Her laughter was like a good balm. “A nap sounds good.”
“I’ll get in enough sleep. Plus, you don’t work tomorrow, so we can go to bed early tomorrow night.”
She nodded. “I’ve thought about asking to switch to the day shift, but I make more tips at night.”
He understood. Though he’d never worked in food service, he knew plenty of people who had. Getting good tips was important.
“You work when you need to. I think everything will turn out good in the end.”
“You’re a very optimistic man.”
Now it was his turn to laugh. He wasn’t sure optimistic would really describe him. He was practical. Willa was doing so much to make everything work out for her life. He believed in her. Maybe their relationship wouldn’t last, but he had a strong suspicion it would.
About midway through her shift,a group of men came into Aces, and they didn’t fit the vibe. They hadn’t been asked to leave, but if they kept up their antics, they would be told to get out soon. The table wasn’t hers, and she was thankful she didn’t have to deal with them.
She made her way around to another table to take an order when one of the jerks at the rowdy table reached out and grabbed her ass. She hadn’t meant to scream, but the guy’s hand on her butt surprised her.
Anger surged before she spun. She was ready to punch the guy or hit him with her drink tray. It wasn’t necessary. Four guys stood beside her, a few of them she recognized from earlier in the day.
“Don’t do that,” one of them said. She thought his name was Blink, but she wasn’t sure.
The man who’d slapped her ass was still laughing, but the laugh was dying off as he took in the guys standing up for her.
“What, are you all going to fuck her?”
“Dude, shut up,” another of her protectors said.
The jerk opened his mouth, but shut it quickly and took a step back. Willa glanced to her side, seeing that two of the guys looked ready to fight.
“Is there a problem?” The bartender had come out from behind the bar. Willa hoped this didn’t get her fired.
“No, no problem,” the SEALs all said.
The jerk shook his head. “No problem.”
The bartender didn’t look convinced. Willa could tell by the way his eyebrows pinched together that he was angry. “You all have been causing problems all night. Pay your tab and leave.”
“What?” The jerk’s fists clenched as he spun back to the bartender. Willa had seen Robert react that way just before he threw a punch. She shrank back, not wanting to get hit in the melee. The SEALs all straightened their shoulders, seeming togrow a few inches in the seconds that followed. The idiot’s gaze fell to the floor as he turned away.
“You should leave now,” Blink said.
Willa watched as the jerk moved away. She had little doubt Cy would hear about this. These were his buddies. She hoped he didn’t get angry. The last thing she wanted was to upset him. She knew Robert would hit her for causing a scene. Hopefully, Cy would take it in stride.
About fifteen minutes later, Cy showed up and moved to the table of SEALs who’d come to her rescue. She smiled and waved, but her stomach twisted with worry. He didn’t seem angry, but she didn’t know him well.
He’d been nice so far, but the fear of having him change was growing. She’d never lived with a guy who could keep his calm. Her dad had left long before she became a teenager, but she remembered the screaming and the fights.
Her worry grew as the crowd thinned out. Close to her shift ending, the manager called her over. She was expecting to get the boot, but she’d been praised.
“I’m glad you didn’t hit that guy. It could have turned out badly for you.”
She nodded. “I wanted to hit him, but only because I was so shocked.”
“Well, you held your own without beating the daylights out of him. I’m impressed. I’m glad he was kicked out, though. We don’t need guys like him in this bar.”
A laugh escaped her lips. “I think he learned his lesson.”
“Maybe not. He left a negative review. But someone commented under his review that he should keep his hands to himself.”
