Page 22 of Dancing in the Rain

Jimmy grinned, leaning on the bar. “Oh yeah, I did. Let me know when you’re ready to start bartending.”

Drew picked up the glass and gulped the drink. “You know, that might not be so bad.” How hard could it be? “But bartending’s for college kids. Not a real job.”

“Hey.” Jimmy looked affronted. “That’s an insult.”

“Jimmy, you own the place. You’re a businessman, not a bartender.”

“Still, bartending is an honorable profession. Don’t be such a snob.”

Drew lifted the glass to his lips. “Snob? Me? My wife cheated on me and I have no job. If I had a dog, it’d be dead. I’m a country music cliché, not a snob. A loser.”

Jimmy snorted. “You’re not a loser. Anyone can win when everything’s going your way. It’s the guy who gets through all the crap that’s the real champ.”

Drew grimaced, thinking of Sara. Things weren’t exactly going her way, either. Same for Peyton.

Peyton was pretty amazing. She’d taken charge of the situation, caring for her sister and her niece, obviously confident, smart, and dynamic…yet the love and pain and vulnerability she’d displayed tugged at something deep inside him. Not to mention that gorgeous face and sweet ass.

Wait. Why was he thinking about Peyton? Jesus, what waswrongwith him?

The television behind the bar was on a sports channel, and coverage turned to the Blackhawks training camp. He watched Brent Busby, the sports reporter who’d interviewed him so many times over the years, interview some of his former teammates. He’d had beers with Brent in bars on the road.

The players he was talking to were sweaty and happy, talking about how good it felt to be back on the ice and how nothing was locked up in terms of the roster. Drew drained his glass and clinked it down on the bar. “I’ll have another one.”

—

“What did you think of him?”

Peyton looked over at Sara, both of them stretched out on Sara’s bed, binge-watching episodes ofSuits. “Drew?”

“Yeah.”

“I don’t know. Does it matter?”

Sara rolled to her side. “Of course it matters. I value your opinion.”

“It’s hard to know much about someone after meeting him once.”

“Yeah, but you can definitely form an impression. And you’re always so good at that.”

Peyton swallowed a sigh. “Okay, I think he’s a good guy. I was a little worried that being a pro athlete he’d be all swagger and cocky attitude. And there’s a bit of that. But I think he’s trying to do the right thing and he’s really freaked out by this. Also, he seems kind of…” She paused.

“What?”

“I don’t know. Sad. Lost.”

“Huh. Yeah. That’s what I thought. Maybe he’s heartbroken because of his wife cheating on him.”

“Well, that would definitely be a kick in the teeth.”

“And having to retire.”

“That, too.”

“So I should go ahead and tell Chloe?”

Peyton nodded slowly. “Yeah.”

“Would you tell her for me?”

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