Flipping her blonde hair over her shoulder, she pretended to be affronted by my comment. “I’ll have you know that my boots have gotten me more dates in one week than you’ve had all year.”
“That’s a low blow,” I replied as I headed down the sidewalk to The Beaver and Boot.
“But necessary. You’ll never get a date if you don’t clean that grease out from under your nails.”
“I’ll have you know I take very good care of my hands. Besides, if a man doesn’t want to date me because of a little grease, that says more about him than it does me.”
“I’m just saying, you should try looking more feminine.”
Tugging the bar door open, I rolled my eyes at her. “I’m not sure wearing a dress at the garage would be conducive to the job, and Wyatt would probably cite me for sexual harassment.”
“I still can’t believe you still work for him.” She shoved past me into the dim bar, making her way to our usual table at the back. “After everything his brother did?—”
“He’s not his brother, and I like him. He’s always been nice to me.”
Sliding into the chair, I grabbed the menu, though I knew it by heart. I always got the same thing, anyway.
“You know I don’t listen to that. It’s just…he’s practically Liam’s mortal enemy.”
I stiffened at the name, refusing to look at her and give away the anger I still felt when I thought of him. “Why would I care who Liam’s enemies are?”
“Bailey, don’t give me that crap,” she said, slapping my menu to the table. “Whatever you like to say, I know you still love him.”
I snorted in amusement. “Why would I love a man who cheated on me?”
“Barely cheated,” she corrected. “He kissed another woman.”
“While we were dating,” I pointed out.
“And you had only been dating a few days, and it happened after he broke it off with you.”
“Oh, so I should be perfectly okay with him going after someone else when he was sleeping with me just a few days before?”
“That’s not what I’m saying, and you know it. There were extenuating circumstances!”
I knew precisely what she was saying, but Liam was off limits to me, no matter how sexy or charming he might be. Just because I couldstill feel his bulging arm muscles wrapped around me, or the way his hand slid up my thigh as he pulled me across his lap…
“Liam is in the past.” Picking up my menu, I focused on the words in front of me instead of the ones ringing in my head. “There are other fish in the sea.”
“Right, but not in our town. Not any that you like, anyway.”
“Well, maybe I’ll have to cast my net wider,” I said just as Lizzy approached, setting down glasses of water for each of us.
“Are you going fishing?”
I glared at Cheyenne, warning her not to say a word. Lizzy was Liam’s baby sister, and if there was one thing she wanted more than anything, it was for her big brother to settle down with someone she liked. Preferably me, which she never tried to hide.
“No, it was just an analogy,” I answered quickly. “How’s the fish and chips?”
“I don’t know why you ask. You always get fried chicken.”
“Well, maybe I’m looking to switch things up.”
Smiling sweetly at me, she snatched the menu out of my hand before I could take it back. “Alright. I’ll get you the platter. You know, so you can switch things up.”
“I—”
“And I’ll have the fried chicken,” Cheyenne said, handing over her menu in commiseration with Lizzy.
