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Then he’d keep his promises to his mother. He’d go to Kentucky and set his father straight. He would start over, settle down, find a woman who could mean more to him than just one night.
    Easy, right?

Chapter 3
    The door to the bar opened, and Marlene’s pulse kicked up a notch.
    Perfect did not even begin to describe Joe Rafferty. The man was flawless, she decided, watching Joe and Olivia make their way across the bar. His wide shoulders were a revelation, broad and elegant, flowing into strong, well-muscled, but not freaky-big biceps. In the dim light, his eyes flashed the light — piercing blue she remembered from the wedding. If anything, his attraction had intensified over the past two years because there were intriguing shadows in those pale eyes now.
    Joe held out his hand to her, and she took it, noticing that his tan forearm was crisscrossed with burns, old and new. She could actually see the raised, red splatter pattern of a grease burn on the inside of his right wrist. Was he careless or just plain tough? Either way, his wicked grin was a welcome sight, and his hand felt strong and solid. She slid her thumb across his palm to get a cheap thrill. The firm ridge of callous at the base of his index finger confirmed her guess: he was a working chef, not just a paper boss. Joe raised a dark eyebrow as Marlene caressed his finger, but he didn’t pull away.
    “Joe Rafferty.”
    “Marlene Bennet,” she replied, one degree short of an obvious purr.
    The knot of tension she had been holding between her shoulders all day began to disentangle. Of course, the loosening could have something to do with booze on an empty stomach, but Marlene attributed it to the fact that she was going to get laid tonight. She swayed too close, caught by the warm, breezy scent of the road on his skin. She felt as if they’d done this dance before and were just waiting for the room to clear. Any second, she expected his arms to go around her, his lips to take hers in a hard kiss.
    She cocked her head and gave herself a mental shake. Whoa, maybe she should have waited for Olivia and Joe to arrive before finishing her second martini.
    Joe dropped her hand and turned his attention to the bar. Johnny responded to his signal immediately, unusual on a busy night.
    “What’ll it be?” the bartender asked.
    “Guinness.” Joe laid two twenties on the bar. “Ladies?”
    “Gin and tonic,” Olivia said.
    Joe chuckled.
    “Just one, I swear. I’m beat.”
    “The last time I saw you drink gin and tonic, you drank half a bottle,” Joe reminded her.
    “You drank the other half!” she protested.
    “I’m a guy.”
    Their easy banter sparked a brief flash of jealousy in Marlene. She didn’t want to feel like a third wheel tonight.
    “Marlene? Can I buy you a drink?” Joe asked.
    “Absolutely.” Anticipation made her insides fizz.
    “Marly special, coming up,” the bartender said.
    She hopped off her stool and linked her arm through Olivia’s, then winked at Joe. Time for a little bathroom reconnaissance. “We’ll be right back.”
    She could feel Joe’s eyes on her as they walked away. She concentrated on putting one foot in front of the other. Tripping would be bad. She barely managed to acknowledge a greeting from Danny, who was sitting with some of his friends in the back. He was lucky Olivia was having too much fun to give him hell for showing up at the bar when he’d called in sick to work.
    Out of the corner of her eye, Marlene could see Olivia’s smug grin. They slipped into the rose-colored bathroom and dropped the hook and eye lock into place. It was a tiny space lit with a bare, pink bulb. Olivia sat in the rickety, wicker chair in the corner while Marlene collapsed against the sink.
    “Olivia, honestly, you don’t want some of that?” She gestured through the door in Joe’s direction.
    Olivia shook her head firmly. “Not interested.”
    “Not possible. I can’t believe you two never hooked up.”
    “Only