In moments like these, Everett was thankful for the club’s dim lighting—Clarissa would never be able to tell the full extent of the way he blushed from head to foot. “No, definitely not.”
“Of course it wouldn’t be.” She pushed off the counter and shrugged. “What do I know? I’m just the bartender. It’s not like I’ve witnessed decades of young men in the throes of love right here at this very bar.”
Clarissa had him pinned. While she’d temporarily given up her position after her son, Alex, was born to better take care of him, her people-reading skills hadn’t diminished over time. She knew.
To give himself time to pull his thoughts together, Everett took a swig from his water bottle. Clarissa might have figured it out, but it wasn’t the end of the world. She didn’t know details. As long as it stayed that way, Everett would have nothing to worry about. When he and Caleb decided to be open about their relationship, they’d make an announcement together, and Everett knew that wouldn’t happen until they were happily settled with a third. After the conversation they’d had with Jayne earlier that night, there was a chance that would be sooner rather than later, but Everett didn’t want to pin his hopes on something that might never be. Everett was enamored, and he knew Caleb was, too, but it was too early to tell if those feelings would lead to something deeper. Hell, it was too early to know if Jayne even wanted them back.
“Anyway.” Clarissa combed her fingers through her hair and drew it back into a tight ponytail that sat high on her head. With her hair pulled back, her facial features were stunning. Age hadn’t touched Clarissa so much as it had enhanced her. The barely there crow’s feet in the corners of her eyes emphasized her laugh, and the few strands of white in her hair glistened when they caught the light from the LEDs lining the bar’s back shelf. Everett remembered how she’d been when he was little, always the first to laugh at a joke and ever eager to drop what she was doing to stack LEGO or judge the talent shows he and his cousins had put on to show off. The love she’d shown them back then and the laughter they’d shared was immortalized on her skin. No matter how old she got, she’d always be the same Clarissa at heart. “Like you said, it’s not such a big deal. If you’re inlove,” she wiggled an eyebrow, “then I’m sure you’ll tell me when the time is right. Until then, I’ll just have to speculate about who it could be. Or maybe I’ll poke at Caleb until he cracks and tells me who you’ve been bringing home.”
Oh, that’d go well. Everett could picture it now—Caleb, all smirk and snark, while he informed Clarissa that, yes, Everetthadbeen seeing someone. Who? Oh, some incredibly handsome young man. Maybe even the most attractive guy Caleb had ever seen. What was he like? Hilarious. The funniest motherfucker on the planet. Totally a great kisser, killer in bed, and, oh yeah, he cooks bacon like it’s nobody’s business.
And don’t forget how humble he is,Everett thought, internally rolling his eyes and withholding a laugh.
Typical Caleb. Everett had him down to a T.
“Caleb is a vault,” Everett countered.
Clarissa planted her hands on the bar and leaned forward. “I’m a vault-cracker.”
“Inside the vault of Caleb is another, smaller vault with ten levels of security, making it ten times more difficult to crack.”
Clarissa whistled low. “Wow, thatisintense. I’m not sure even I’d be able to get through that.” She shrugged. “I guess I’ll have to go back to the drawing board. I knew that you guys would have me beat.”
“You know, if you really wanted to know, you could—”
Bzzzt.
Everett stopped speaking abruptly, his hand darting up to push the talk button on his earpiece. “Hello?”
Bzzzt.
Everett winced. The static in his ear was followed by the shrill pitch of feedback. Was someone’s piece malfunctioning?
“The door,” Az, the doorman, gasped. Then, silence.
Everett was off the bar stool in a second and on his way for the stairs a heartbeat after.
“Do you want your water?” Clarissa shouted after him.
Everett looked over his shoulder, but didn’t stop. “Pitch it. By the time I’m done downstairs, I have a feeling I’ll need something stronger.”
* * *
Everett yanked backthe heavy soundproof door dividing the club from the foyer, ready for anything, but still wasn’t prepared for what he found on the other side. Az had come out from behind the counter he worked at and had thrown his full weight against the street-side door.
THUD.
The door bowed like it had been hit with a battering ram, and Az, who weighed a hundred pounds while wet, was thrown back by the impact. With a cry, he bolted back to the door and braced it again just in time for the process to repeat itself.
THUD.
“What the hell is going on?” Everett demanded as he rushed to help hold the door.
Az grunted. His voice sounded as strained as his body looked. “Some… some drunk guy who doesn’t understand the concept of members only.”
“Fuck.”
THUD.
