“Joe, you don’t have to do that. I don’t want to impose, or have you feel obligated.”
“It’s not obligation if I want to. Same as last night. You know, it’s not a forgone conclusion we part ways and never see each other again, especially considering how small this town is. I can scramble an egg for you without it being some kind of long-term commitment.”
A laugh bubbled up from my chest, both shocking me and relaxing me.
“Sure, I need a place to work. That would be a huge help, thank you.”
Joe’s lips tipped up into a smirk. “I’d like to see you again, and I’d like to think you want me for more than just my Wi-Fi.” His brows shot up.
I may have run from my problems last night, but the distance hadn’t made them disappear. But it was only breakfast, just like last night was only sex.
Sure it was.
“Okay.” I nodded. “You have a deal.”
His sleepy smile grew as he made his way to the door. “Get some sleep, beautiful. Keep the glasses on when you come by.”
I crinkled my nose. “Why?”
“Because you’re sexy as hell in glasses.” His eyes traveled up and down my body, leaving more tingles in their path before he unlocked the door and closed it behind him.
Settling back into bed, I buried my head into the pillow, inhaling the spicy cologne, salty sweat, and blinding temptation that was all Joe. He’d said he didn’t want to be like everyone else to me, and he already wasn’t.
I’d lived a glorious fantasy for a night, but it was time to go back to reality.
Right after breakfast.
6
Joe
A hot showerand change of clothes had done nothing to zap me out of the haze I was in. I’d been known to put in late nights, but I usually afforded myself more than twenty minutes of sleep in order to function. Last night’s events came back to me with every yawn, and I had to hide my smile each time.
“All right, what’s with you today?” Dominic, my oldest friend and assistant manager, asked as he came up next to me. He was supposed to close last night but asked to switch at the last minute. I’d come into the pub this morning wanting to thank him, but kept my mouth shut.
“I’m tired. I worked last night like you were supposed to.” I tried to glare at him before I cleared one of the tables, but even that was too strenuous for my weary eyes. Every move I made was as if I were in slow motion, and, for the first time, I considered napping on the couch in my office later in the afternoon.
“When I left, it was dead, I figured you’d close up early. Did you finally get laid? Here? Maybe I should check the cameras.” He lifted an annoying brow before I threw a damp towel at his head.
“Why are you so damn nosy?” Jordan, one of my waitresses, asked from behind the bar. “What the boss does after we leave isn’t our business.” She nodded at me in some kind of solidarity.
“I see the suck-up wind shifted early.” Dominic snickered, ignoring Jordan’s icy glower before heading to the front of the restaurant.
“God, he’s a pain in the ass, isn’t he? Why did you hire him again?”
“True,” I agreed. “But as annoying of a bastard that he is, I trust him more than anyone. You should’ve seen him in high school. He still gives everyone the same headache.”
Dominic followed me here from Queens after I’d bought the building, applauding me for getting the hell out of the city and asking how he could help. He’d been looking for a new start after his mother passed away, although he’d never admitted it. I’d been more than happy to accept his help and have a friend close by I could depend on. It had taken a long time to get this place into shape, but without him, it would’ve taken a hell of a lot longer.
But to Jordan’s point, he was a relentless ball-breaker who always needed to know everything, especially when it came to me and my life, or lack thereof, outside of The Beach Pub.
“So, did you?” Jordan’s eyes lit up as she adjusted the apron on her waist. She was a college junior who’d worked for me since I opened the place two years ago. Her petite and curvy frame earned her loads of tips during our busy season. Jordan was a nice girl, even if she lacked a filter.
“Mr. Mullins looks like he wants more coffee.” I motioned to the small cluster of occupied tables in the front. I used to freak out whenever we got slow but knew this weekend we would be so busy we wouldn’t have time to stop or breathe. I learned to look forward to the short bursts of inactivity, as long as they stayed short.
I had a business to take care of and a loan to pay back. My father was going to find out about Owen’s silent partnership sooner or later, and I dreaded that conversation. We had different opinions on what constituted an acceptable livelihood. He loved putting on a suit and tie every day and riding the subway an hour back and forth to work, and that was my idea of the seventh circle of hell.
I loved being an owner and making my own rules, but the added responsibility to this place and the ones who worked for me didn’t allow me much free time. The Beach Pub was my first and only priority. I’d been so focused on making this place a success for what had felt like so long, I couldn’t remember the last time anyone caught my eye to the point of knocking me on my ass.
