Page 26 of Don't You Want Me, Baby?

‘Yeah, okay.’ She waved him off, feeling like her legs were made of noodles. ‘I need to get ready to open.’ She pushed her feet into her favourite fluffy slippers and, giftbag still in her hand, walked through to the bar. She could hear Tyler hot on her heels.

‘Your day off. So you have time. What happened? You were okay when I left. You look like you lost a fight with a bottle of vodka.’ Sharon was taking down the balloon arch. Every balloon popping sounded like mortar fire. ‘She looks rough, doesn’t she?’

Amber almost threw the gift bag at her. If only to make her stop stabbing rubber.

‘Thanks. You’re lucky I’m not holding the scissors.’ Sagging onto one of the stools, Tyler came through, passing her some tablets and a large glass of water. He gave her a look and went back into the kitchen. ‘Great, now I’ve pissed him off again.’

‘Again?’ Sharon asked.

‘Don’t ask.’

She sat the gift bag on the bar, wiping a stain away with one of the beer towels. Sharon resumed her popping, and then Irenestarted up with the hoover in the pool room. ‘My God,’ Amber groaned. ‘I think I might actually die today. Or kill someone.’

‘Go back to bed,’ Sharon urged. ‘We’ve got this.’

Amber thought about crawling into her bed, but she knew she wouldn’t sleep. The after-party was not one of her best ideas, but, when Tyler had left, and she’d seen the email, she’d felt so weird about everything that drinking more felt like a great idea. Her liver was strongly disagreeing with her now, and hearing Bradley’s voice hadn’t helped. What the hell did he want? They had nothing to talk about. She’d already told him just what she thought of him.

‘No,’ she groaned, leaning on the bar for support while she winced at the chalky tablet taste. ‘I’ll be fine just here.’

Eventually, the bar was returned to normal. All signs of her birthday party were gone, and her headache had lowered to a dull roar. More water and some dry toast Tyler had wordlessly shoved at her earlier saw her through the worst of the lunch rush, and by three in the afternoon things were calm. Everyone was in a good mood after last night, the customers ribbing her about being hungover. If she ignored the fact that Tyler was in a weird mood, and her ex was a conniving little shitbag, she could just about cope. She was where she felt safe, grounded. Behind the bar, with people she knew and trusted around her.

‘Can I have a Jameson on the rocks please.’

Spoke too soon.

Amber felt her muscles lock up at the sound of his voice behind her.

‘Sorry, we’re all out.’

‘Jack Daniels then.’

‘Nope, out of that too.’ She made herself turn and look Bradley in the eye.

‘There’s a full bottle on the optic.’

Turning, she pretended to be surprised. ‘Oh yeah, so there is.What do you want, Brad? More insider information?’ Turning back to face him, she inspected her nails and tried to look bored. The coral colour reminded her of Tyler’s shirt.

‘Amber.’

She didn’t acknowledge him.

‘Amber. Look at me.’

When she met his eyeline, his face brightened. She hated him for that. He should be crawling back under the rock he slithered out of.

‘I’ve been ringing your phone all day. I rang the pub line, but Sharon told me if I called again, she would castrate me. Your cell phone’s off.’

‘It’s upstairs,’ she countered.

‘Right,’ he nodded. ‘I know I have a lot to explain, Amber?—’

‘How long?’

His head snapped back, manscaped brows uniting in confusion. ‘How long what?’

‘How long were you scheming to take the Arms for yourself? When were you going to tell me? Opening night? You know how I feel about that place. I put my own plans on hold for yours, and you decided what? That my childhood home was yours for the taking? I honestly can’t believe that you have the brass neck to even stand here. Is this why you wanted to talk?’

‘No, I?—’

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