Page 31 of Mine to Love

I turn down Oceanside Drive and do a double take at the stunning brunette walking into The Beer Garden. I drive another block and make a U-turn. Tonight is a night for celebration, and there isn’t anyone more beautiful to celebrate with than Reese.

I park a few spaces down from her car and check my phone, responding to the two texts I got from my realtor while I was driving. I loosen my tie and check my reflection in the mirror. The Beer Garden isn’t a suit and tie establishment. Not wanting to stand out any more than usual, I tug my tie over my head and shrug out of my suit coat.

On my way into the pub, I roll my sleeves up to try to appear more casual. It’s dimly lit inside, and my sunglasses add another layer of darkness, but I can make out Reese Elliot anywhere. Luck is on my side when I spot her alone at the bar.

I clip my sunglasses into the neckline of my shirt and slide onto the empty barstool next to her. “Is this seat taken?”

She tips her chin, her eyebrows following suit. “Aren’t you supposed to ask before you sit in it?”

“Only if I’m willing to accept the answer given.”

“If I said no, you’d still sit here?”

I grin and don’t respond. The bartender comes over and asks for my drink order.

“I’ll have what she’s having.”

“Now or before?” the bartender asks.

I eye her glass and Reese gives me a sly smile as she stirs the lime with her straw. She hasn’t been here long enough to down two drinks.

“Both.”

The bartender turns and I watch as he pours a shot of tequila followed by soda water and lime.

I chuckle and slide the shot over to Reese. “Rough day?”

“You could say that.” She picks up the tequila and downs it easily without a glimmer of a shudder.

Watching a woman do shots has never turned me on before. “Want to talk about it?”

“No.” She lets out a sigh and takes a sip of her soda water. I do the same. We sit in silence until the bartender sets a plate of nachos in front of Reese. “Help yourself. I’m not even hungry.”

“Yet you ordered a ginormous plate of nachos.”

“That was before the tequila.”

“I thought drinking made people hungry.” I pick up a chip and use my finger to wrap the long, gooey string of cheese around it.

“Most people, sure. Not daughters who are trying to block out the live action shot of their father getting ridden like a horse on their living room couch.”

I choke and reach for my water to wash down the chip stabbing my throat. “Wow. I didn’t see that one coming.”

“You and me both.”

“Go Johnny.” I smirk and shrink back into my barstool when Reese smacks my arm. “Sorry. I can’t imagine walking in on my parents.”

Only Johnny doesn’t have a wife. I wonder if he’s had any girlfriends since his wife died.

“I didn’t know your dad had a girlfriend.”

“Neither did I until this afternoon. I spilled coffee on my shirt and ran home to change. They weren’t expecting me, obviously. Mariah was...” Reese shivers and plucks an olive off the platter.

“Mariah?”

“His speech therapist.” She holds up a hand. “If you make any wise ass comments about that I’ll dump my drink in your lap, as well as the nachos.”

“That would be a waste. They’re really good nachos.” I take another chip, dragging it through the salsa and sour cream. “You should eat. To absorb the tequila if anything.”

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