“It did. No issues.”
“And everything was locked up. Emilio said the kitchen ran smoothly. The register was balanced and the floors were cleaned.”
She was rambling, refusing to look at me.
“Lizzy.”
Tearing her gaze from her paperwork, she slowly looked up at me. But there were no tears in her eyes. In fact, she looked practically normal, aside from the smile that should have been on her face.
“Well, are you leaving or did you want to stick around?”
“I hadn’t decided yet.”
“Because if you want to stick around, you have a job. I mean, if you want it.”
The door swung open behind me and heavy boots hit the floor. Lizzy visibly stiffened in front of me, but if I had to guess, it was out of anticipation. When I turned around, I understood why.
Michael and Jeff, her brothers, stood there with scowls on their faces, and I had to assume the other was her third brother.
“Hey!” Lizzy said, forcing the cheer into her voice. “It’s awfully early for you guys to be up.”
But Michael wasn’t looking at Lizzy. His eyes were fixed on mine, and he looked like he wanted to kick my ass.
“Something I can help you with?” I asked.
“What the hell are you doing here?”
“Just helping Lizzy out.”
“That was last night,” he argued. “Your job is done. You can leave now.”
“Michael, stop being rude,” Lizzy chastised.
“You don’t even know this guy.”
Rolling her eyes, she stomped past me to her brothers. “You guys worry too much.” Wrapping her arms around her biggestbrother, she hugged him tight. “Good morning to you, too. Yes, I’m having a great day. Oh, that would be so nice of you to take me out to breakfast.”
Jeff snickered beside Michael, but Liam was watching me with cautious curiosity.
“Yeah, yeah. Fine. I’ll take you out to breakfast.”
“And JR also,” she added, grinning slightly.
I was about to tell her there was no way in hell I was going anywhere with her brothers, but Michael cut off my thoughts.
“He’s only passing through,” Michael scowled.
Lizzy looked back at me expectantly, and I sighed. “Actually, I’ll be working here for the time being.”
“See? He’s my new bartender. Now, be a good big brother and take us out to breakfast. I’m starving.”
“Why do I have to take him?” Michael grumbled.
“Because he’s new to town, and you should be nice to people. Geez, that time in the military made you a real brute.”
“You already knew that.”
“I expect this from Liam, but honestly, I would have thought Blake would have changed you for the better. Where’s your humor?”
