“Oh, surprise me,” Craig says. “I’m not picky.”
It’s one of my least favorite things customers do. I don’t want to surprise them, because what if what they like isn’t what I give them?
But I don’t push it.
“Anything for you, little sister?”
“Water, please.”
“She’s my designated driver.” Craig grins at her. “That was the deal if I came to this thing.”
“What thing?” I ask as I turn around, grabbing a pint of Neutral Zone since it’s our best seller, then a bottle of water for Izzy.
“Wedding planning.”
Wedding planning? Does that meanshe’llbe here too?
Fuck, fuck, fuck.
I can’t have her here. Not today. Not after last night.
I—
“Hey, you’re here already!”
The glass I’m holding slips right from my grasp. I scramble to catch it, the other pints on the counter clinking together in the chaos.
“You okay, Bubs?” Izzy asks, not missing the commotion.
“Mm-hmm,” I say over my shoulder.
I’m not ready to turn around. I know when I do, I’m going to seeher. The woman who I know is so fucking sweet. The one I can still taste on my lips.
Odette.
“Bubs.” Craig laughs. “Still not used to hearingtheNoah Stevens being calledbubs.”
“Better than being nicknamed after a dog.”
I turn around for the first time, and the blue in her eyes nearly knocks me on my ass.
And so does how nonchalant she appears. How unaffected she looks.
Where are the dark circles under her eyes? Or the apprehension in her gaze? Why does she look so goddamn beautiful when I’m a fucking wreck?
“Ready to get started?” she asks Craig and Izzy.
My sister claps excitedly. Craig, not so much.
He taps the bar twice. “Wish me luck, brother.”
“Good luck,” I tell him, but I can’t help but think back to my own wedding and the lack of involvement I had in planning it. I wish I could have helped more, but Chelsea wanted to take control.
That should have been a sure sign of what would come, but I ignored it.
They make their way through the taproom, and I pretend like I’m not watching Odette’s hips sway the whole way there.
She looks gorgeous today, but that’s no surprise. Her dark hair is curled expertly, hanging loose around her shoulders. She’s wearing a tight-as-hell black skirt. Add in the hot-pink heels she’s rocking, and fuck, she’s doing things to me she really shouldn’t be.
