Page 70 of Stay with Me

Apollo’s?

“Good choice, boy, very good choice.” Clyde sealed the comment with a nod of approval.

Holy shit!

I had to get out of here. This time when I pulled free, Jax let me go. I stumbled forward, shooting him a look over my shoulder.

Jax winked.

He winked!

I stomped off, passing Clyde, or trying to pass him, but he looked down at me and healsowinked. “Good choice, baby girl, very good choice.”

There were simply no words.

Heading back out to the bar, I drew in several deep breaths. Hands shaking, I ignored the looks RoxyandNick shot my way as I grabbed my apron. Tying it on, I hurried onto the semi-busy floor before Jax made his way out.

He wanted to kiss me.

He wanted to take me out to get steaks at Apollo’s.

And Uncle Clyde approved.

Oh dear Lord in heaven, how in the world did I end up where I am?But I had done the right thing by getting out of that room, and I was going to do the right thing by not going out on a date with Jax. I needed a broken heart like I needed my mom being in a bigger mess than she was already in.

My step faltered at that thought, and I almost dropped the basket of fries I’d grabbed from the window on the head of the guy I was carrying it to.

Broken heart?

The older man looked up, the skin around his eyes crinkling. “You doing okay, girl?”

I nodded, recognizing the man. He was in his late fifties. A regular. In the bar every night I worked, even the busier nights when the crowd was younger, like tonight was getting. “Mind is all over the place, Melvin.”

“Know the feeling.”

Placing the basket on the table, I smiled. “Need anything else? Another beer?”

“No, sugar, that’ll be all for now.” When I started away, he stopped me by placing his hand on my arm. “It’s good to see you here, doing what your momma should be doing.”

My jaw opened, but I had no idea what to say to that or how to feel about everyone knowing who I was. Then again, it wasn’t a secret. He patted my arm and then turned to his fries, which were smothered with Old Bay Seasoning.

Okay. Tonight was going to be weird. My life was weird. And dumb—couldn’t forget dumb.

Pivoting around, I saw Jax swaggering behind the bar. He looked smug. Pleased. Wholly confident. His gaze cut in my direction.

I whirled, aiming for the front of the floor to check the tables that didn’t need to be checked. The bar picked up, and I only went behind the bar to relieve Nick, and then I took my lunch, and it was weird taking a lunch late at night. I wasn’t hungry, still full from the grease-capades, and I didn’t want to hang out in the bar or in the kitchen, considering Clyde was already probably planning my wedding.

It had stormed earlier in the day, but it had eased off when I stepped outside. The air was still thick with humidity. Walking aimlessly around the building, I lifted my hair off my neck and wished I could wear ponytails on nights like this.

I like you.

I said I wanted to fuck you.

My knees wobbled a little, and I wondered how weird would it be if I just smacked myself in the head.

I’d taken two more steps when I saw the shadows clustered around the Dumpsters pull away and become thicker, solid. My heart stuttered as I backpedaled a step. The unexpected movement stirred tendrils of unease. Spinning on my heel, I headed back toward the front of the building. It was probably someone back by the Dumpsters relieving himself or doing something else nasty, but I picked up my step. A basket of fries would be good about right now.

I was almost to the corner of the building when, without any warning, the tiny hairs all over my body rose. The steady thump of footsteps behind me was close. My breath caught. Every instinct in my body fired off.

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