But even on low nights, things could go south fast.
It just took one asshole, one bad mood, and a few too many drinks to turn a calm night sideways. Our job was to make sure that didn’t happen.
When I made it over to Skid, he gave me a quick once-over and asked, “You good?”
“Been better.”
“He had a few too many. It happens.” He kept his eyes trained ahead as he added, “Don’t get in your head about it.”
Too late.
Things had been good. Davis had been working and staying out of trouble, and things between us had never been better. Skid might’ve been right. Maybe this was just a fluke, but my gut told me there was more going on.
I didn’t say that to Skid. Hell, I didn’t say anything at all.
I just nodded and went back to watching the floor.
Half an hour later, Lu wandered over. She was a cute girl. She hadn’t been there long, so the brightness in her eyes hadn’t dulled yet. It would happen eventually. It happened to all the girls, especially the late-night dancers like her. She stood next to me and relaxed her shoulders as she said, “Slow night.”
“Best kind,” Skid replied. “Gives us all a chance to reset.”
“True.” Her eyes skirted up to me. “You’re awfully quiet tonight.”
“Just got a lot on my mind.”
“Oh, that can be dangerous.”
“For all of us,” Skid teased.
“I’m sure it’s not that bad,” Lu replied, trying to have my back.
Her gaze lingered on me for a second. Not bold. Not pushy. Just sweet and maybe a little curious. There were undertones there if I wanted to read them.
I didn’t.
She was the kind of girl you could have a good time with without all the complications, and if my head was a bit clearer, I might’ve taken her up on that unspoken invitation.
But my mind wasn’t clear.
Not even close.
It was constantly bombarded with thoughts. Davis. The club.Her.
I know.
I was supposed to put all that behind me.
I didn’t.
I tried. I really had, but I couldn’t stop thinking about her. She was like a damn ghost, haunting me with the memory of her smile and the sound of her laugh. Yeah, I was fucked.
I needed a second, so I turned to Skid and said, “Going to check on Davis. I’ll be back in five.”
I didn’t wait for a response. I just turned and started down the hall. I wasn’t all that worried about Davis. He was a grown-assed man. He’d had his fair share of drunken nights and didn’t need babysitting. But he gave me the excuse I needed to move. When I got to the office, I eased the door open, letting the light from the hall trickle in, and my stomach dropped.
Davis was no longer on the sofa.
I stepped in further, making sure that he hadn’t rolled off and ended up on the floor, but there was no sign of him. Thinking he’d gone for another drink, I started out of the office but stopped when something in the storage room caught my attention.
