“Let’s skip it this time,” I reply. Sometimes it’s just easier to not deal with plates and forks when eating at the bar.
Mario taps on the computer screen. “Thirty-one sixteen.”
Handing over my card, I sign the slip when it’s given to me. Since he doesn’t add a delivery fee, I make sure to add a ten-dollar tip.
“Give me twenty, and I’ll have it over to you.”
“Sounds good, Mario. Appreciate it.”
“No problem,” he replies, ripping off the order slip and handing it off to the kitchen staff. “See you soon.”
I step outside, grateful the rain has let up to a light drizzle. Just as I approach the bar, I catch movement down the street. I don’t know what grabs my attention exactly, but I instantly realize it’s Allison and Oaklee. They exited the clinic and are hurrying down the block to the diner. Even though Oaklee has her head down, I’d recognize that long hair and curvy body anywhere. She’s in shapeless scrubs, but she might as well be wearing lingerie, because even in her daily medical outfit, she looks sexy as fuck.
Unfortunately, she disappears inside the diner. A wave of sadness washes over me, and I’m tempted to run over and cancel the pizza order and replace it with something from the diner. Or maybe I’ll go down and order a second option for us to have. You know, leftovers for later?
Realizing I’ve completely lost my mind over a woman I’ve seen exactly two times, I finish walking to the entrance of the bar and pull open the heavy door. The room is dimly lit, though it’s significantly brighter than it was before. Lizzie has done a number on this old place and transformed it without completely changing the vibe. It still has the old, classic feel, and I know a lot of people appreciate that.
“Hey,” Collin says when I step inside.
“Hi. Pizza will be here in twenty.”
“Mario’s delivering?” he asks, wiping down the bar top.
“Yep.”
“He’s been doing that for Lizzie and me any time we order. Pepsi?”
“Yeah, that’s fine,” I state, taking a seat at the end I usually gravitate toward. Of course, I have the pick of the bar, considering no one is here. Not that I expected the place to be packed or anything. He did just open it at noon.
“Where’s Lizard?” I ask once he sets my drink down in front of me.
“At lunch with the women. I was supposed to work this evening, and she this afternoon, but we switched so she could go meet Charli, Allison, and Oaklee at the diner. Then, I guess she and Charli are running to the bookstore.”
I snort and shake my head. “You say you’ve switched shifts, but I know you’ll be here all evening. You’ll leave when she leaves.”
He flashes a rare, easy smile. “That’s what you do when you’re in love.”
“I’ll take your word for it,” I mumble.
“One day, brother,” he practically sings, but to me, his comment doesn’t warrant a reply.
“So…Oaklee,” I start, knowing it’ll catch his attention. I’d love for him to share what he knows about her, which is probably less than what I do, but a guy can hope. I mean, his girlfriend has befriended her since she relocated to town, so maybe he’s heard some talk or something.
He levels me with a pointed, somewhat annoyed look. “Ask what you want to know.”
“Lizzie talk about her much?”
“Nope,” he replies right away. “As far as I know, today is the first time they’ve met up.”
I nod.
“Listen, this woman clearly got your attention. Ask her out,” my brother says, as if I hadn’t already thought of that.
“I did.”
He grins from ear to ear. “She turned you down?”
“Yes, because she’s seeing someone.”
