Page 56 of Rewind It Back

I simply lift a brow at his attempt.

“Holy hell. You’re Rio DeLuca. Man, I’m a huge fan. Didn’t mean to shove you.” He opens his arms, giving me a path to the bar. “Go for it. Or can I get you a drink? Let me get you a drink.”

“Not drinking tonight, but thanks.”

“Hey!” he yells at Hallie. “Hey, barkeep! I need to order.”

I step in front of him, blocking his view of her. “Do not fucking talk to her like that. Wait your turn. She’s busy.”

He holds his hands up. “I’m trying to get you a drink, man. Chill.”

Turning my back on him and collecting myself, I face Hallie and raise my voice over the rowdy bar. “What are you doing here?”

“What does it look like I’m doing?” she asks while also pouring a beer on draft. “I’m working.”

“Why?”

“Because I work here.”

“You know what I’m asking.”

“Rio, leave me alone and let me do my job. I’ll be over in a minute with your friends’ drinks.”

“Do you need money or something?”

Shit.That came out wrong.

She pauses, turning off the tap to keep it from spilling over. “Fuck you.”

“If you need money, I can—”

“You can what? Give me some? Help me out? Jesus,” she laughs in disbelief. “We haven’t seen each other in six years, Rio. You think I’m going to just take your money? You have literally no idea what I’ve been through since we last saw each other.”

That gives me pause. She’s angry and she’s right. I have no idea what these last six years looked like for her. And I haven’t taken the time to ask.

“Tell me then.”

Her voice is sharp as she continues to pour drinks. “Go back to your table.”

“Is this where you’ve been every night this week? Is this why you’re getting home after two in the morning? You’re working days at the design firm and nights here. Why?”

“Oh my God, Rio. Because I’m broke! Is that what you need to hear? Have I embarrassed myself enough that you’ll leave me alone now?”

Shit.

“Hallie, nothing about that is embarrassing.”

She scoffs a disbelieving laugh. “Yeah, it’s not at all embarrassing to bartend for you and your teammates. Go back to your date.”

“I’m not—”

“Rio, go back to your table and I’ll be right over toserveyou.”

She says it as if trying to point out the imbalance between us now. Initially, I didn’t see it, didn’t even think of it. I only ever felt hurt and anger over what she kept from me all those years ago. But for the first time since she’s come back into my life, from Hallie’s point of view, I can understand why she’d be angry withme.

I left and clearly, our lives took two very different paths when I promised her we’d always be on the same one.

“Is everything okay here?” Another bartender steps up, some blond muscular dude, sliding his hand around Hallie’s lower back and leaving it to rest there. “Do you need me to take care of this guy for you, Hal?”

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