Page 21 of Enforcing the Rules

The waitress came out from the back, minus her apron, and a purse over her shoulder. She leaned to tell the bartender she was cashing out and then glared in my direction. I suppose she’d wanted her tip before she left.

I didn’t care, but I watched her to see if Kate was here for her.

A few minutes later, the waitress took her cut of tips and walked out.

The bartender brought Kate a drink, and she turned her phone toward him, showing him the screen and saying something to him. He shook his head and then stood talking to her for a minute before moving off. After that, Kate texted on her phone, never noticing me in the corner booth.

“Last call,” the bartender shouted and grabbed a rope on a ship’s bell hanging on the wall, giving it two tugs.

I stood and walked toward Kate.

When I took the stool next to her, she looked up from her phone, and her eyes widened. “Hey.”

“Hey.” I smiled. “Come here often?”

“No, actually. First time.”

I glanced around the place. Two couples remained. “You do this often?”

“Do what often? Come to a bar?”

“No. Drink alone.”

“I… ah, needed a drink. Is that a crime?”

“Nope. Not at all. I’m glad you did. Means I didn’t have to come lookin’ for you.”

She cocked a brow, and the corners of her mouth pulled up. “You were going to come looking for me?”

“Sure. Of course, the only place I had to go on was your mom’s diner.”

“Café.”

“Café. I stand corrected.”

She chuckled. “I’m just giving you a hard time.”

“That’s okay. I like a girl who tries to bust my balls.”

She cocked a brow again. “I didn’t say anything about getting anywhere near your balls. Slow that train down.”

I grinned. “Fair enough. But a guy can hope.”

Her eyes slid over me. “You look different. More civilized tonight. Where’s your leather?”

“In my saddlebag. Why? You like it?”

She shrugged. “It’s okay.”

I could tell she was totally underplaying that one. “I see. You like bad boys, do you?”

“Nope.” Her quick, sharp answer surprised me.

“Why not?”

She took a sip of her drink, then she met my eyes. “Because they’re trouble. And usually self-centered assholes.”

“That’s quite an opinion.”

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