How long was he here watching me?
“And when he didn’t get any clues through that thick skull of his, he grabbed her ass.”
Kevin’s face drops as he looks at Hugh, then back at me. “Is that true?”
“That’s not what happened, Kev?—”
Reid shakes him around until Hugh’s protests die out.
“Kind of—” I start, and once again Hugh pipes in with a line of excuses.
Reid’s face darkens more and more with each word that comes out of his mouth, and his hand at his side twitches again. God, I was just trying to do my fucking job tonight.
Kevin holds up a hand and silences Hugh. “Can you let him go?” he asks Reid.
“I don’t know, can he keep his hands to himself?”
“Fuck you!” Hugh spits, but Reid does ultimately release him after a quick glance my way. Hugh stumbles as he regains his balance, and he quickly steps toward Kevin while Reid takes a step toward me. I naturally incline my body toward his.
“Hugh, head home for the night,” Kevin says with a heavy sigh. “We’ll talk about this later. Aspen”—he turns to me—“why don’t you call it a night too, alright?”
“But—what about my set? I promise I didn’t—” Panic seeps into my voice at the idea of being sent home tonight and not having a job to return to tomorrow because of the confrontation.
Kevin holds his hands up and softens his tone. “You’re not in trouble. Just pack it up for tonight.” He then steps closer and says quietly for only me to hear, “You can fill me in on what happened tomorrow before your shift, sound good?”
I nod shakily, relieved that I’m not going to take the fall for this. Not that I thought Kevin would, but Hugh’s a good customer. He’s here almost every night, and while On Tap doesn’t do bad for itself, I know Kevin can’t afford to lose his loyal usuals.
Hugh slips away quietly grumbling but looks relieved to be out of Reid’s grip and not the sole focus of his attention.
I turn to grab my guitar, but Reid’s already got a hold of it. He extends it my way and I snatch it from him. Firesparks in his eyes at the motion, but he doesn’t get a chance to say anything as Kevin turns to him.
“I’m going to have to ask you to leave, too,” he says. “Can’t have a brawl in my bar.”
“But you can have men groping your workers?” he challenges, standing up to his full six-foot-four height, towering over my much-shorter boss.
But Kevin doesn’t back down. “Leave.”
Words get caught in my throat, my brain torn between stepping in and defending Reid since I know that’s what he was doing for me, but also, he’s a big boy. He can handle himself and his own consequences.
Reid glances toward me, as if waiting to see if I’ll speak up on his behalf, and something crosses his face when he realizes I’m not. Without another word, he stalks out of the bar, the door slamming against the exterior brick wall with the impact.
“How about a round on the house?” Kevin calls out to the patrons scattered around the bar and is quickly met with cheers. He pats my shoulder gently before heading behind the bar to make the drinks. My cheeks are flushed with embarrassment as I quickly tuck my guitar back in the case, swing it over my shoulder, and head to the back to snatch my purse.
The air is hot and sticky as I step outside, and sweat instantly beads at my hairline. I barely make it three steps before Reid stalks around the corner and almost slams into me.
“Watch out.” I scowl, and looking up, it matches his. His dark brows are drawn in a deep frown as he stares down at me. Suddenly, I wish I was taller than five five.
His nostrils flare. “What the hell were you doing defending that asshole?”
“I was defending my job! You could hit him all you fucking want out on the street or tomorrow at his job. But not while I’m on the clock and not when the fallback is going to end up on me!”
“Your boss would punish you for a man touching you inappropriately on the job?”
“It’s a bar. Customers get handsy, it happens.”
Reid goes utterly still and I know I just made a huge mistake. “This has happened before?”
I cringe internally but hold onto my strong front. “He’s never been that pushy before, but a brush of my arm here or a lingering stare at my ass while I pour his beer there…it’s nothing that doesn’t come with the territory.”
