His shoulders sagged as he reached for it, and his lips quivered as tears filled his eyes. I was going to have to turn this around fast, or no woman in the world would dare come near him.
“Ladies, give me a minute.”
Ellie May gripped his hand in a tight squeeze before getting up from her stool and leaning in to whisper in my ear. “One drink is not going to be enough.”
Unfortunately, I was already well aware of that.
“I’ll be back in a few minutes.”
I appreciated the offer. Ellie May was one of the nicest people around town, despite what the gossips said.
“Alright, Sawyer, we need to change this, and fast. You cannot cry on the shoulder of every woman who sits beside you. You’ll never find anyone new that way.”
“I don’t want anyone new. I just want her.”
Slipping into the booth beside him, I wrapped my arm around him and pulled him close. “Oh, sweetie, I know you do, but she left.”
“It just sucks.”
“I know,” I sighed, leaning my head against his. “Will it make you feel better if I get drunk with you?”
“Maybe.”
For the first time, I saw the slightest hint of a smile, but it was forced at best.
“Come on. Let’s get plastered. We’ll get good and drunk, then sing and dance the night away.”
“And eat Cheerios in the morning?”
I grimaced at the thought, but for my brother, I would do almost anything. “Sure. We’ll eat Cheerios in the morning.”
I lifted my glass and clinked it against his. “To getting over Pearl.”
5
JR
Lights swirledaround the bar and people were shouting and singing along with the horrible music blaring through the speakers.
It was hell on earth.
How the hell I got myself roped into working tonight, I really didn’t know.
Well, that wasn’t entirely true. After hearing what Lizzy had to say, there was no way I was leaving her alone to deal with the crowd coming in tonight.
I just hadn’t realized it would be quite so hectic. When I first arrived in town, I never would have thought a bar could get this rowdy on a Saturday night. And yet, it was like every citizen stuffed their way inside to spend their night with every other person in town.
Didn’t they ever get tired of seeing each other?
“Whiskey!” someone shouted.
I filled a glass and slid it across the bar, snatching the money out of the manicured hand, only to be stopped when she gripped on tight instead of letting me go.
“Hey, handsome. What are you doing tonight?”
“Working,” I answered, leaving little room for misinterpretation.
“Maybe we can have some fun when you get off.”
