the one who came up to us?”
    She nodded.
    I watched the woman in question turn to set her drink down before she lined up her shot. Dark hair tumbled around her shoulders as she sank the first dart straight into the bull’s-eye.
    Wait, did Lucy mean not interested in Natalie or not interested in a general sort of way?
    “Is he gay?” I asked, trying not to let hopefulness creep into my voice.
    Lucy laughed. “No. He had a girlfriend for a while. Natalie is just used to men falling at her feet, and she’s pissed that Evan hasn’t. He’s too nice for her.”
    “Nice?” I echoed. Laughing at me in the park wasn’t nice. Toying with me about the carnation wasn’t nice.
    “Yeah,” she said, not noticing my skeptical look.
    I took a longer swig of my drink. Bad idea. My eyes watered and I had to clear my throat a few times to keep from coughing.
    I tried to play it off by looking around the bar casually. Suddenly my breath hitched. Drew was standing by one of the pool tables, a cue stick in hand. Drew, who’d told me he’d be staying late to finish up some work.
    I didn’t want to think the worst, but it looked like he’d blown me off to drink and play pool.
    But maybe he was just taking a break and I was jumping to conclusions. As I watched him laugh at something one of his friends said, my chest tightened. He never looked this happy when we were together anymore.
    A deep breath to calm my pattering heart. A sip of my drink.
    Part of me just wanted to slip out of the bar and pretend I hadn’t seen him. A big part of me. But another part, which might have been aided by my Jack and Coke, wanted answers.
    I looked back at