Get a grip, Dex. A beautiful woman serving at your bar means more business… but that thought does nothing to settle the tension sitting heavy in my chest.
Lexy turns and smiles at him. “Hello. What can I get you?”
She looks at all three of them, and their damned smiles grow.
“I’ll take care of them. You go make rounds. See if there are empty plates or glasses to take away.”
My voice comes out rough, and Lexy’s smile dies.
I didn’t mean to say it like that…
“Damn, Dex. I like your new waitress.”
I look at Carl. His blue eyes are still on Lexy when I smack my hand down on the bar in front of him, making him and his companions jump and look at me.
“What can I get you?” I ask, not nicely.
“Three beers.”
I nod and get to work.
When I come back to them, they’re looking behind me. I follow their gazes and see Lexy standing on a small step, trying to reach the whiskey on the top shelf, her jean-covered ass still very much on display.
“Can’t concentrate?”
I turn and find Ethan and Cas smirking at me.
“If it wasn’t for the fact that she’s practically homeless, I’d fire her,” I grumble as I wipe down the counter.
“Why would you do that? She looks like she’s doing a good job.” Cas studies me.
My damned older brother is always trying to analyze people, and it’s getting on my nerves.
“She’s too… I…” I let out a frustrated breath. “Customers keep looking and making comments.”
I start washing some glasses, scrubbing harder than necessary, the tension in my shoulders refusing to ease.
“That doesn’t sound like a problem.”
Ethan smirks, and Cas shakes his head.
“Did you say she’s homeless?”
Shit.
I didn’t mean to share that bit of information right now, but they’re nosy bastards and would have found out eventually.
“Found her sleeping in her car,” I grunt.
Ethan’s eyes widen. “In this weather?”
I nod.
“Found her after dinner the other night. She had a fucking fever.”
I swallow, jaw tightening as that same anger creeps back in, low and steady, at whoever hurt her and made her run, and at myself for treating her the way I did when she was already in a difficult situation.
“Where is she living now?”
