“One!”
“One and a half,” she answered quickly
“Two,” I said before realizing she wasn’t going to say three.
“Ha! One and a half, it is!”
But before I could even make her the drink, she danced away from the bar and met one of her friends on the dance floor, shaking her ass like she was in a nightclub instead of a bar in Western Montana.
But I made her the damn drink anyway, keeping it behind the bar for when she came back minutes later.
“Thanks, Tennessee!”
I grunted, turning away to avoid any further conversation with her. But there was no one left waiting for a drink. It was getting late, and the bar would be shutting down soon.
I hauled more glasses to the back and dropped them at the sink to be washed. Thankfully, that wasn’t part of my job tonight.
By the time one o’clock rolled around, my feet were aching and I was ready to hit the hay and get some shut-eye. I hadn’t bartended in years, and I wasn’t exactly thrilled that I’d taken it on for the night.
I did as Lizzy instructed me earlier, ringing the bell above the bar to signal last call. As I was taking the final orders of the night, I heard the most God-awful sound coming from the stage. Glancing over, I about shouted for whoever it was to shut the hell up, only to realize it was none other than my neighbor.
But to make it worse, the date—Sawyer, I think his name was—joined her up on stage.It’s Your Love.
I recognized the Tim McGraw and Faith Hill song instantly. Though I hardly thought it was appropriate for what appeared to be a first date.
Still, they seemed to be having the best time ever up on stage, even if I did think they both needed to be shot for attempting to sing.
Thankfully, it was the last song of the night, and whoever was managing the karaoke called out that it was time to head home. A round of groans filled the bar, and the sheriff was in the corner, directing traffic out the front door. Luckily, not everyone was wasted.
Josie came stumbling over with a grin on her face. “Wanna make me one more?”
“Not even a little.”
“Pretty please with sugar on top and a cherry in the middle?” she slurred.
“Does that actually work on anyone?”
She opened her mouth to answer, but her date came sidling up to her, slinging his arm around her neck. “Josie, wosie, will you take me home?”
Sighing, she fumbled for her keys, which I immediately snatched out of her hand.
“Hey!”
“You’re not driving.”
“Well, of course I’m not,” she giggled. “You have my keys!”
“Sit your ass down. Both of you.”
Pouring them water, I set a cup down in front of both of them. “Stay.”
“Yes, sir,” Josie said, her face contorted somewhere between serious and laughing as she saluted me.
My dick stirred behind my jeans, but I squashed the thought of her saluting me in the bedroom, reminding myself that if I fucked her, I’d have to find someplace else to stay, because there was no way in hell I’d look at that face every day and deal with her chipper attitude just because I had the bad sense to stick my dick in her.
The bar cleared out quickly, aside from Josie and her date, who were practically passed out on the bar. I cleaned up, stacking the chairs on the tables before sweeping. The cook came out and said he would finish up, giving me the all clear to leave.
But when I saw my neighbor snoring on the bar, I knew my work for the night was far from done.
