I really, really had to get my act together.
“Careful.” His hands lingered a heartbeat longer than necessary before he stepped back.
Five minutes later, I pivoted with a tray of drinks and nearly collided with his chest. “Are you fuckingkiddingme.”
Declan caught my elbow before it slammed into his gut. A quick laugh rolled out. “If you need me to move, all you have to do is ask.”
“I’m sorry.” My chin quivered, and I locked my jaw to stop the trembling. “I think I need a break.” I set the tray on the bar and walked away without looking back. We’d been doing this all week. I’d almost run into him. He’d make a joke. We’d laugh then go about her business.
My throat burned with the tears I’d been holding back all day. Tension coiled tighter and tighter as I turned away from the bar and retreated through the back door to the alley. Cold air blasted my face, cooling the heat in an instant. I took several deep breaths to calm down before I screamed.
Finn would be in soon. A bubble of happiness popped in my belly. Could I just hide out here all night? No one would care, and I could skip a night of Finn’s ridiculous flirting.
Except his flirting was the only thing keeping me sane even though I worried every time he winked at me. Enough. No more hiding.
I smoothed the apron over my jeans and patted my cheeks.
Laughter and the smell of beer and roasted peanuts washed over me when I crossed from the back hallway to the bar.
Finn strolled in, still wearing his uniform, and claimed his usual spot at the bar. Grinning, he laced his fingers together on top of the counter and leaned toward me. “Looking good today, Bree. New shirt?”
“I’ve had this shirt for three years.” I didn’t look down at the ratty, oversized black t-shirt with a giant green shamrock in the center.
Finn raised both eyebrows. “Well, it looks better on you than it did three years ago.” He dropped his gaze to my chest. “Much better.”
“Oh shut up. You don’t know that. You didn’t see me three years ago.” I flipped a towel in his direction as heat crawled up my neck. So much for my frigid break outside.
“Guess I’ll need to make up for that.” He winked. “What time you get off tonight?” The sultry way he enunciated the words “get off” went straight to my pussy.
“Late.” I poured his Guinness and slid it down the bar into his waiting hand. “Very late.”
“Shame. I had some ideas for how we could spend the evening.” He traced his finger through a bead of condensation running down the side of the mug and onto the bar.
My stomach clenched. “Finn.”
“I was going to suggest scrabble. I’m very good at coming up with new words.”
He was good at other things too, but I didn’t dare bring that up. I couldn’t call him on his shit with half the town watching our every interaction. Which he knew.
Even now, I felt their gazes. Mrs. O’Malley sat in the back corner with her friends, all four of them nursing the same drinks they’d had all night. They pretended to read and discuss their book, but they watched with eagle-eyed gazes.
Tom and his buddies sat across from the women, a card game spread out on the table. They glanced up every time I laughed with Declan. Finn made it so much harder to keep my composure.
They were looking for signs, evidence, some kind of proof that something was going on between us. Hell if I’d give them anything on purpose.
“I’ll be back.” I’d just taken a break, but I needed another one.
Declan didn’t question me. He never did.
I took off my apron and threw it on the counter behind me, grabbing a glass of water on my way past the ice pitcher. I didn’t stop until I reached the bathroom.
Ronan worked on the men’s room on the other side of the bar, far, far away from me.
I entered the bathroom, pushed the door shut, and propped myself up against it with my eyes closed. Get it together. How?
I washed and dried my face with icy water. Someone could walk in any minute, so I couldn’t fall apart. I had to get back out there and prove nothing was wrong.
The door creaked when I opened it. Finn stood across from me, his back against the wall and arms crossed.
