Page 57 of Bet On Me, Daddy

“I, um, got some good news this morning.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah.” She actually bounced on her toes in excitement and if he’d been a man given to romantic flights of fancy, he might have melted into a puddle at how damn cute she looked. “Jacqueline called, said that company I worked for yesterday really liked me and they want me to come back today. The person who had been working for them is still sick, and they specifically requested me to fill in today. Guess I made an impression.”

“Sounds like it. Too bad you’re working today so you couldn’t take it. Seems like it’s a good opportunity for you.”

Ruby’s brows drew together in confusion. “I did take it. I was only scheduled until nine today, anyway. Short day.”

Prickles again, this time along the back of his neck. “What time did you get here this morning?”

“Five. So a half day here, then I’ll head over to their office.”

Not your problem. Not your problem. Not your problem.If she wanted to run herself ragged working multiple jobs, it wasn’t his responsibility.

Shewasn’t his responsibility.

“I’ll take a large black coffee.” There was a bite to his voice he couldn’t quite hide, and judging by the way Ruby’s eyes widened, she heard it as well.

“Um, okay. Would you like to add a scone or a muffin today?”

Hurt rippled beneath her customer service voice, but he forced himself to ignore it as he pulled his wallet from his pocket. “No. Just the coffee, please.”

“You got it.”

The coffee was ready by the time he finished paying—with a perfectly appropriate tip this time—so he accepted the cup with a nod. “See you around, Ruby Red.”

And as he made his way back outside, he told himself the pit in his stomach had nothing to do with worrying about how much stress the pretty bartender-slash-barista-slash-whatever-the fuck-else-she-did-for-a-living was putting herself under.

Not his problem, not his concern.

Not his girl.

Ruby

What the fuck was that?

One minute she’d been having a perfectly normal conversation with Beckett, the next he was pulling an Edward Cullen and acting like he couldn’t stand another second in her presence.

But she didn’t have time to sit around, worrying about what she’d done to piss him off. Not when there was a line ofcustomers waiting for her to ring up their coffee order. So she plastered a smile on her face and kept it there for the next hour until Jay relieved her for her break.

She took her fifteen minutes outside, where the cool air helped calm her nerves a bit as she stared down at her phone.

Should she text him? Figure out why he seemed so mad at her all of a sudden?

Or did that violate their ‘Daddy in the club only’ agreement?

Ugh. When did their simple, no-strings-attached deal get so freaking complicated?

Swiping away from Beckett’s texts, she opened the group text she’d been added to with the other girls. Supposedly it was for planning Lottie’s wedding, but so far it had just been what Ruby assumed was the usual girl talk.

Would they be mad at her for bringing her relationship drama into the chat?

Maybe… but who else was she supposed to ask?

Stomach rolling with nerves, she typed out a message to the group. And waited.

Ruby

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