Page 10 of Last Round

I count in my head to keep my breathing even and the butterflies at bay. The last thing I need is those assholes to wake up and start fluttering. The second one of those insane insects flaps their wings, my face will heat up and turn redder than a ripe tomato.

Killian can never see the effect he has on me.

Not If I’m going to work here with him. I need to get my ridiculous crush under control for both of our sanities. I’m not some stupid, hormonal teenager anymore. I can rein this in.

His thumb brushes the top of my hand.Is he caressing me?

My heart’s pumping so fast I can’t hear anything beyond the blood rushing to fuel the engine that’s about to go on overload.

Stop it, Molly. You’re just imagining things.

Still,we’re standing here and he’s stroking a nerve that sends a signal straight to my core, making it clench. Damn it, those traitorous bastards are flapping away.

His brow furrows as he finally realizes that he’s touching me. He yanks the box from my grasp. “Thanks,” he says before successfully making it through the doorway this time.

“Get ahold of yourself,” I chastise my body as I reclaim my seat on the hard, metal folding chair. Pulling out my phone, I shoot a text off to Bex.

Me: How do I stop crushing on someone?

She responds instantly.

Bex: Fuck them.

I’m not sure why I expected her to have any other reply. It’s her answer for everything.

Me: What’s option number two?

Bex: Fuck someone else???

I huff out my annoyance before aggressively texting back.

Me: Is there any option that doesn’t involve fucking someone?

Bex: Did moving halfway across the country help?

Me: No…

Bex: Then, nope. Those are it.

Damn it. I tuck my phone away. Why did I even think she’d be able to help me? She has no idea what it’s like to love someone and know they will never feel the same way about you. That the thought of you in any manner other than his best friend’s baby sister makes him so repulsed he has to run away.

Moving to New York might not have cured me. But not being exposed to him did help. It also allowed me to meet someone else. Not a great someone, but it gave me a chance. Just because the east coast was a flop doesn’t mean that the west coast is doomed too.

I just need to survive long enough to save up. And, this time, I won’t make the same mistakes. Last thing I want is to ever have to return here. Not until I learn how to finally remove this malignant crush and fully recover from my hopeless affliction.

Dick Move

Killian

HowcouldSeanhireMolly? Okay, I knowhow.

First off, she’s family and she needed help. Even if she weren’t, we’ve never turned down anyone in need. Take Chelsea for example. We didn’t meet her until she came in looking for a job. She cried halfway through the interview, confessing that her boyfriend ditched her in the Twin Cities after she told him she was pregnant. Her dipshit ex was the member of a band who played here a few nights before she came looking for the job. Needless to say, his band has been blacklisted from ever being allowed to play here again. I also warned some of the other bars I’m friends with to spread the word about the douchebag singer.

The point is I get it. Molly’s in a tough spot and needs help. Logically, I very much understandwhyshe’s working here. If she’d shown up on my doorstep, asking for help, I would’ve done the same.

With all the understanding though, I still have to ask…why?Is Sean out of his ever-loving mind? How is he okay with his sister working here?

Drunk assholes leering at her with their filthy eyes as she prances around in those short shorts and tight tops. If anyone should be upset, it should be him. He can’t be okay with watching his sister flaunting herassetsfor everyone to see. Cassie’s worked a couple shifts here before, helping us when we’ve been short staffed. If she ever dressed like that, I’d either be in an asylum or prison. Not sure which at this point. But I definitely wouldn’t be here.

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