He snorts and runs his hand over his mouth.Hot. “That’s what I said.”
The dishwasher beeps, and I hold up a finger to Brandon and move over to let the steam out. One by one, I inspect the glasses to make sure they’ve been thoroughly cleaned and place them on the shelf behind me and the one in front of me that’s hidden under the bartop for quick access. I chop up some lemons and limes for the night crew and head down to the basement to get a few bottles of liquor, so they’re ready. When I cash out my last guests, I head back over to Brandon and see his furrowed brow while looking at his phone.
“You’ll get wrinkles if your face keeps that up,” I tell him as I wipe down the bar again.
His face smoothes out when he looks up at me.
“Much better,” I compliment and sit on the metal cooler, putting me closer to him. “Was that work?”
“No,” he says with a sigh. “Group chat with my brothers.”
“Is that weird?” I don’t elaborate with my question—there’s no need.
He shrugs and plays with the condensation on his water glass. “A little.”
I survey him in my own way. When you know how old someone is, they either look younger than their age or older than their birth age. Brandon is somewhere in the middle. But mostly, he looks tired. I’m sure I don’t look any better.
“Are you hungry?” I ask him, the need to spend time with him outside of my job is too great a temptation to resist.
“Don’t you have to close out? Or whatever it is you have to do?”
“Already done. Plus, you just have that water, so I’m free to leave whenever.”
“Yeah?” he asks and it’s the first time I’ve seen him perk up in the last week.
“Yeah. The other bartender just got here,” I tell him and slide off the cooler to clock out. “I’ll meet you outside?”
He nods, and I watch as he heads off toward the bathroom. I never thought I’d find a man in dark blue chinos and a white work shirt attractive. They represent too much of adulthood that I’ve come to resent. But what’s becoming common with Brandon is I’m finding a lot of things I didn’t think I liked, I like.
“He’s cute,” Joe, the other bartender, says when he comes to stand next to me.
“Yeah,” I sigh.
I see him out of my peripheral as he leans his back against the shelf and wipes his hands off on a dish towel.
“You sound wary.”
“It’s complicated,” I tell him slowly and turn to face him.
“So, uncomplicate it.”
“It’s—it’s a lot more complicated than trying to uncomplicate it.”
“Everybody here knows your history, kiddo. Knows the familial history,” he says pointedly with a raised brow and places his hand on my shoulder, giving it a squeeze. The Hayes Family had their pictures run on the local news and through the paper for weeks, and even though it’s been years since the accident, you don’t just forget one of their faces. “When it uncomplicates itself, and it will, know that all of us are on your side. We’re rooting for your happiness.”
“Thanks, Joe,” I whisper.
I stare blankly at the screen while thinking about what he said. While it’s true that one day, the murky history between our families will uncomplicate themselves, we’re still years and maybe centuries away from that. The sting of those losses and the missing pieces from our families will always be present. And no matter how you spell it out—Brandon and I will always be complicated.
We will always be forbidden.
I hurriedly drop my receipts and earnings in the drop box that’s outside of Hannah’s office and rush outside to meet Brandon. I see him sitting on the bench a few steps away from the entrance and quietly make my way over to him.
The butterflies I thought were long extinct in my body takes over when I reach him and I lean down to place a kiss on his cheek. “Hey, you.”
His head turns in my direction and I lean back so I’m not right in his face. “Hi. Are you ready?”
I heft my purse back up my shoulder and nod. My eyes follow his movements as he unfolds himself from the bench and covers the distance between us. His dark blue work pants encase toned looking legs and his crisp button down with the sleeves rolled up and a paisley patterned tie, really affirms that he is not who I would begin to fall for. But mymind doesn’t care and my pesky heart has only managed to beat around him.
