Page 19 of Beat around the Bush
The bartender set the two drinks on the bar next to the shots he’d lined up as we spoke. “What would you call it?” Lettie asked.
“He’s fucking Satan, Lettie! He had to have come from the depths of hell.”
I laughed, grabbing for my drink. Brandy grabbed it from my hand, replacing it with a shot. “Nuh-uh. You’re taking this first.”
“Peer pressure much?” I joked.
“Ain’t peer pressure if you’re enjoying it. C’mon.” She hit the bar with her shot once, then tipped it back, swallowing it in one gulp. Lettie repeated the movements, so I followed suit, cringing at the taste as it burned down my chest. My eyes pinched shut, my mouth pursing tight as I shook my head, trying to rid the taste from my tongue.
Grabbing my mojito, I sucked on the straw, turning my gaze to find Lennon watching me with his hands in the front pockets of his jeans, leaning back against the table with his feet crossed in front of him. Reed and Callan were talking a few feet away from him at the pool table, but he wasn’t paying attention. All his focus was on me, and I was turning to cinders under his gaze. Chugging a gallon of tequila would burn less than what his eyes on me did.
10
Lennon
Callan, Reed, and Bailey faded into the background as all my attention was fixed on Oakley standing by the bar. She was still in her work uniform, but that didn’t dull any of her beauty from where she stood.
Her face scrunched in the most adorable way when she knocked back the shot. It was clear she didn’t do them often, which made it all the more cute.
Since when did I start fucking say shit like adorable and cute?
Her eyes had caught on mine from across the bar, and even in the dim light, I could see her cheeks flush a deep shade of crimson. I hated how much I enjoyed looking at her and seeing that damn smile. When those teeth flashed, it was like opening the curtains in the morning to let the sun shine in.
It felt like my life had a constant gray cloud hovering above me until Oakley rear-ended me. Up until that point, every day felt like the same, typical routine. But now I had something to look forward to - seeing her.
Even if she was just my employee.
After working at Tumbleweed Feed with the same two employees for as long as I could remember, it was nice having a new face to see around there.
That’s what I was telling myself.
I’d forced myself to look away and join the guys with their game of pool. I was playing a round with Bailey when the girls finally came back over to us.
“Having fun?” Lettie asked, coming up to Bailey, who put his arm around her shoulders.
Reed had a stern expression on his face as he regarded Brandy, clearly seeing how inebriated she was. Her beer had gone warm on the table, seemingly forgotten about, but just a few shots would get her buzzed. We all knew she was a lightweight.
Brandy smirked. “What’s with the face, Satan?”
“Satan?” Reed repeated.
Oakley leaned a hand on the back of a chair, her second mojito in the other. “She thinks you’re Satan.”
I looked down at her as her lips wrapped around the straw of her drink, her eyes peering up at me. Clearing my throat, I moved my gaze back to Reed and Brandy. That was not the image I needed in my head right now.
Callan was bent over the pool table, taking a shot at one of the balls, ignoring the rest of us. I didn’t blame him.
“Whatever makes you feel better,” Reed grumbled, taking the next shot after Callan missed.
Brandy frowned. “I never feel good when I’m around you.”
As she said it, Reed missed the ball with his cue, then immediately straightened and tossed the stick on the table. He walked around, grabbing his beer and stomping off to the bar.
“Grump,” Brandy muttered.
“Anyone going to take over for him?” Callan asked as if he was oblivious to what just transpired.
Lettie raised her hand. “I will!”
