Page 38 of Worthy

″You don’t need an invitation.”

″How come Maddox got one?” Damn, he’s ornery today. I wonder what’s got him so hung up on this.

I sneak a glance at Maddox and find him staring at the ground, hair hanging around his face so you can’t see his cheeks, which I’m betting are probably flushed since I suspect he hates having all the eyes on him.

″He didn’t. He asked to see it. And he had a suggestion on how to build the damn thing anyway, so it made sense for him to take a look.” I pin Deacon with a glare that says,back off.

“So, the bike is almost ready?” Ally gets us back on track, but I don’t miss the way her eyes study me and Deacon.

″Yeah, almost ready,” I soften my tone. “When you get your fancy coat come over and you can try it.”

Ally squeals and claps her hands, and it’s hard not to smile at her excitement. She may be nosy, but she’s good for a laugh.

″Hey.” Finn waves his hand to get my attention and jerks his head toward the sidewalk. “Is that who I think it is?”

Deacon, Dex and I all turn in the direction he indicated. A dark-haired man is walking hurriedly past the park, giving everyone in his path a wide berth and avoiding all eye contact. Since no one is ever in a hurry in this town, there’s only one explanation. He doesn’t want to be noticed. But as a former professional ski racer and rumored new owner of the resort, he’s out of luck.

″Sure, looks like it. I guess the rumors are true, huh?” I shoot Finn a questioning look.

″Don’t look at me.” He holds his hands up in front of him. “They don’t tell me anything.”

″You’re the Director of Operations,” Deacon calls bullshit.

″That means I make sure the lifts are running, the mountain gets groomed each night and enough employees are scheduled each day. They don’t include me in anything else, including whether they’re really gonna sell the place.”

″I don’t think we have to speculate about that anymore.” I watch Carter Quinn as he fades in the distance, hoping he’s up for the task ahead.

Everyone’s mood sours a bit after that. Fear over the fate of the resort that employs the bulk of the town weighs heavily in the air, but once the concert is over, Dex bribes us all with a free drink if we go to the bar, so he doesn’t have to go by himself.

I know he loves his job, but I’m sure it’s hard to go off to work by yourself after hanging out with friends, especially when the night is still pretty young, and especially on a Monday, which usually isn’t a busy night.

We all take seats at the bar and sip on our drinks while Dex does some housekeeping, washing glasses and stocking bottles. It’s pretty laid back for about thirty minutes, when out of nowhere a group of twenty or so comes in. It’s a mix of men and women, all in their early twenties, and no sooner do they step inside than Deacon cozies up to the cutest ones in the bunch. Without thinking, I jump behind the bar to help Dex with the rush, something I’ve done before when he unexpectedly gets slammed.

″Crap, the photography club,” Finn moans. “I totally forgot they were in town. Sorry, man,” he tells Dex.

It’s not unusual for different organizations to have conferences or meetings in town, although it is a little early in the season for that. Finn usually gives Dex a heads up, since he works on the mountain and knows the big events coming up, but this one must’ve slipped his mind. It’s no big deal, I don’t mind slinging drinks once in a while, and it’s good business for Dex. I do hope they make it an early night because that was my original plan.

The first several orders are easy, guys asking for beers, but the ladies are more indecisive. That doesn’t bother me except for the fact my idiot cousin is pushing some of them at me and making absurd suggestions about what they should order.

″My cousin makes a great Sex on the Beach,” he tells one brunette.

″We aren’t on the beach,” she giggles.

″He could give you a Quick Fuck if you prefer.” He winks at her.

″That’s actually a drink?” A nearby blonde asks.

″Is it?” Deacon grins at me, daring me to object.

″Maybe the lady would be more comfortable with a Cosmo,” I say, because it doesn’t suggest anything, and it’s easy to make.

″Where’s the fun in that?” Deacon scoffs. “But you’ve made me rethink, cousin. We should make sure these ladies have Wet Pussys before we give them a Quick Fuck.”

″Are we still talking about drinks, or what comes after?” The brunette bites her lip suggestively.

″Either. Or both,” Deacon grins wickedly.

Dammit. A few weeks ago, I would’ve been totally into this scene and gearing up for what comes next, but right now I couldn’t be more bored. I suppose the two women Deacon’s entertaining are good looking, but neither of them do anything for me. Nada. Zilch...And honestly, I don’t feel like flirting with them. With the way Deacon’s throwing out sexy drink names it certainly seems like that’s my goal, and the blonde’s looking at me like she’s into it.

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