Page 12 of Kissing Chaos
“Let me guess. Brunette. Green eyes. An ass and some sass.”
“Are you serious right now, bud?”
“You have a type,bud.” He grins, nodding over my shoulder at someone.
I realize a moment later that it is the third to our friend group when Jace yells out a greeting.
“Yo, Drew. Green-eyed beauty with brown hair and an ass. Who’s gettin’ her?”
Drew slides onto the stool next to me, a twitch of his lip the only sign of humor. “Definitely not yours, Jacey-Boy.”
Jace jokingly whips his towel at Drew, but his eyes hold a hint of worry like they usually do these days. Something happened to Drew a few months back, but none of us know what. Drew went out of town with his brother and came back closed off. Neither brother would spill, but the rift in their relationship is still prominent. Things have continued to worsen since Drew’s accident shortly after their return. He fractured his back and collarbone and has a shit ton of shoulder damage.
A look at my face has Jace backtracking. “You know I’m just pullin’ your leg, right, Noah?”
I wave him off. “No worries, man.”
The teasing is nice after so many days, months, years of not taking an interest in anyone. I should run the other way from any thoughts of another relationship. I couldn’t protect anyone three years ago, and nothing has changed.
Jace studies me for a moment longer before looking back at Drew. “You quit using your braces, now?” he asks immediately after noticing the black straps are absent.
Drew blows off both the question and the concern, asking, “Where’s your twin?”
Jace nods toward the back. “Kelsey is doing inventory, so you’re shit outta luck, bud. She’s already been told not to pour you anything but water tonight.” Jace slides a can of soda over to him. “Jack and Coke, hold the Jack.”
Drew rolls his eyes but doesn’t fight the drink choice. “You think you’re cute, huh?”
Jace offers a cheeky grin. “The ladies seem to think so.”
I almost comment on the fact that Jace has cut Drew off before he’s even started, but my words falter as movement at the far end of the bar catches my eye. I swat my hand excitedly at Jace’s arm and whisper harshly, “That’s her, man. That’s the girl from my entrapment call.”
How lucky could I be that she’d show up here, of all places? This town doesn’t get visitors, so what’s she doing here? Drew looks confused, and I can’t blame the guy; he missed that part of the conversation.
“Shit,” Jace mutters before he saunters to the other side of the bar, and I can hear the girl’s soft voice.
“Double shot of Red Stag, please.” Leggings hug her ass and thighs, and the same sweatshirt from that morning sits lopsided on her shoulders. A twisted mess of a braid hangs over her shoulder. The low lighting of the bar does nothing to hide her tear-streaked cheeks, and the sight of those tracks does strange things to my heart that I don’t want to acknowledge.
Because Jace is right.
I am not the type of guy to hook up with a random girl. I’d always prided myself on being a relationship guy, but I swore those off a few years ago after tragedy struck our little town. It’s just me and Sadie these days. She is the only girl I need in my life. Loyal to a fault and always up for snuggles without the baggage.
But something about this girl—natural beauty, not trying to impress anyone—has been tugging at my heartstrings since our encounter.
Jace pours the double shot she requested without question, and something about my mystery girl shooting her shot without so much as a wince before putting the glass in front of Jace, saying, “another,” and repeating the process cuts through some more of the barbed wire around the ticker in my chest. When she tries for a third shot, Jace shakes his head.
Good.Otherwise, I would have found myself overstepping on a stranger’s drinking habits.
“Food first. Last time you came in, you swore you had eaten then nearly passed out on my bar.” He drops his voice so I can’t hear what he says next, but his eyes cut to me.
I vaguely register Drew’s arm reaching over to the back side of the bar and grabbing the discarded whiskey bottle, pouring some directly into his Coke can, and returning the bottle. I’ll try to remember to question Jace later. Before I can convince myself of what a terrible idea it might be, I stand and make my way over.
“You followin’ me now?” I ask as I slip onto the barstool next to her.
She jumps, startled. Her wide eyes trail up to my face slowly. When she finally makes eye contact, surprise lights her face and a touch of a smile graces her lips, but both are gone in a flash, washed out by the red rimming her eyes.
“I guess this makes you the sexy elevator man my new therapist told me about.”
I chuckle. “Don’t think I want to know why you and Drew’s sister-in-law were talking about me.” Before I can stop myself, I reach up to wipe away some of the remaining dampness left by her tears. “Sexy, huh?”
