Page 45 of Redemption

I give her a saccharine smile. “Sure thing, hun.”

I shove Clayton’s arm off when she walks away. “You just had to antagonize her, didn’t you?”

“She makes it too easy.” He laughs. “What’s the deal with you two? I get the sense this isn’t the first time you’ve run into each other since you’ve been back.”

“It’s not.”

His eyebrows lift. “You gonna explain that?”

I fold my arms over my chest. “Nope.”

He shakes his head. “You’re no fun.”

“Not everything’s fun and games, you idiot. You can’t go ar—”

My words are cut off when the door opens again, and the breath whooshes from my lungs. Beck makes a beeline for the bar the second he sees me.

“Presley. Can we talk?”

“No. I’m working.”

Beck frowns. “You’re workin’ here now? Since when?”

“Since today.” I wipe down the spotless bar to keep myself occupied. “Now, if you’ll ex—”

“Go ahead and take a break, Pres. I don’t mind.”

My eyes snap to my meddling brother. “No, thank you. I’m good.”

Clay looks between Beck and me, his eyes twinkling with mischief. “Really, I don’t mind. You’ve done a great job tonight. In fact, if you wanna cut out early so you two can go somewhere and talk, feel free.”

I glare when he uses air quotes around the word talk. “I said, no, thank you.” My jaw is clenched so tightly, I’m surprised I can get the words out.

Beck clears his throat. “Pres—”

“Hey, baby, there you are!” Nicky curls her arm around Beck’s bicep, pressing her breasts into him. “I’ve got us a table in the back. C’mon.” Beck hesitates, which does not please his girlfriend one bit. “Beckett, did you hear what I said?”

He glances at her briefly before returning his eyes to me. “We’ll finish this conversation later.”

I shake my head. “I have nothing to say.”

Beckett smirks. “Well, too bad, because I do.”

I hold my chin high, hoping he can’t read me like he used to. If he can, he’d know I’m lying through my teeth. I have so many words to say to this man, if you put them on paper, the first volume alone would make War and Peace look like CliffsNotes. I’m afraid if I started, the word vomit wouldn’t stop until all my deepest, darkest secrets were exposed. I can’t bear the thought of him knowing what I went through when it never would’ve happened if I had listened to him, my mama, or anyone else who told me I shouldn’t go to New York.

Nicky tugs on Beck’s arm, trying to drag him to the table she had claimed. He finally gives in and goes with her, but not before looking back at me one more time.

Clayton chuckles under his breath. I’m a little annoyed he finds this whole thing so funny. “I need to grab a new keg. You okay up here by yourself for a few?”

I wave him off. “Go do what you need to do.”

“Well, I’ll be damned. I heard you were back in town. You look great, Presley.”

I glance up at the man who just sat down at the bar. It takes me a second to recognize him because the police uniform threw me off, but his pale green eyes are a dead giveaway.

“Well, look at that: Colby Mitchell in the flesh. What can I get you?”

He raises a single brow. “You workin’ here now?”

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