Luke looked at Nick perplexed. “Are you serious? You can’t read a woman?”
Nick held up a hand in protest. “Now wait a minute. I can read a woman in the bedroom. I can tell you what she wants and what she needs…”
Luke shook his head and closed his eyes. It was a struggle for him to differentiate the Nick who was doing god knows what with his sister from the Nick who was his buddy, the one guy he could shoot the shit with. “So you’re saying take you out of a bedroom and you’re fucked when it comes to a woman.”
Nick cocked his head to the side and processed Luke’s words before he nodded in agreement. “Yeah, that pretty much sums it up.”
“Nick, that’s a problem. If you can’t read a woman how can you be one step ahead of her?” Luke asked incredulously.
“I’m never one step ahead.” He said and took a gulp of his drink. He was feeling a nice buzz going on. “I’m usually three or four behind, depending on the girl. For example, with your sister, I’m like on a whole fucking different continent.” Yeah he was definitely getting buzzed.
Luke genuinely laughed out loud as he mentally pictured Sam driving Nick nuts. It was an amusing thought, and for the first time he could see them together and he accepted it. “Well, Sam’s not like any other woman.” He patted Nick on the back. “Hey, don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
“No, she’s definitely not.” Nick said thoughtfully as he leaned against the back of the stool.
Helena made her way back to them and this time she helped herself to a shot. Luke raised an eyebrow at her and then Nick. “So I get off in a few minutes and I’ve been thinking the three of us should go somewhere and catch up.”
It was Nick’s turn to laugh out loud. Had she just propositioned him and Luke? He may be on a different continent, but this chick was on a different planet, Nick mused.
Helena’s cheeks reddened as if she was able to read Nick’s mind. “I’m sorry that came out all wrong.”
“Nothing wrong in wanting to catch up with old friends,” Luke offered trying to defuse Helena’s embarrassment.
She smiled at him and stumbled forward when the bartender relieving her bumped right into her. Helena straightened up, finding her balance. Her eyes went back to the two men she had been having a conversation with before and noticed she no longer had either of their attention.
Luke looked right passed Helena into the haunting hazel eyes that belonged to Cara. “I didn’t know you went back to work.” He said softly. He wasn’t expecting to see her, the truth was he had barely seen or heard from her. He had no idea what she had been up to because she ignored all his calls. She made it damn near impossible to keep his promise to his deceased brother.
“Well, why would you?” She nodded towards Helena. “You can take off now, I’ve got this.”
Helena looked back and forth between them before untying her apron. She glanced over at Nick, who was watching Luke intently, well to the best of his drunken ability. She tucked the apron under the bar and made her way around to the other side. She took the seat on the opposite side of Nick and reached for the bottle that sat between the two men. Cara grabbed the bottle from her before she could pour any.
“Let’s get something straight. I’ll be the one pouring the drinks.” She turned around and placed the bottle back on the shelf. She had one hand tucked into the back pocket of her skin tight jeans and with her free hand, she wiped down the mess that had been made by allowing Luke and Nick to pour their own drinks.
Cara nodded towards Nick. “Do you want a refill?”
“Sure.” He sighed and looked over at Helena. “What would you like?”
Helena glared at Cara. What the hell was this chick’s problem? “I’ll have the same as you.”
Nick turned to Luke. “Luke?”
Luke sighed and ran his hands through his hair. “I’m good.”
Cara nodded before turning around to busy her hands with preparing their drinks.
Helena leaned closer to Nick, her head nearly rested on his shoulder. “What’s her problem?”
“Her fiancé died.” Nick said, his voice barely above a whisper. He turned his gaze back towards Luke. “Tell me something.” He leaned closer so that only he could hear him. “If all women are an open book and you’ve got the magic touch, why can’t you figure her out?”
“She’s not mine to figure out.” Luke answered automatically before turning to look Nick dead in the eye. “Jake asked me to watch out for her. He asked me to take care of her and make sure she doesn’t do anything stupid. But for some reason she hates me and has made it damn hard to keep tabs on her.”