Page 6 of Fight

Celebrating.

When her gaze finds mine, it stays locked until Lou breaks the spell and sets the glass tumbler with a couple fingers of whiskey in front of her. She bobs her head appreciatively, and he gives her the total.

She plucks out one of the carefully counted bills.

I clear my throat. “Put it on my tab, Lou.”

A disgruntled mutter comes from Caleb.

Her gaze snaps to mine again, and it earns me a smile that reaches her eyes. She holds up her glass, mouthingThank you.

I nod and wink while taking a swig of the beer in front of me, then turn back to the guys to continue our conversation.

Until Dave Banner bellies up to the bar next to her.

Dave, the structural firefighter who I’ve never liked. Dave, who couldn’t make it as a hotshot. Dave, who slept with my fiancée, Molly, got her pregnant, and then married her.What hole did he crawl out of?They just had their second baby a few weeks ago. He’s got no business looking at this girl the way he is. My jaw tics. I never thought Molly and Dave were a match made, but apparently, I was wrong. They deserve each other. Few things rank worse than their betrayal. I’d want no one to go through what I did.

“You good?” King asks at my side.

“Fine,” I state, turning away from the situation unfolding ten feet away.

Dave’s standing too close for my comfort, and based on her body language, it’s too close for hers as well. When Caleb tried to put moves on her, it was funny. I figured I’d get my shot in later, but now, with two guys hitting on her tonight, there’s no way in hell I’m throwing my hat in the ring. Our town is already proving to be a bunch of desperate swinging dicks. She doesn’t need to add anyone else to the mix.

She shakes her head at his advance, but he’s not accepting the brush off the way Caleb did. I set my beer down and brace my hands on the bar to shove off, then Xander leans back and shouts behind me.

“Hey Dave!” He spins around to face us. I avert my eyes, relaxing my arms and leaning forward. I don’t need that asshole to see the anger I still harbor toward him. “Say, how’s the new baby? Is this you and Molly’s second or third kid? Sorry, I can never remember.”

Smirking, I take a sip of my beer.

“Second,” Dave grinds out.

“Oh, that’s right. Well, congratulations… Be sure to give the wife my best.”

Dave backs off, likely to return to the table where some of the other guys from the local fire station are sitting.

“You didn’t need to do that,” I grumble to Xander.

“Yeah, I did.” He tips back his beer and gulps, continuing, “I rather enjoy the lovely atmosphere of this shithole, and I’m not sure if Lou here”—he gestures with his bottle to the bartender, who’s grinning at us—“would be so keen on letting us return to this fine establishment if you ripped Dave’s head from his shoulders. I sure as shit know Mae and Jack would have a thing or two to say. Which, based on the fire in your eyes, is where we were headed.” He glances back to the bartender. “Am I wrong, Lou?”

King is smart enough not to laugh, but I can feel his beaming smile radiating from the other side of Xander.

“That is correct,” Lou answers with a chuckle. “Mae just replaced the bar mats.”

“They just replaced the bar mats, Cal!” Xander emphasizes,gesturing to said bar mats with an open hand.

I roll my eyes at all of them and down the last of my beer.

“Another?” Lou asks me.

“Yessir.”

He pops the cap and swaps it with my empty one. “This one’s on the house. Don’t let that guy get to you.”

“What guy?” I roll my eyes. Dave didn’t get to me. I don’t need any special treatment.

“Beg your pardon… I believeIwas the one that called out Dave on his bullshit. Where’s my free beer, Lou?” Xander argues.

The burn of her stare creeps up my neck.

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