“Careful, kid,” Roxie warned under her breath.“Her boyfriend’s the possessive sort.”
“What?”Roux popped out of his trance.When he looked at Roxie, his eyes were bright.
“Lexie.She’s taken.”
“No, I…” Roux eased back onto his stool.There was energy crackling about him, the kind that was waiting for a spark.“I’m sorry.Anyone else from your family coming?”
Uh, like she was going to answer that question.
Roxie’s brow furrowed as her customer’s fingers drummed against the bar.The kid was a bundle of nerves.She kept an eye on him as she began to fill drinks.He kept casting glances over his shoulder.At one point, he reached for his phone, but then slid it into his back pocket.He seemed to be focusing on the empty end of the table.
Roxie knew when to trust her gut.
She filled a tray with drinks, but before she went to the table, she caught Skeeter’s eye.She tilted her head meaningfully in Roux’s direction.The bouncer nodded.He’d already caught the odd behavior.He moved away from the door and took a seat at the other end of the bar.
It put Roxie’s mind to rest.She was usually a great judge of people, and she liked Roux a lot.If she’d judged poorly, though, Skeeter would handle the situation.
The glasses on the tray tinkled as she picked it up, but before she could take a step, Billy was there.“Let me get that.”
She let out a puff of air that stirred her hair.“I’ve been doing this for a while, you know.”
“I know.Let me be the hero.”He pressed his mouth against her ear.“I’m hoping to get some tonight.”
She let out a snort.There was a very good chance of that.
She took a seat at the table as he served drinks to Lexie and her troupe.When he passed a Diet Coke to Blaire, he said something that made the cutie blush.Whatever it was, it didn’t embarrass her.She laughed and perked up.When he returned the tray to the bar, the blonde’s dreamy gaze followed him.Rude Roux was forgotten.
Roxie snuggled up to her dream guy when he returned.Billy grinned at her when she deliberately stroked his thigh under the table.“You’re frisky tonight.”
She squeezed his knee.“I’m hoping to get some, too.”
He chuckled, but the laugh cut off abruptly when she stroked a bit too high.Coughing, he caught her hand and made her play nice.
“When’s Maxie supposed to get here?”Lexie asked as she tucked her purse under her chair.
Maxie, right.Roxie fanned herself and glanced at the door.It really was too warm in here.“Should be soon.”
The billboard for The Ruckus had been important to them all.She remembered their escapade with all the laughing and screaming.She’d treasure those photographs forever.
“There she is,” Skeeter called from his post by the door.He was still keeping a watchful eye on Roux at the bar.“I see them walking down the sidewalk.”
It wasn’t but a few minutes later that Maxie and Zac walked in.Maxie gave a shiver and rubbed her arms.The fall-like weather was pressing inland.Her cheeks were rosy when she spotted them and waved.
Zac helped her with her jacket and pulled her close to warm her.She smiled up at him, so much in love it was clear to everybody in the room.His arm looped around her waist as they walked to the table.
“Hi, everyone,” he said as they passed the bar.
Roux turned slowly in his seat.Every fiber of his being was tense as he caught sight of Maxie, and Roxie went on alert.It was the Lexie thing all over again.
She signaled Skeeter, who was already moving towards the bar.
“Trouble?”Billy whispered into her ear.
“I don’t know.”
Maxie let out a squeal when she saw the two of them sitting together.She hurried over and enveloped them both in a hug.“I missed you so much.”
Roxie inhaled her sister’s fresh scent as she squeezed her back.“Thank you,” she whispered into her ear.
