“Beau Devereaux?”
I blink a few times, even though I know my eyes aren’t playing tricks on me. Because seriously, what the fuck is Beau doing at Gabi’s bakery?
Beau… Gabi’s brother is named Beau… what are the fucking odds…
I’ve met Beau a handful of times at various events around the city. He and I, along with Linc and a lot of other athletes in Nashville, share an agent, so many times we’re found at the same charity functions or press events. We also both have endorsements from one of the top shoe companies in the world, so seeing Beau isn’t uncommon.
But seeing him at a bakery is.
“What the hell are you doing here after hours?” I ask in confusion as I finally get my wits about me. I mean, it is his bakery, but the timing still strikes me as odd.
“The better question is what the fuck are you doing here? And why are you wearing a fucking apron?”
Damn. I know we're both confused about the situation but his tone is so aggressive. Then again I’m still holding the rolling pin. Which is my only line of defense against the six-foot-three golfer who never misses arm day, can drive the ball three-hundred-and-fifty-yards routinely, and is looking at me right now like he could take me out with one punch.
And I might be a professional football player, but even I know in this instance, I don’t stand a chance. You don’t fuck with a brother who is looking at you like he knows you fucked his sister. Even with the rolling pin.
“I was helping Gabi out today. She was busy. Is that why you’re here?”
Beau doesn’t answer, instead starts slowly pacing in a circle around me like I’m his prey.
Am I prey? I’ve never been prey. I’ve never even been in a fight. I’m a lover, not a fighter.
“You know I didn't think of it when I saw the videos of you and my sister after Vegas,” he says slowly. “I was just glad my sister had a nice time with her friends.”
“They were great,” I say, trying to ease the tension. “Hannah. Shelby?—”
The way his head snaps toward me is enough to make me jump back. “I wasn’t done.”
“Apologies.” I sit down on the stool like I’m getting yelled at in the principal’s office. I mean, it’s not a far stretch considering Beau has about thirteen years on me.
“As I was saying, I’m glad she had fun. She deserves it. And if that included partying with some football guys, then so be it. I knew most of you. We’re all Nashville athletes. And for the most part, y’all are pretty good guys.”
“Thanks?” I say, though I don’t know if he’s referring to me in this instance based on his tone and glare.
“Then I saw the videos of you and her,” he continues, which is when I know I’m not in the good guy category. “Seeing my sister sing like that, it was a sight to see. Her fucking asshole ex was a piece of work and I hadn’t seen her that happy in a while.”
“For the record, I hate him too and I don’t know him,” I quickly say, feeling like I need as many brownie points as possible.
“Noted. But that doesn’t change the fact that I couldn’t help but notice how you were flirtin’ with her. How she was smilin’ at you. How you were lookin’ at her. You’d have to be blind to miss that.”
He’s not wrong. I have the videos and photos. One might be my screen background.
“And now… here you are in her kitchen. In my kitchen! Wearing an apron. And I know we don’t know each other well Gallagher, but I know that a man doesn’t come down and work at a bakery because he’s bored. Especially a guy with your kind of reputation.”
I hold up my hands in defense. “I get where you’re coming from. Or what you’re probably thinking. But Beau, I promise you, I have nothing but good?—”
“What in the hell is going on back here!”
Gabi comes storming through the kitchen, eyes big and purely focused on Beau. I’ve said from the first moment that I love this woman. But with her timing at this moment, I fuckingloveher.
“Beau? What are you doing here?”
I let out a breath, happy that I don’t think he’s going to kill me in front of his sister, and that I’m not the only one weirded out about why he’s here more than an hour after closing time without any notice.
“Me… I…” Beau is stumbling over the question, which probably has something to do with the daggers Gabi is staring into him. “I came in to get a few invoices. Why are you both here and why is Maddox my newest employee?”
“Maddox saved my day today,” she says with authority and I can’t help but puff out my chest a little bit at her words. “We were slammed all day today. If it wasn’t for him I don’t know how we would’ve made it.”
