Page 51 of Bitter Rival

Hey, buddy, it’s a free country. You don’t own this place.

“Uh oh.” Callie laughs, obviously noticing the same thing I did. Let’s face it, the guy is hard to miss. He takes up a lot of space. “It looks like he knows the owner.”

Beckett and Caiden are at the other end of the bar talking to a guy with longish dirty-blond hair who does look a bit like a Viking. He also looks vaguely familiar.

“Is this the only bar in town? Why is everyone here tonight?”

She shrugs. “It’s a cool place and it’s popular with locals so it’s always packed on weekends.”

“What’s the owner’s name?”

“Ledger.”

Ledger. Beckett, Caiden, and Ledger. They were best friends growing up. So of course we’d end up at the bar Beckett’s childhood friend owns.

Now all three of them are looking over at us.

But tonight isn’t about me, so I turn to face Callie.

Her high school sweetheart is here and I need to make sure she’s okay with that. If not, I’d be all for going to a different bar. In fact, I’m low-key hoping she wants to go to a different bar.

“Do you want to leave?” I ask. Her gaze keeps darting to two guys sitting in the corner. I’m guessing one of them is Ian, the one who got away.

No sooner have I asked the question when the guy with a blond fade looks over and his eyes lock on Callie’s. They stare at each other for a few moments like two star-crossed lovers until he turns to say something to his friend and then he’s off his stool and striding over to us.

When he reaches us, I step aside to give them some privacy.

“Hey, Callie.” He runs his hand over his hair, looking nervous. “It’s good to see you.”

“Yeah,” she says. “You too.” She clears her throat. “You look really good.”

“So do you,” he says with a smile.

If there’s any lingering animosity on his part, I certainly can’t detect it. He looks genuinely happy to see her and she looks slightly dazed, so it takes her a few seconds to remember she didn’t walk in here alone.

With a little shake of her head, she turns to me. “Daisy, Ian. Daisy and I work together.”

“Nice to meet you, Daisy. Do you guys wanna sit with us? Unless?—”

“No. We would,” Callie says quickly then looks at me, an apology in her smile. “I mean, if it’s okay with you.”

Her eyes are pleading with me to say yes and there’s no way I’m going to let her down. I’ll be the best wingwoman she’s ever had. “We’d love to.”

Ian and his friend offer us their stools, and from my spot at the corner of the bar, I have a direct view of Beckett Heyward. Oh, happy day. Like I don’t see him enough as it is, I get to watch all the girls drool over him.

Good luck, ladies. Prince Charmless is a real keeper. A little personality would go a long way.

The other night he was working on his laptop and he looked so stressed that I blurted, “Are you sure technology is right for you?” A valid point because every time he’s doing anything work-related for the company he owns, he looks absolutely miserable.

“It doesn’t look like it makes you happy,” I pointed out.

If looks could kill, I’d be a pile of ashes sitting on his mantel.

Now, his eyes catch mine and his brows rise in question. You again?

I smile. I can’t live without you. Wherever you go, I’m bound to follow.

His eyes narrow. Get lost. You’re a thorn in my side.

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