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The memory hit me.

“Oh my gosh! Yes! You had dark hair, though.”

He laughed. “I did. Went for a change.”

“How are you?” I asked. Darrell and I had spent hours on and off the golf course talking about life in general. He was in the same situation as me. He had a father with his own business who was hell bent on the heir apparent taking it over.

“CMI is doing some work for us; I was hoping I’d get to see you.”

My eyes lit up. “Yes, we’re helping y’all redesign your call center. George doing a good job so far?”

“Very much so.” He nodded. “Were you leaving?” he asked, turning to the two guys he had walked in with. “I’ll catch up with y’all in a bit.”

I glanced back over to the table and chewed on my lip.

“Let me guess, ex-boyfriend here with a new girl?”

My head turned back to Darrell and I laughed. “Something like that. Ex owns this bar, we all hung together in college, and it was stupid of me to come here tonight.”

He lifted a brow. “Because of the ex?” Darrell turned in the direction I had been looking.

“Because of the little dark-haired beauty sitting in that large booth at the very end. I think they’re dating now.”

Darrell smiled. “Then let’s go say hi.”

He placed his hand on my lower back and guided me toward my small group of friends. I frantically searched for Tucker but didn’t see him.

“No … honestly, I’d rather just …”

“Charlie!”

My body sank. “Damn,” I whispered as Darrell wrapped his arm around my waist and pulled me to him.

What in the hell was he doing?

“Hey … Terri.”

God, my voice sounded weak and unsure.

All eyes went to Darrell. Terri and Lily gave him a once-over, Nash looked like he wanted to rip off Darrell’s head, Jim showed no emotion, and Blake … Well, Blake looked like he wanted to punch the living shit out of poor Darrell. This guy had no idea what he’d just walked into.

“How are you doing, Lily?” I asked.

Pulling her eyes off Darrell, she forced a smile. “I’m doing okay. You got my message?”

I nodded. “Yes.”

She sat back and stared at Darrell, giving him a look like she wanted him to explode on the spot.

“Who’s this? A new friend of yours?” Nash asked, his voice thick with sarcasm.

I froze, which was so not like me. At all.

When I finally found my voice, I replied, “Darrell Adams, he’s a friend of mine.”

With a huge grin on his face, Darrell reached out his hand to Nash. “Our fathers were good friends. Charlie and I are …” He trailed off and looked at me. “Hanging out.”

I groaned internally. Darrell had made it seem like we were doing more than hanging out. Before I knew it, Darrell shook each person’s hands and introduced himself. Then he got to Noelle.