“Yes. A spider tried to kill me.”
“Your arachnophobia is the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever seen.”
“Don’t judge me. I almost died.” I crossed my arms as Dennis laughed and hopped over the bar. “Did he come from way over there to check on me?” I asked Ari, watching as he rejoined Mateo at the furthest pool table.
“Yeah. He came out of nowhere. It scared the living shit out of me.”
“Huh.” I bit my lip as he took a shot. It smacked another ball and both went into the hole. He said something to Mateo before walking around the table to line up another shot.
“How are you doing?”An older man caught my attention, smiling as he sat down. My view of Dennis was blocked.“Is this your first day?”
“How’d you know?”
“I would’ve remembered a young lady as beautiful as yourself.”
“Aw, thank you,”I said. He wasn’t being creepy or hitting on me at all, just really friendly. He seemed sweet. A cute old grandpa.
“Of course. Are there any drinks you’ve been dying to make but haven’t had a chance toyet?”
I tilted my head, thinking through the day’s drinks. Meds-adjustment brain was making it difficult, but eventually one came to mind.“I haven’t made a tequilasunriseyet. Those always look fun to make.”
“Then get me one of those,”he said cheerfully.
“Coming right up.” Iset to work on his drink, taking extra care to make it perfect since he was so sweet.Once it was finished, I placed it near his hands.“Hopefully it’s yummy.”
He stirred it and took a sip, then nodded.“Delicious.You’re a natural. So tell me,”his eyes crinkled as he smiled,“is one of those a wedding ring?”
I laughed and shook my head.“Nope. No wedding ring.”I glanced at the array of silver rings across my fingers. Oddly enough for his question, my only finger without one was the official ring finger.“I just love wearing rings.I’m never getting married.”
“That’s too bad,”he said.“Whoever got to marry you would be a lucky man.”
“You’re sweet. But I don’t like anyone enough to marry them.”My eyes accidentally strayed to Dennis again, who smiled at the pool table but didn’t look up. He shot perfectly, hitting three balls into the same hole.
“Is that your boyfriend?”The man asked.
“What? No.”I snapped out of it and stopped staring.“Idon’t know him,” I stammered.Aricackled from the man’s otherside.“I mean, I know him. We’re friends. I like him a lot. But not like that! He’s fun… and yeah…I’m gonna stop…stop talking now.”I stopped as the man started laughing, too.
“I’ll take your word for it. But he’s a lucky man.”He picked up the tequila sunrise and pulled out a large bill, placing it in my hand.“You have a good night, okay? Keep the change.”He gave a friendly wink and walked away.
I groaned and dropped my head on the counter. Could this possibly get any worse?
“Hey,Vixen—”
“No.”I straightened up to see Dennis looking up from his game with Mateo, smirking that impossibly sexy smirk.“I’m leaving. I wanna go on my lunch now.”I turned to do just that, but Sean was already there, leaning against the bar in my way.
“Nope. No lunch today, we have a short shift. You can’t keep dipping out every time you accidentally profess your love for Dennis.”
Ari snorted with laughter at how flustered I was getting. “Is someone finally taming you?” she teased. “You’ve been so good since you moved here.”
“Has she?”Dennisarrived to sit beside her, his pool stick abandoned for a drink.“This is good?”
“Compared to her usual antics, yeah,” Arisaid, adjusting her glasses. “This is the tamest she’s ever been.”
“Interesting,” Dennis said.
“What’s next, boss man?” I ignored him and faced Sean, hoping they’d both go away if we seemed busy. Mateo, too. He’d come to join and still had that knowing smile from before.
“We can practice for a while,” Sean said. “Is there anything you don’t know how to make?”
