Forever You - Evening the Score // Book Two

Chapter 19

Randy anxiously rubbed her palms against her jeans underneath the table. She felt like she was about to come out of her skin she was so nervous. And the worst part was she didn't know why. She was nervous enough as it was when she was with Harry but with Niall she was so on edge she was sure he was going to make some smartass comment about it.

Niall, on the other hand, was fine. He chewed on a non-existent entity in his mouth as he stared down at the menu. Once he'd made his choice he laid down the menu and tapped his hands on the table to some beat he'd been working out in his head for the last couple days.

He studied Randy a bit. Her eyes studying the menu like someone was going to ask her to memorize it. He snorted softly and shook his head, his eyes darting around the restaurant,

"Are you laughing at me?" He heard her voice suddenly.

Niall snapped his head back in her direction,

"Huh?" He shook his head, "No."

She seemed to accept that, giving a slight nod of her head and looking back down.

Niall swung his arm up on the booth behind him,

"Don't like me much do ya?"

Randy quickly looked back at him. She reached forward to toy with the straw in her Diet Coke,

"I don't think it's me who has the problem at this table."

Niall smiled. He liked Randy's spunk even though he knew he made her nervous as hell. She wasn't about to let him know that though,

"I don't have any issues with ya. Just think you're headed for a hurt that's all."

Randy angrily stabbed he straw into her glass,

"Well, I'm a big girl. I can take care of myself."

"Are we ready to order?" The server asked, effectively cutting off the conversation.

Niall nodded,

"Spaghetti with meatballs."

The server scribbled on her notepad and then glanced at Randy,

"I'll take the Chicken Parmesan."

"I'll be back with some bread." The server said before running off.

Randy toyed with her napkin, trying desperately to keep from looking at Niall. When she could feel his eyes still on hers she exhaled a sharp breath,

"What?" She asked, annoyance dripping from every letter of the word.

Niall shrugged,

"Just tryin' t'figure ya out is all."

"Figure me out?" Randy had never heard someone say that in her life. She wasn't mysterious in the least. Randy blinked a few times, "I mean...what's so hard to figure out?"

"You're hangin' out with me mate knowin' full well he's got a girlfriend and a kid on the way. And ya don't seem t'have any designs on him past friendship."

"I don't."

"Why ya wanna help him so much?"

Randy stared back at Niall. For as much as he was trying to figure her out, she was doing the same with him,

"Why does it matter to you so much?"

"Doesn't." Niall answered without hesitation, "Just curious."

Randy's jaw was set as she kept her eyes glued to his. He wasn't going to look away first that was for sure. Randy narrowed her eyes at him. He seemed to be genuine in his affection for both Harry and Elena. And she couldn't very well fault him for being protective. In his line of work, it was probably odd for a woman to be around who wasn't angling for some kind of relationship.