Page 19 of Shortcake
I snorted and looked at theCall endedtext blinking back at me. “You’re welcome.Asshole.”
I blew out a breath and set the phone down back beside Stephanie. “He’s on his way,” I said to Keith and Enzo. “I think we need to get her up and moving. Her dad’s on a real tear.”
Keith was already mopping and cleaning up for me… bless him. Enzo immediately scurried back behind the bar. “I’ll make us some coffee.” She grabbed the coffee pot and filled it with water.
I nodded. “I think we’re all gonna need it.” I looked at Stephanie and gave her shoulders another shake. “Especially you. Come on, sailor.” I whispered to her. “I think you’re in for some rocky seas ahead.”
ChapterTwo
Addy
Thank God for Keith and Enzo, that was all I could say. In the time that I spent waking Stephanie, they had finished all of my closing duties for me.
Enzo was putting away the clean pint glasses when I tapped her shoulder with one hand and handed her her purse with the other. “You need to go home,” I said.
She eyed me suspiciously. “I don’t know if that's such a good idea. We don’t know who the hell this man is coming to pick her up—”
I nodded. “And that’s why Keith is sticking around. Besides, this Conrad guy is just an upset dad, but that’s nothing I can’t handle.”
Enzo took her purse, even though the doubt was palpably radiating off of her. “Addy… I don’t know.”
“Trust me. I’m fine.”
Stephanie moaned and rubbed her palms against her eyes, smearing her black eye makeup down her pale cheeks. I eyed her carefully before picking up a bucket I had behind the bar and setting it at her feet.
We had just finished cleaning the bathrooms and I for one didn’t want to be here until four in the morning scrubbing puke out of the grout.
With a grunt, she nudged the bucket with her toe. “I’m fiiiine,” she slurred. Then, she picked up her coffee, giving it a messy slurp before grimacing at the flavor. “‘Tastes like shit. Donshyou have any cream and sugar?”
I rolled my eyes at Enzo and grabbed a few packets of sugar and a carton of half and half from my fridge. I leaned in and said to my best friend, “The only thing I need protection from is a bratty twenty-something who almost ruined my opening night at the bar.”
“Heard that,” Stephanie groaned.
“Yeah.” I crossed over to her and slammed the half and half down on the table in front of her. “I wasn’t exactly trying to be quiet.”
Even though she didn’t look convinced, Enzo hiked her purse onto her shoulder as she crossed to the front door. “If you’re sure you’ve got it covered.” Just as she was about to open it, a cop came barging in.
That’s all I saw at first. The khaki Maple Grove sheriff’s uniform.
I’d heard from my mom and all her friends that some new guy had taken over this week after Sheriff Duly had retired.
They gossiped about how hot he was, and I’d heard more than my fair share of old ladies chatting about how tight his butt looked in the khaki uniform. In our quiet, little lake town, we didn’t exactly have a large, thriving police force. There were about ten officers that I’d known most of my life, two I’d gone to high school with.
But mom and her friends were right. The new sheriffdidhave a tight butt.
But… wait. I knew that butt.
I knew that barreled chest.
Those thick, muscled thighs.
I knew the strong jaw.
I blinked, recognizing him immediately.
Olive skin. Messy dark hair, illuminated by my crappy overhead lights. Cheekbones so high and sharp that they had no place being on a man. Mysterious, dark pools of blue eyes. Crooked mouth that currently seemed permanently fixed into a frown.
Brawny.
