Indy pulls back enough to swat his arm, but I don’t let her go.
I haven’t seen her all day, and I missed her.
“If I wanted to fuck him right this second, I’d just drag him into the back room,” Indy quips, tone sweet and syrupy.
Austin's mouth slams shut.
Declan barks out a laugh next to me, shaking his head.
Before Austin can think of a retort, Rosie sashays over to us, hips swaying, smile radiating confidence. “What can I get for you boys?”
She tips her head at me in greeting, and I return it. A silent exchange passes through us. As much as she hates losing her bar manager, she’s been nothing short of supportive of Indy’s decision.
“Oh damn,” Austin says louder than I’m sure he intends, openly checking her out.
Jensen coughs into his fist, shoulders shaking with laughter.
“She’s married,” Indy scolds, giving Austin a pointed look just as her husband appears behind her, arm snaking around her waist as he pulls Rosie back against his chest possessively.
Austin leans back in his chair, lifting his hands in surrender. “I didn’t say anything.”
When our drinks are ordered, Indy kisses me again, letting it linger this time, before she returns to the bar, determined to finish her shift even though Rosie told her to take the rest of the night off and enjoy our company.
I watch her serve the people seated in front of her, effortlessly gliding from patron to patron. She laughs with a customer, reaching forward to take their empty glass.
Our eyes meet for a second and she smiles, biting down on her lip in a way I know is meant just for me.
“What’s her plan after this?” Jensen asks, nursing his beer. His eyes scan the room, looking at nothing in particular, but he seems distracted—like there’s something weighing on his mind.
“She’s thinking about going back to school for nursing.”
“That’d be cool,” Austin replies, distracted now too.
Indy drifts from one end of the bar to the other, checking on everyone and bringing them fresh drinks. Every time she glances up, our eyes meet. I glance at my watch, counting down the hours until she’s off and back in my arms.
Two to go.
My chest squeezes. I love her so damn much it hurts. The realization isn’t new, but after years of loving her in secret, it feels like a dream to love her out loud.
Across the room, a burst of laughter cuts through the hum of the bar, capturing my attention, and not in a positive way.
A few seconds later, three women approach our table, the drinks in their hands half-empty. Confidence rolls off of them in waves, whether stemmed from the alcohol or a lifetime of attention is left to be determined.
Her friends spread out amongst us, one eyeing Jensen and the other Declan, but neither of them notices. Jensen’s engaged with Austin, clearly ignoring the woman at his side, and Declan simply shakes his head at the blonde by his.
But the brunette comes up tome.
“I didn’t know there were any handsome men left in Ridgewood,” she says in a sultry tone. She’s leaning a little too close to me, her perfume overpowering and wrong.
I don’t move a muscle.
Instead, I glance past her, staring directly at the woman I love, who’s gone dangerously still behind the bar, her eyes locked on mine.
“Sorry. I’m taken,” I say calmly, never breaking eye contact with Indy.
The brunette laughs in disbelief, like she’s never been told no before. “I think I would have read about it in the tabloids if you were taken, handsome.”
“So you know who we are?” Austin asks, eyes shining with amusement.
