Page 5 of You, Me, and Forever

“Yeah, the first few days are going to be tough to get any sleep until you adjust. When I was there, I found a great place for a quick drink and some good food. It’s a tourist hangout, so everyone was on vacation.”

“I hate that. That means there’s going to be a lot of sloppy drunks.” My tone was dry.

“Nah, it was a big enough spot. You can get a booth in the back or sit at the bar. The party was outside, because it sits right on the water. Let me check my notes,” he said as he paused. He was the most efficient guy I’d ever met aside from myself.

“I don’t need you to check. This place is the size of a postage stamp. I live in Manhattan, for fuck’s sake. I can just walk the mile-long downtown here and find a place.”

“Here it is. It’s called the Moose Brew,” he said, and I knew he was using his cough to cover his laughter.

“‘The Moose Brew’? Seriously?”

“Dead serious. And the food was amazing. I’ve already warned you that there’s a moose that cruises around town, so be careful when you’re out at night,” he said.

“Well, that shouldn’t be hard, since it never gets dark. It should be fairly easy not to miss a goddamn moose.”

“Go get a cocktail and a steak. You’ll thank me later,” he said.

“All right. I’ll talk to you in the morning.”

I hadn’t had time to grocery shop yet since arriving earlier today, so going to the Moose Brew was probably a good idea. I walked the short distance to the main drag with all the restaurants and shops, and I quickly deduced which one was the Moose Brew because the place was going off when I walked up. I could see how packed the back patio was. That was clearly where everyone wanted to be.

I was in the mood for a good meal and a little peace and quiet, so I decided to sit inside at the bar. There were fifteen to twenty people in the bar area, and the restaurant had a fair amount of people as well, but it was large enough that I could keep to myself.

“You don’t want to venture outside to the chaos?” the bartender asked as he set a napkin down in front of me. “There’s a DJ out there.”

“Nah. I prefer it in here at the moment,” I said.

“I’m Benji. I own the place.” He extended a hand.

“Myles. Nice to meet you.” I hoped that would be the extent of the conversation. I had some emails to go over, and I wasn’t big on small talk.

“What can I get you?” he asked as I perused the menu. I appreciated his ability to read the room that I wasn’t looking for a friend.

“I’ll take an old-fashioned and a T-bone steak, cooked medium, with a Caesar salad on the side.”

“You got it.” He tapped on the wooden bar top.

I spent the next twenty minutes sipping my bourbon and responding to emails. I’d sent a list of things for Jackson to look into, insisting that he get his ass to Blushing in the morning to walk the property with me. I took a quick call from my brother, who I spoke to every day, even though he worked long hours as a brain surgeon. Benji set my steak down in front of me, and I ended the call and dropped my napkin in my lap.

I looked up to see two women smiling at me from the other end of the bar. I gave them a curt nod and turned my attention to where the music was booming from the patio. A woman with long dark hair and golden tan legs caught my eye as I cut into my steak. I couldn’t make her face out from here, but her shoulders were notably tense, which kept my attention. There was a man hanging all over her, and it was obvious she wasn’t interested.

I took another bite and looked back down at my phone to see a message from Jackson that he’d be here tomorrow. I looked back up to see the woman holding her hands up to the man, who was clearly inebriated. It appeared that she was telling him to step back with her body language.

I was moving to my feet, ready to get involved, when she forced a smile and walked inside toward the bar. She wore a white fitted tee and a denim skirt with a pair of cowboy boots, and she looked sexy as hell.

Her cheeks were flushed, eyes dark, and lips plump.

Her gaze locked with mine before she quickly looked away. She moved past a group of people sitting at the bar, and she turned to stand just a foot from where I sat. The bartender appeared to know her, and they both laughed before he stepped away to make her a cocktail. I couldn’t take my eyes off her.

She startled when the asshole who’d been harassing her outside came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her, locking them around her chest. She quickly turned and pushed him back.

That was all I needed.

I was done watching this jackass hang all over her.

I was on my feet, and my hand gripped his shoulder firmly. “She’s made it clear she’s not interested.”

Her dark eyes shot up to mine, and I saw the surprise there, but she also appeared relieved.

---