Page 58 of Hit the Ground
I chuckled in agreement. I’d been sprawled out in their downstairs bedroom after a rare night of tying one on, and next thing I knew, my nephew was prying my eyelids open with his little fingers. Once he’d had my attention, he’d decided to entertain me by singing gibberish at the top of his lungs.
Not the wake-up I’d been expecting, but it was impossible to be mad when he’d climbed out of his crib and over the gate at the top of their stairs in order to get to me. That, and he was cute as hell.
“You don’t need to be sorry. I grew up with Hannah. You think that was the first time I’d had my eyeballs pried open?”
Remi’s grin widened. “I am absolutely sure it wasn’t.”
“Nope. Not even the second time.” I gave my shoulder a shrug. “We’ll see where the night goes. Maybe I’ll take you up on it.”
Alice showed up at the table, catching me off guard. I hadn’t been paying attention and turned at her quiet greeting, taking her in up close.
She’d pinned the front of her hair back out of her face, and the rest fell in loose waves over her shoulders. It looked pretty that way. I was glad she was no longer hiding behind it.
What she was wearing, though?
Her plum-colored tank top had thin straps and a low neckline, revealing the tops of her small, high breasts. It was tucked into dark jeans that fit her thighs like they were made for her. I’d never seen her reveal so much skin.
Nice skin.
Lovely, smooth, velvety skin.
Aw, damn.
If Hannah were here, she’d have told me I sounded like a serial killer. That was how thrown off my game the sight of this woman had made me. Had she always been this pretty? She must’ve been. I couldn’t understand how I’d missed it for so long.
Alice’s smile was quick, polite, containing none of the warmth she’d been shining on me recently.
“Good evening, guys. What can I get you?” Her voice was steady and professional but distant. Hearing it, you wouldn’t have known we’d spent hours talking to each other on the phone.
I opened my mouth to say something casual, maybe ask how she was doing, but it was clear she was here on business. Still, I eyed the cast on her wrist, wondering if it was hindering her. If she was in pain. If she should have been working here at all after everything. But I didn’t ask. She’d already brushed aside my concerns once this week.
Remi grinned at her. “I’ll take a beer. Something cold and quick.”
I glanced back at Alice, searching for a sign of…well, I didn’t know.Something. I didn’t find it. “I’ll have the same.”
She jotted it down as carefully as ever, even though I was sure she didn’t need the notepad. It gave her a reason not to have to look at her customers.
At me.
A flicker of frustration hit me. Where had the easy connection gone? I’d thought we’d been on the road to becoming friends. That must have been wishful thinking. After all, she wasover me. Maybe that extended to the very end of the definition, meaning she wanted nothing to do with me exceptthis: taking my order and walking away.
“Everything all right?” I finally asked, unable to stop myself.
She paused, then gave a small, polite nod. “I’m fine, thank you. It’s busy, and the cast makes things slower.”
I wanted to press her, find out what else was going on, but she was already stepping back toward the bar.
“I’m surprised she’s back to work so soon,” Remi remarked once we were alone. “Joy runs a tight ship, I guess.”
“Nah, Alice wanted to come back. Joy tried to get her to take more time off, but she wasn’t hearing it.”
Remi paused, his gaze finding mine. “Huh. I know your mom is friends with Alice. I didn’t realize you were too.”
“We’ve talked a few times,” I hedged.
What could I say to explain what had happened over the last month? When it came down to it, not much. Mostly to preserve Alice’s privacy, and a little because the rest made me look like a jackass. Remi might’ve been my brother-in-law and closest friend, but I didn’t need him knowing all the ways I’d screwed up.
“Yeah? Does she have a lot to say?” Remi asked. “I haven’t ever seen her being chatty.”
