I grab Douglass by her hips and back her up to the bar. “Who knew my woman was a pool hustler?”
When I try to kiss her, she blocks me. “If Mickey sees me making out with the patrons, I’ll get fired.”
“Patrons?” I tease, catching the plural she uses.
“Yep.” She folds her lips to stop her giggle, eyes bright.
It’s a damn good sight to see.
Starting in August, she won’t be working at all because she’ll be a full-time student at Rice. My meeting with the president and dean went well. Douglass gets to pursue her dreams, and Rice gets a new library and student wellness center. I haven’t told her yet. I want to wait for things to settle down before throwing another life-altering surprise at her. If she decides she doesn’t want to go, I’ll be fine with it. I don’t care what she does as long as she’s happy.
Grabbing the back of her neck, I pull her face close until our lips almost touch.
“Since you’re not working tonight, I don’t see a problem. Besides, I’m a third your boss, so if Mickey fires you, I’ll un-fire you. Mike will back me up.”
My lips tingle as sexual energy pulses between us like an exposed live wire. The room around us disappears until we are the only two people who exist. Douglass’s skin heats under my touch. My thumb traces the pulse point along the silky skin of her neck to her ear, and she goes liquid in my arms. I love how she responds to me, both innocent and seductive.
Unfortunately, the tension is broken when Mike pushes up to the bar, leans over it, and grabs a couple of waters from the ice chest stored on the other side.
“Damn. Watching you two is better than porn.” He pokes me with a chilled water bottle. “I’m stealing your lady. Chase wants his turn to break her winning streak.”
“I’ll be right there,” she tells him and faces Fallon. “I wanted to thank you again for what you did today. I don’t know how I’ll ever repay you.”
Amelia is currently sitting in county lockup, awaiting her bail hearing which is set for tomorrow morning. If I know Natalie, she’ll want to put up the money for it. However, I do know my older brother, which means I also know that Amelia’s bail will be denied. The Montgomerys have a lot of friends in high places… and low ones as well. Only time will tell if Amelia gets a plea deal or serves time for what she did. I’m hoping for the latter.
Fallon leans a hip on the bar stool located beside him and considers Douglass. Her cheeks shade a pretty pink as his ice-blue gaze scores into her. She lifts her chin, straightens her spine, and meets it head-on. He’s testing her, and she must have passed if the slight jut of his chin is any indication. My sweet, shy girl with the backbone and countenance made of iron.
“You already thanked me. And you don’t owe me a damn thing. You’re family,” he replies.
She hesitates briefly, then rushes forward and hugs him. “I won’t say thank you again, but you can’t stop me from thinking it.”
An honest smile spreads across his face, a rare sight to see from him.
When she lets go, he tells me, “I need to get going.”
“You just got here. Stick around for a day or two. Plenty of room at the house.”
He unwraps a stick of chewing gum and pops it in his mouth. “I got shit to do. No rest for the wicked.”
What he means is no rest for the broken-hearted. Fallon works himself to exhaustion to avoid the real reason he avoids sticking around in one place. Elizabeth. I hope one day he finds his happy-ever-after. His second chance. Fuck knows I didn’t deserve mine with Douglass, but she gave it to me regardless. Just proves that love really does conquer all.
Fallon gives me a back-slapping brotherly hug. “Call me if you need anything. Or—here’s a novel idea—pick up your fucking phone when I call you,” he says.
“You’re leaving?” Harper exclaims, walking over.
I take Douglass’s hand and pull her away to give them a moment alone to say their goodbyes. When Mike signals me from across the room, giving me a thumbs up, I pull Douglass toward the small stage.
“What are you doing?”
“Remember the three things you said you wanted to try but haven’t done yet?”
“Yes.”
“What were they again?” I know I’m being mean messing with her.
“Dance in the rain, which we’ve done. Run a 5K which we’re doing next month. And… hell no.” She digs in her heels and tries to tug her hand free the closer we get to the stage. “Jordan, no. I can’t.”
“You can.”
