Patrick arrived, saw they were being slammed and jumped behind the bar to help.
“Take that half of the bar,” Dallas said, indicating the end where Maria perched on her stool.
“I see you have a visitor.”
“Unwanted,” Dallas said tersely.
He turned away to grab three bottles of boutique beer from the chiller. When he handed them to the customer, his gaze met Laura’s. One brown eye closed in a wink and just like that, the angst riding him dispersed. Maria didn’t matter.
Steven used his bulk to push to the bar. “We’re off now.”
“Okay. Tell Laura, I’ll be late.” Dallas poured a vodka and tonic and chucked in a slice of lemon. He set the drink on the bar for the customer and met Laura’s gaze. She nodded. Message received. She waved her cell phone in the air, and he gave a return nod, taking a few seconds to watch them leave.
His gaze darted to Maria, but she’d wandered off to play a machine. Good. Hopefully she’d received the message too. He went back to serving beers. The clusters of customers seemed never ending, but the clock crept around to closing time.
“Last orders!” he shouted.
There was a flurry of customers before they closed the bar. Despite the crowd, they didn’t have any trouble and the customers drifted out the door.
“Can we talk?” Maria asked.
“No,” Dallas said. “I’m not interested in anything you have to say.”
“We were good together. You owe me a few minutes at least.”
“I don’t owe you a thing. It’s time for you to leave. We’re closed.” Dallas walked away and busied himself stacking glasses in the washer.
Half an hour later, only Maria remained, loitering by the slot machine.
“What are you still doing here?” Dallas smothered a yawn and unwillingly turned to face her. He stooped to switch off the power on the machine before she dropped in more money.
“We need to talk.” She huffed out an impatient breath, the action slinging him back into the past. She made that sound every time he irritated her. Toward the end, she’d made the noise often.
“So talk,” Dallas said.
Maria sent a swift glance at Patrick, who was making no secret of his eavesdropping. “In private.”
“You can say anything you want to say in front of Patrick.”
Her eyes narrowed. “I want you back. You’re the best lover I’ve ever had.”
She had to be bloody kidding. “A relationship requires trust. I don’t trust you.” Even the length of a rugby field was standing too close to the viperous bitch.
“That little blonde girl is too young for you. You need someone older, more experienced.”
“You have too much practice, too much skill for me,” Dallas said bluntly. Blast Maria for noticing and managing to add two plus two together. She’d always had a good grasp of numbers. Maybe if he brushed aside her assumption she’d forget Laura.
The smile froze on Maria’s face, and the color surge into her cheeks told him he’d scored a hit. He didn’t feel victory. Instead, relief that he’d dodged a monumental fuckup shored his resolve. Lucky for him, he’d taken the lessons she’d forced on him to heart.
“You should leave now,” Patrick said, rounding the bar. He gripped Maria’s arm and directed her to the door.
She gave an irritable shrug, dislodging his grasp. “All right.All right. I’m going.”
Lifting his hands up in a gesture of surrender, Patrick stalked behind her and locked the door before returning to the bar. “You’ve made an enemy there.”
“I can’t believe she thought a snap of her fingers would make me come running.”
“Let’s hope she takes no as your final answer.”
