Page 77 of Shark 2

We would face whatever came, when it came.

“Since this is a closed event in the bar,” Theo started and Silver immediately scowled. “Could we order food to eat here?”

He opened his mouth to immediately reject her, took a breath, and said, “You know what, sure. Tonight is to celebrate Kass and her mates and she’s been through enough that she deserves food as well. Plus, I’d rather you two not get super drunk while not eating. Tonka!”

Tonka walked over, a drink in his hand, the first time I had ever seen the bouncer drink. “Yeah, boss?”

“Can you go get forty tacos from the restaurant and bring them back?” Silver asked and pulled a wad of cash out of his pocket. “Make sure you get salsa, too.”

Tonka chugged his drink, set the empty glass down, and nodded as he took the glass. “Sure thing.”

“If you don’t want tacos, get yourself something else,” Silver ordered him.

Tonka smiled. “Tacos are good.”

“I knew we were friends for a reason,” I teased him.

He winked at me and headed to go get us tacos.

“Did … did Tonka just wink at Kass? Are … are they actually friends now?” Theo sat hard on the barstool. “I think I might faint.”

I rolled my eyes at her. “How dare you. I’m very likeable. It was only a matter of time before he stopped pretending to hate me.”

Silver shook his head as he cleaned a glass. “He never hated you. He just hated that you made his job harder.”

“I didn’t do it on purpose,” I muttered.

“So, what are your future plans, old man?” Theo asked Silver.

He set the glass down and said, “The girls and I were actually talking about going on a trip.”

“A trip?” I asked, eyes wide.

He nodded. “We’ve not gone on a family trip in far too long. I think we’re going to go visit my homeland, so I can introduce them to my clan and visit my people. Plus, I want to take them to meet their people, to meet other trolls in hopes they might find their mates. As much as they claim they’re happy, I know they’d be even happier with mates of their own.”

What he said made sense. I hadn’t thought about the twins not having as many potential mates here since the trolls tended to stay secluded from the rest of the world. “What about the bar?” I asked. If he closed it, I wasn’t sure what I would do with myself. I loved this place and all the people who frequented here. It was a second home, which made me sound like a lush, but it was less about the drinking and more about the comradery.

He smiled at me. “I’ve heard a rumor that you’ve learned to be quite a good manager and I know you owe me and would love to order Tonka around a bit. So, I’d hoped you would handle things while I was gone. I found a bartender who can serve drinks while you manage the rest of it.”

Wow, he really had thought all this through.

“You aren’t retiring on us, are you?” Theo asked.

“Not yet, but soon. I am, as you two like to so often remind me, an old man. It’s about time for me to retire and relax.”

“He already talked to me about it and I have someone I was interviewing for assistant manager already,” Gina said, coming up behind us. “I think they could handle the pizza place while you handle things here, Kass.”

“I would be honored to manage the bar while you and the twins go on your trip,” I said. “How long do you think you’ll be gone?”

“I’m planning for two weeks, but it depends on if the twins find any potential mates,” he said.

Theo and I lapsed into silence, drinking and watching the people around us, lost in our thoughts about all of these changes coming to our lives. Change was scary, but sometimes it was also good. Thinking back to Theo and I being in this bar four years ago, running our pool scams on the tourists and spending time together, they were good memories. However, looking at where we were now, it was even better. As scary as change could be, I was looking forward to seeing where we ended up four years from now.

“I hope they’ll find mates,” Theo whispered. “They both deserve to find love after everything they’ve been through.”

I nodded. “Exactly. Those two have been through so much. It’s definitely their turn to find a mate, or mates. Whatever floats their boats.”

“Says the shark who liked to sink boats,” Theo teased.

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