Page 12 of The Hometown Dilemma
ChapterSix
Wade
SeeingJaime and Austen huddled together in a booth was the last thing I’d expected walking into work that evening. Their heads were bent close together, poring over a phone screen, Jaime occasionally pausing to write something on a notebook next to her. Making a mental note to go over and see them later, I did a shift handover with Terri, then set about cleaning the fridges at the back of the bar. Seriously, we weren’t so busy that the day staff couldn’t run a cloth over spilled beer and juice. I was tackling a pretty stubborn juice mark when something bounced off the back of my head.
Turning, ready to shout at whoever had disturbed me, I saw Austen ready to launch another peanut at me.
“Whaddya want?” I grumbled.
“We’re going to get a bite,” he replied. “Can we get a couple of club sandwiches and some fries to share?” He pulled out his wallet. “I’ll get a beer, and Jaime wants one of those sweet rosé wines.” Austen wrinkled his nose. “We’ve had a long afternoon.”
I glanced over to the booth. Jaime happened to be looking in my direction and when she saw me staring, she immediately bent her head. Even from here I could see her cheeks pinking.
“Right.” I nodded and tapped their order into the register. “What have you been doing?”
“I took Jaime to meet Moira Channing and start the staging for her sale.” He looked towards where Jaime scribbled in her notebook some more. “She’s already come up with some fantastic ideas.”
Of course she has. Because she’s awesome and smart, and I wish I’d asked her to help me first, isI wanted to say, but I bit my tongue. I couldn’t quite work out why seeing Austen and Jaime together was bothering me so much.
Jaime got up from the booth and made her way towards the bathroom. I watched her walk across the bar, dressed in some tight pink dress that clung to her curves, the heels she wore giving a slight sexy sway to her hips.
At that moment, the lightbulb came on.
I had a crush on my ex’s sister.
I had a crush on my old college work mate.
Fuck.
Of course, I couldn’t let on to Austen. I didn’t know his own motives for bringing Jaime to the bar after their meeting. It could have been totally innocent, but why wouldn’t they go back to the office to discuss work instead? Pouring Jaime an over generous measure of wine, I sloshed it into the glass and popped the cap off Austen’s beer.
“Here you go.” I passed the drinks over to my best friend. “These are on the house. To celebrate your new working partnership.”
“If I have my way, it might not only be a working one.” Austen winked, leaving me in no doubt as to where his thoughts on Jaime were. “Do you think Cami would mind if I asked her out on a date?”
Honestly, I didn’t think Cami would give a fuck. Me on the other hand…
I shrugged. Thankfully, I was saved from any further interaction by the arrival of my dad.
“Evening, Wade, it’s looking good in here tonight,” he said.
“Hey, Lloyd, how are you doing?” Austen asked. “Didn’t think you’d be here.”
“Meeting a couple of my fishing buddies for a beer. Might get in a round of cards.” Dad patted his top pocket, and I could see a deck sticking out of the top.
Three old guys playing cards and drinking the odd beer wasn’t exactly going to make millions for the bar, but I was pleased to see him doing something other than standing behind the bar. A part of me wondered if he was here to keep an eye on me.
“I should get back.” Austen gestured to the booth with his chin. Jaime had exited the bathroom and was on her way back. She fluttered her fingertips at my dad who grinned at her. Seemed it wasn’t only me she had an effect on. “Catch you later, buddy.”
I watched him walk away, wrestling with my recent realization.
What the fuck was I going to do?
Throughout the course of the evening, the bar went through the usual cycle of slow and busy. Every so often, I’d check on Jaime and Austen to see what they were doing. Austen bought her another two glasses of wine, even though he had switched to soda after his first beer. They had been chatting non-stop, although whatever they’d been doing with the phone had finished long ago.
Close to nine, I went over to clear their table.
“Hey, Wade, how are you?” Jaime’s speech was slurred, her eyes overly bright. “Thank you for the drinks, Austen said they were on the house.”
