She nods. “Do you want some help bringing it back?”
I shake my head. “You know, you might want to head back over to the table. You being nice to me like this is going to spark some suspicion. Usually, you aren’t this helpful,” I tease.
Shaking her head, she asks, “Do you want me to help or not?”
“I always want you,” I tell her.
“I—” but the rest of the words die on her lips.
The bartender picks that moment to come back. “Here are you pitchers, sweetie. I’ll add them to your tab.”
“Thanks,” I tell her, turning to face her. I push a couple of bills across the bar for her trouble. She picks them up and smiles at me before moving on to the next person looking for a beer. I turn my body slightly so that I can get off of the stool and attempt to grab all the drinks. I’m doing my best to pick up the pitchers along with my Scotch glass, when she sidles up beside me.
“Here, let me help you. There’s no way you can do that yourself,” she says, brushing against my chest.
My body immediately reacts to having her so close to me. I lean in and my head instinctively drops like I’m going to place a kiss on her neck.
“Don’t,” she says, her words cold and deliberate. “Please, not here.”
I just nod and hand her a pitcher of beer. “Thanks for the help.”
“You’re welcome,” she replies, her tone flat and even. No malice but no warmth in it either.
We make our way back to the table and I see that the only open spot is between Dex and Ash. Of course I would be lucky enough to get that spot. Fuck, this should be fun.
“Hey, guys. Here’s some beer,” I offer, placing my pitcher in the center as Hendrix does the same with the pitcher she carried.
I hear a round of hi’s and thank yous coming from around the table.
“Careful, Hen. Help him too much and he’ll start to think he’s welcome.” Ash delivers the line and looks in my direction. “He needs to remember that he’s not.”
“Ash,” Hendrix warns but doesn’t say anything else.
“Do you guys want some food or anything?” I’m trying to stop the looks that keep passing from me to Ash. I look around and see the only thing on the table is drinks. That can’t be good for the way they are feeling right now.
Around the table sit the sullen faces of Amelia, who can’t even play but is feeling the loss, Mac, Cassie and, of course, Hendrix. She is sitting on the other side of her brother out of my reach and out of my eye line. I hate that.
“Isn’t that sweet of you,” Ash says, glancing my way. “I can buy Hen’s and my dinners. Wouldn’t want you to think that she owes you anything.”
“What you are missing here, Ash, is that we’re a little family. We buy each other drinks and dinner. No one expects or owes anyone anything for it. We are like a family, and this is our time to sit here in this disappointment and make ourselves feel better,” Dex spits out. “August is just being nice. I realize you might not recognize the gesture but that’s what he’s doing.”
“Guys, please,” Jase begs.
I stay silent as I watch eyes darting around the table, like they are waiting for me to say something. To either defend myself or say that it’s okay that Ash continues to treat me like shit. But I’m not going to do that. Instead, I’m going to let him off the hook.
“It’s fine, Dex. You don’t need to defend me. Let him think what he wants of me,” I say, taking a sip of my Scotch. I can feel his eyes on me, but I refuse to look in his direction.
“You don’t get points for showing up late with the bare minimum,” Ash spits out. “Besides, I don’t work for you, you’re not my friend. I don’t have to be nice to you.”
“You sure don’t,” is all I say. There is nothing that can be gained from fighting with him. So, I take the high road and let him say whatever he wants to say about me. Nothing I say is going to make him respect me more or hate me less.
So, I go for silence.
“Maybe you could just cut August a little slack tonight. It’s been a rough night for the whole organization, so maybe back up a bit,” Danny adds, taking one of the pitchers and refilling everyone’s glasses.
“I know it’s a rough night for you all, but that doesn’t mean he gets a pass for being an ass,” Ash says, picking up his glass and taking swig. “Thanks,” he says, turning to Danny.
“Welcome,” Danny replies.
