Page 61 of Give Me Redemption

And now I sound pathetic.

The older man gets up and walks toward the bathrooms.

I’m going in. I toss my cigarette, exhale the smoke from my lungs, and walk inside. The bar is loud tonight. There’s a game going and Dalton is nursing a beer. Her hair is up, showing off her lean neck. I want to wrap my hand around it and kiss her stupid.

Nerves.

I’m nervous.

I’ve never been nervous around a woman before, but this isn’t just some woman. This girl is smart and levelheaded. She’s got a sense of humor, unlike all the other girls I’ve fooled around with. I walk up behind her and stand close enough for her to hear me.

“A guy strolls into a bar,” I begin. She stiffens at the sound of my voice, but she doesn’t turn around. “It’s empty—just he and the bartender. He takes a seat and orders a beer. He hears someone whisper, ‘Pssst, I like your hat.’ The guy looks around but doesn’t see anyone. ‘Pssst, that shirt looks nice on you.’ He looks over at the bartender, ‘Excuse me, but…are you speaking to me?’

“The bartender rolls his eyes and says, ‘Nah, it’s the peanuts. They’re complimentary.’”

She turns her head, a big-ass smile on her face as her eyes dance over mine and then she makes that sound I love.

She laughs. “That is the dumbest shit I’ve ever heard.”

“You liked it,” I reply, sliding onto the barstool beside her.

She pinches air. “Just a little.”

I grin. “Just a little.”

She grabs her beer and takes a sip. God, I’ve missed her. What the fuck? “I was beginning to wonder if we were still speaking?” I ask.

She licks the beer from her lips and my eyes focus. Her lips are full, and it pains me that I’ve only kissed them once.

“I’ve been busy.”

“Doing what?” I ask as the bartender walks up.

“Want anything?” he asks me.

I nod at her drink, “I’ll take two more of those.”

He walks away and I look back at Dalton. “So you said you were busy?”

Her eyes grow wide and she looks behind me. I look, too, and see the older man walking up. She hops off her stool.

“Hey, Dad,” she says, putting her arm around his back. “This is a friend. He calls me Dalton like everyone else does.”

I look from him to her and she quickly smiles at me, but this is odd. I don’t have to see my expression to know I have a confused look on my face. Why did she need to say I call her Dalton?

“Hey, friend,” her dad says. “I’m Micky.”

I reach my hand out to shake his. “Jace. Good to meet you,” I reply. Two beers are placed on the counter and I hand him one and take a sip of mine.

He looks at Dalton who smirks. I don’t want to tell them I’ve been staring in the window for thirty minutes contemplating even coming in here, so I keep silent.

“This guy’s good,” he says to her. I stand up and let him have his seat back.

He waves me off. “I’ll take the one on the other side.”

I shrug and sit back down. Dalton looks a little uneasy. “You okay?” I ask her quietly.

She gives me a smile. “Fine.”

---