Page 18 of Love You Already

“We can talk in a few minutes. I'm waiting for my backup bartender to come in. Even then, I'll only have about five minutes or so to speak. Can you tell me in that amount of time?” Her nose wiggles as she rushes the words out.

I nod, then shake my head. Finally, I settle on the truth. “I don't really know. This is kind of time sensitive. Something happened in Vegas...”

Bridgett snorts a laugh as she points between us. “It's usually the woman who says that. Like a surprise baby or something. Are you here to tell us you're making Rose a Daddy?”

My little Ace pushes her sister away with a scowl. “Get real, Bridge. He's not... we're not. Ugh! Fine. I'll give you ten minutes, but you have to buy two drinks minimum buddy. If you made it here to find me, then you've got private investigator money. Spend some of that in my bar.”

“Sure thing, Ace. I need a drink before diving into this with you anyway. Whiskey. Plenty of it please.”

She squints at me before moving back behind the bar. I watch her closely, my gaze intently roaming over the lines of her body. Lines that might be covered in clothes but were once bare beneath my touch. I remember every inch of what she looked like. Every. Glorious. Inch.

“You're about to have your hands full, buddy. I hope you're ready,” Bridgett whispers as she pats my shoulder.

Am I ready? Not really.

CHAPTER 9

IF YOU FAINT, I'M PRETTY SURE BRIDGETT WILL STAB ME.

Rose

He's here. Holy shit. Lachlan is here.

I don't know how it's possible or what the hell I'm going to do next. What I do know is that I couldn't see him and not kiss that handsome face. Especially not after Bridgett dropped that idea about getting a fake boyfriend in my head.

Lachlan is the perfect candidate to play the role. He's hot as hell. My attraction would be authentic. The way he looks at me makes it obvious he wouldn't be put out by playing pretend with me either. And in the end, if we wound up rolling around in the sheets a time or two, then so be it. I won't be complaining about the upgrade.

A niggling feeling moves through me as I think about the way he expressed needing to talk to me. He made whatever it was seem urgent. Plus, he came all the way out here to track me down. That alone tells me he's got something important to say.

“Hey, boss. I'm here and ready,” Melanie, my backup bartender says as she shuffles around the bar top. “And not a minute too soon. Who is that hunk talking to your sister? Please tell me he isn't taken!”

Her dramatic sigh makes me laugh. “I can't tell you lies, Mel. He's definitely off the menu.”

I like the sound of those words and the meaning behind them. He hasn't agreed to the fake dating yet though. I might be getting ahead of myself.

“I've got to step out for about ten minutes. I'll be in my office. You're good?” I ask as she ties a black apron over her cutoff denim shorts. Her black t-shirt is taut against her chest in a way that's eye catching but not to the point of overpouring cleavage like some bartenders do. It's not necessary here. The regulars tip well enough, and the few out of towners we get love how ballsy Mel and I are enough to tip above the average.

“Always. You go do whatever you need to do.” Her eyes remain locked on Lachlan despite my words telling her he isn't available.

I get it. Really, I do. The man is a whole ass meal of deliciousness standing with Bridgett. And anyone with two eyes can tell those two are standing in a friendly manner.

“Babe,” I shout. Lachlan's head whips my way at the call, a grin spreading across his lips. “I'm ready now.”

When I turn to pass by Mel, her mouth forms a perfect 'o' shape. “I see now. Never mind. And congrats!”

I meet Lachlan at the entrance to the back hall at the end of the bar. With a wave, he follows me to my small office tucked away in the back corner. He has to duck his head under the doorway then I find myself alone in the room with him.

“Umm... You wanted to talk to me about something?” He nods, then rubs his jaw.

“It's a bit out there. I didn't expect it when my agent called, but he swears it's real.”

He's pacing the small space on the visitor side of my desk. I'm sitting on the edge of the wood, my arms crossed as I stare him down. I can't imagine anything throwing him off his game.

“Start at the beginning then. Tell me how or what you need to by giving me the details.” I tell him the technique my daddy used to use on me when I was too worked up to tell him why I was upset. I'd cry so hard and so long that my blubbering made my words unintelligible. Each time it happened, he'd wait for me to calm down, then he'd ask me to start from the beginning. He wanted all the details to be able to follow along and find out where I became upset.

Like it does with me, the words have Lachlan pausing. He takes a couple of deep breaths, then he leans against the door and tells me the wildest fucking story ever.

“Well, you see, I was playing a game at the arena with my team. I'm a professional hockey player, which I don't think I ever told you before. Anyway, I was in the middle of a game when Coach pulled me out to tell me I'd been traded. I found out it was to Houston, which isn't a terrible team, but still wasn't what I thought would happen that day. I was pissed as hell about the change. After leaving the ice, I cleaned up and left the arena in a rage of fury. I wanted to get drunk and maybe find a girl to get some of the frustration out with.”

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