Read Page 32

Nathan lowered his head and said something to Julie, who looked his way and waved with a grin. Then she laced her fingers with Nathan's and pulled him toward Micah.

Micah smiled. Leave it to Julie to head off any awkwardness. He knew he wasn't wrong about her.Advertisement

"Hey, you made it," Julie said as the approached.

Nathan stuck his fist out to Micah and they bumped knuckles.

"Where the hell have you been, man?"

"Vacation," he said shortly.

"Must have been a good one," Julie said.

Startled, he glanced down at her. "Why do you say that?"

She studied him for a moment. "You look different. Good different."

"Thanks. I think."

"It was a compliment," she said with a grin.

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Feeling like needling Nathan just a bit, Micah grinned slyly. "So, when do I get to collect on my bet?"

Unflustered, she raised one eyebrow and looked coolly at him. "Hudson, does it look like I've been tamed?"

He threw back his head and laughed. Oh yeah, Nathan was going to have fun with this one. Damn if she didn't have him on this one. Nathan could be with her fifty years and he'd never tame her.

Nathan scowled. "What the hell are you two talking about?"

Julie patted him on the arm. "Your friend here once bet me that I'd be tamed before he ever would. I was merely pointing out that you don't have a prayer of ever accomplishing that feat."

Nathan's lips quirked upward into a grin. "Nope, and furthermore I'd never want to."

They turned as Damon called for attention, Serena standing at his side, glowing like a beacon in the sun. Micah listened as his friend thanked everyone for coming and then announced that he and Serena were leaving for their honeymoon but that everyone was welcome to remain for as long as they liked.

Good food, good friends. The evening held a lot of promise, but Micah had a sudden urge to go home. Lately a feeling of restlessness had settled over him, a relentless sort of ache he was at a loss to describe. Or analyze.

He moved forward to congratulate Damon and Serena again and to bid them good-bye. Then he quietly made his rounds so that he could ease away from the party.

"I'm heading out," he said when he reached Nathan and Julie, the last of his good-byes. "I'll see you later."

"Yeah, see you at work," Nathan said.

As Micah started to walk away, he saw Nathan frown.

"Hey, wait a minute. What did you bet Julie anyway?"

Micah started laughing even as he kept on walking.

"Something I never had a prayer of collecting," he called over his shoulder. pqdm.com