“Hello Nate,” the sweet familiarity of that voice rang in my ear, because I’d hid from the voice all week. I almost cursed when I turned to reply.
She was here. Of course, she was. She knew the owner. She’d told me all about it, but that was years ago. I knew she might be here. Deep down I’d thought about it. I couldn’t pretend like I hadn’t.
“Hey,” I said with a smile, that I knew didn’t reach my eyes. It was more forced than anything else, but I had to make some effort.
“I didn’t know you were still in town,” she said. “I had a question for Octavia and didn’t want to bother her. Could you stop by tomorrow? It’s a shipment that appears to be doubled.”
She was all business. No flirting. No looking at me with those sorrowful eyes wanting me to remember. She was over it. Moved on from the shock.
“Yeah, I can. What time?”
“B! Get your ass over here! Tell this sonofabitch I can drink ten tequilas and still walk a straight line!” The male voice yelled out from a table nearby. I glanced over and saw three guys. One was Eli and a couple of women I’d never seen before. They were all laughing at the man who was demanding Bliss’s confirmation of his ten-shot tequila stroll. She wouldn’t help him out. She shook her head and denied his boasting.
“I’m not doing it. You’ll have to prove it!”
The guy threw his hands into the air. “What the fuck, B! Damn baby, I thought you had my back!”
She rolled her eyes and looked at me. “I better get over there before Micah convinces Jimmy to do what he’s saying he can do. Because I happen to know the last time Jimmy tried it he slept it off in jail. See you tomorrow. Whenever. I’ll be at the shop all day.”
She didn’t wait on me to respond before heading back to the table. The guys who weren’t Eli looked older than her. The one threatening to drink ten shots couldn’t be younger than thirty. Bliss apparently ran with a mature rough crowd, which I didn’t expect from her.
One of the girls at her table had her eyes locked on me. I could feel it, but I didn’t look her way. I’d caught enough of a glimpse to know she was tall, built well, and barely dressed. This told me she liked the attention. I had no time for that.
“Bring your friend with you!” the female called out, her words slurring and finishing with pauses. She was slobbering drunk and brave.
I didn’t hear Bliss’s response, but I watched her say something to the girl. It made her frown and turn back to the group at the table and I was left alone.
The older guy put his arm around Bliss’s shoulders. She laughed loudly, closing her eyes. I hadn’t seen that in years. I then realized I missed that laugh. It hadn’t changed. It was the same.
Before they all saw me watching and inspecting I headed for the bar to get a drink, keeping my back turned safely away, pretending she wasn’t there. I was curious to see her out with friends and wanted to know about her life. Lying to myself was pointless. She lived here. Here was familiar. Bliss had her own set of friends. I wasn’t part of that and it stung. My God, I’m losing my mind.
“You know Bliss?” The bartender was an attractive female and had her large boobs barely covered by her top. She was definitely something to look at. I figured it made for good tips. I would guess she was about my age.
“She works for my fiancé,” I said, although that wasn’t how I saw her.
She nodded. “Good girl. One of the best. Your fiancé is lucky,” she responded.
“Good to know. I’m sure Octavia sensed that before she hired her for the shop.”
“Dakota! Ten shots of tequila!” The guy with Bliss yelled to her. “This thing is going down!”
The bartender sighed then spoke. “No, Jimmy it’s not. The last time you tried that shit Preston had to bail you out. Before your dad got wind and killed you.”
“Shiii-iit!” was his response. “I was younger. Now I’m grown. Why can’t y’all just forget that?”
The bartender looked at me. “He was twenty-five when it happened. Jimmy is a hell raiser, same as his brother. What can I get you?”
“Maker’s Mark,” I replied, and though I didn’t want to, I let myself glance back at the table. I didn’t see the guy called Jimmy. I saw Bliss staring right at me. She jerked her gaze away when I caught her, but the smile that touched my lips, was as genuine as the whiskey I sipped.
Bliss York was curious.
Fucking hell.
Bliss York
“YOU SHOULD PROBABLY stop looking at your boss’s fiancé as if you want to eat him.” Saffron spoke then leaned into me, giggling and pinching my arm.
The guys shouldn’t let her drink. For starters, she was underage. Following that she was a terrible drunk. Annoying to say the least. Her twin Holland wasn’t with her tonight. Probably home studying or reading. They were identical in looks and height, but complete opposites in the way they lived.
“I’m not looking at him,” I lied.
She cackled loudly and snorted. Did I mention she was an annoying drunk? Her dad owned the place. He was in my parents’ circle of friends. Her dad was famous in a small town. Krit Corbin once played on that stage. But when he married Blythe he saved his money and bought the place outright. From then on he stayed off the road. The road wasn’t for married people. At least that was what dad had said.
If he walked in the door and saw Saffron drunk, there would be hell to pay. She stayed in trouble. So, the guys all watched her and kept her from doing anything additionally stupid. More so than she’d already done. I knew she wouldn’t make it five short steps in Nate’s direction before Eli blocked her. Micah would then carry her out on his shoulder like he was toting a sack of feed.
“I’m sorry Bliss, you’re ogling his ass. Is that a more accurate description?”
I had been looking at him. Acting like I wasn’t, was pointless. Besides, Saffron was obliviously drunk and wouldn’t remember this. I didn’t think she’d remember this. Saffron, PLEASE don’t remember this.
“Eli, let’s dance,” I said. I wasn’t having this conversation with ‘Saffron the drunk’ anymore. Though she wouldn’t give it a break. “Yeah! Eli go dance with her! Then she’ll stop staring at Mr. Sexy As Hell guy over there at the bar!” I winced as she yelled her words just as the music died down.
“Someone needs to cut her off.” I didn’t mumble. She didn’t care.
“Already have,” Micah assured me. “Dakota has been serving her straight club soda for the past hour and a half. Larissa isn’t working tonight but Dakota knows the rules when it comes to Saffron.”
Saffron frowned. “That’s not fair. I know you’re discussing me.”