“Can’t really blame a man for shooting his shot, can you? I mean, look at you. We’re all just lost puppies, trailing at your feet, hoping for scraps.”
I rolled my eyes at Davis’s easy flirtation. The man was too damn charming for his own good and threw it around likeconfetti. There was a reason why he always took home the most tips and never lacked for a bed warmer. If it wore a skirt and had breasts, the man would flirt with it. And his face and body certainly helped to sweeten the package. The man could have made a killing as a gigolo. Fortunately for me he’d chosen bartending instead, because he was damn good at making drinks.
“It’s not about him shooting his shot. It’s how he did it. And spare me, would you? Like you won’t be leaving here tonight with any one of the eligible women giving you bedroom eyes right now.”
“Only because you haven’t succumbed to my charm yet.”
My head fell back on a laugh. “Please. You’ll forget all about me in less than twenty seconds.” As if to prove my point, a pretty blonde sidled up to the bar just then, batting her eyelashes. As soon as Davis glanced in her direction, her cheeks heated to a bright pink and I saw a flare of interest in his gaze.
I arched a brow when he looked back at me, mouthing“told you so.”
He didn’t look the least bit repentant as he smirked, then leaned his forearms onto the bar and gave the woman his full attention.
One of my waitresses, Marci, stood at the end of the bar, waiting for Sam to finish filling an order for one of her tables. She caught my eye and waggled her brows. “What do you think? Is Blondie gonna be the one he takes home tonight?”
Sam let out a chuckle as she placed a perfectly executed martini on Marci’s tray. “Nah. I’m putting my money on the redhead over there, propping herself up on her stool so her boobs are resting on the bar.”
I shook my head, struggling to keep my lips from curving up into a grin. “I told you guys, I’m not betting on who Davis takes home. It wouldn’t be right.”
Marci cut me a look. “Boo. Just because you’re the boss now doesn’t mean you can’t still have a little fun.”
“It’s not about being the boss. I just hate taking your money night after night, because he’s clearly got eyes for the brunette at the bend of the bar.”
Their heads jerked around right as Davis made his way to the pretty brunette with the big doe eyes. The three of us watched as he said something that had her smiling and nodding her head eagerly. A second later, he slid a folded piece of paper that undoubtedly contained his phone number across the wood in her direction.
“Damn it,” Sam grumped, tossing her long, black boho braids over her shoulder with a scowl. “Every freaking time. How are you so good at that?”
I lifted my shoulder in a lazy shrug. “I’ve got all kinds of skills you don’t know about.” Mainly I’d just noticed that Davis had a type that leaned toward women with darker hair and lighter eyes.
Sam finished loading up Marci’s tray, and she took off into the crowd. I took a moment to scan the floor, looking to see if I was needed anywhere else. As the owner, I didn’t have to wait or bus tables or sling drinks, but that was what I had started here doing, and as exhausting as the work was, it was my favorite part. I much preferred it to spreadsheets, inventory, and accounting.
The Tap Room had been an institution in this town for generations. It had been handed down to my grandpa from his dad, then to my mom from him. Now it was mine, and it was still a local favorite to this day.
To keep things from getting stale, I’d gone to my mom a couple years back and discussed expansion. My vision was to hire a brewmaster so we could start making our own beer instead of simply selling other’s. We’d added on to the back ofthe old building for the brewery, then expanded it even further so we could offer tours and tastings. There was even a small rustic event space people could rent out for company parties or small wedding receptions if they wanted.
It had been a leap, and as excited as I was to make my dream for this place into a reality, I’d been scared as hell. But I was lucky to have a family who supported me in every way. Turned out, a small, local craft brewery was a huge draw for tourists. It was a hit, and while I was thrilled that I managed to build onto my family’s legacy with this place, just like Zach had done with the ranch and the lodge, there were times when I missed the ease of simply working the bar. I tried to get out on the floor and help my staff as much as I could. Unfortunately with how things had grown, it wasn’t something I got to do as often as I would have liked. I had too many responsibilities now. Speaking of, it was already well past ten, and I had at least a dozen emails I needed to go through before I could call it a night.
I patted Sam on the arm as I moved around her and from behind the bar. “I’m headed back in my office. Don’t hesitate to get me if you need anything.”
“Off to do boss things?” she asked with a teasing smile.
“You know how it is. Paperwork and more paperwork until my eyes start to cross.”
“You built something great here, Lenni. But I don’t envy you those headaches.”
“Hey, why do you think I promoted you? To take some of the load off my plate.”
Sam had been working at The Tap Room as long as I had, and was the hardest worker in the place, so when I took over, I made sure to give her a promotion and a nice raise. She was the shift supervisor now, but was steadily working her way up to manager. I wouldn’t have been able to spread myself as thin as I needed to without her.
“Don’t worry, you know I’ve got your back. Now get to work and rake in that cash. Mama needs a nice Christmas bonus.”
I headed off with a laugh, moving down the hall toward the same office the rest of my family had been using since this place opened. I could have built something swank and new when we built on, but I preferred to surround myself with the history that created this place. I still worked at the same old, scarred-up desk my mom had, and my grandpa before her. The only thing that had been replaced was the beat-up leather sofa. And that was mainly because I overheard Mom and her friends talking and laughing about the things she and my dad had gotten up to on that piece of furniture over the years.
I hadn’t hesitated to haul it out back and burn it.
Despite my disdain for paperwork, that office was like a home away from home to me.
I reached into my pocket for the key to unlock the door when a familiar voice called my name from farther down the hall.
