Page 14 of Waiting for Tuesday

His hand on my arm stopped me. My breath hitched in my throat, and I looked up again. The same concern he’d shown over my toe at the bar was back in his eyes. “Did I say something wrong?”

I knew I was being a silly. He could sleep with whomever he wanted, and I had no right to be upset. “I’m sorry, I’ve just been under a lot of stress lately.” My heart fluttered, and I forced myself to look into his eyes. Eyes that hadn’t left my face for a second.

His brows furrowed and he adjusted his stance. “Want to talk about it? I can buy you a beer. Organic stout, right?” His mouth tilted slightly at the corner, and I swallowed.

It was so tempting.Hewas so tempting. He was gorgeous, I was single, and there was no real reason to say no—except I couldn’t bear the thought of waking up next to another man I didn't know. I’d been beating myself up about Austin all month, and I knew if had a drink with Donovan it would lead to more. I shook my head, knowing I couldn’t handle that again. “Nah, I really gotta go.” I turned back to the hall, to the door that would lead me to the parking lot—far, far away from the man I wanted so desperately to touch me again. This time he didn’t try to stop me.

When I made it to the parking lot, I pulled in a much-needed breath and spotted my truck right away. “Crap!”

I jogged through the lot, yanked my door open, and twisted the key in the ignition. I sagged against the vinyl seat and prayed.Please start, please start.But nothing happened. I looked up to the slightly open visor and slammed it shut. This was the second time this month.

“Damn it!” I slammed my fist into the steering wheel and closed my eyes.If you didn’t shut the thing exactly right…

I looked around the lot for Becky, but of course, she’d left with Colin. Just as I’d told her to do.

Why was this happening to me? Why now? Tuesday was supposed to be my lucky day, but lately I’d felt cursed by it. Dead phone. Dead battery. What next?

I made my way back through the parking lot, knowing all I needed was a quick jump. That’s how it always was with my old Chevy. I’d had her since I was sixteen, and even though she could be a bit finicky at times, she hadn’t failed me yet. Sure, I had to deal with a dead battery now and then, but I usually carried jumper cables for that problem. Until I lent them to Mrs. Sanders… and she saw Austin walk out of my apartment without shoes. I was too embarrassed to ask for them back.

I yanked open the glass door and entered the pub, my cheeks heated, though this time more out of frustration than embarrassment, to find Donovan was no longer there. This made me both relieved and disappointed at the same time. I wasn’t sure what to make of that reaction. I’d been able to walk away a moment ago, but a part of me worried I wouldn’t be strong enough to do it a second time. Regardless, a tall man with red hair had replaced him, and my eyes locked on a nametag that read “Fred.” I leaned against the bar, waiting for him to notice me, but the group of women in the corner seemed to be monopolizing all his attention.

I cleared my throat, not even trying to hide my annoyance. “Excuse me, but my truck won't start. Do you have any jumper cables?”

Fred turned around, wiping his hands on a red rag, and grinned. “What was that?”

“My truck. I left the light on. Do you have any jumper cables?” I shouted.

“No, sorry.” But then he called over my head. “HeyDon, do you have any jumper cables?”

I cringed before turning around. Of course. Of course, it would be Donovan who would come to my rescue. I found him down the hall, coming out of the double doors that read Employees Only. I’d seen him only minutes before, so wasn’t quite sure how it was possible, but he looked even better now. His hair was a little messier—as if he’d raked his hands through it a few times, and his shirt was untucked and disheveled. He smiled at me, like he’d won a schoolyard bet, and that’s when I realized. He’d probably come back from having his way with Susan.

He leaned his hip against the bar, looking relaxed and confident. “If you changed your mind about the drink, you could’ve just said so.”

My eyes bulged.The nerve! I squared my shoulders and decided to ignore him. If I didn’t have something nice to say… “I left my lights on. Do you have any jumper cables?”

He bit his lip, and goddammit, I wanted to bite it too. “No, I can’t say that I do.”

Fred made a noise between a cough and a laugh, and I turned around to face him.Does he think something is funny?

“But there’s a phone in the office you can use,” Donovan added. “I was just heading up there myself.”

I glanced back to him, over to Fred, then to the phone by the register, and my heart did a little twisty thing. “Wha—what’s wrong with that one?” My head was reeling with panic. He just invited me upstairs. Did I want to go upstairs? Well, my body did. My body was screaming to go upstairs. My body was screaming for a lot of things. My conscience, on the other hand…

He smirked a little, one that lifted his brow at the corner. “What? Is there a problem?”

I didn’t know what to say. Yes, there was a problem.The problem was, I didn’t quite trust myself or trust him. But the way he looked at me—with a challenge in his eye and a grin that made my stomach do lots of fluttery things—I couldn't resist. “Lead the way.”

He cocked one eyebrow and shook his head, which made my heart squeeze again but in a different way. Did he notwantme to go upstairs? He’d asked me. If that’s not what he wanted, why did he ask? Then he leaned over the bar, not saying another word, and removed the drawer from the register.

He mouthed something to Fred I didn’t understand then gestured down the hall with his chin. “I’ll be right behind you.”

* * *

John

Fred raisedhis eyebrows and grinned at me. I hadn’t expected her to say yes—not that I was complaining. Spending more time with Tuesday sure beat the hell out of working on the dishwasher again, but she didn’t seem the type. She intrigued me. In a way, that hadn’t happened in a long time. She was flustered by my flirtation, yet she didn’t back down. I liked that—more than I cared to admit.

When we got to the double doors, I held them open, stepping aside to let her enter the kitchen first. The room was empty, clean for the night except for the tools I’d left on the ground earlier. She slipped past me, her wild hair brushing my arm as she clutched the bag that was almost as big as she was.

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