“It was close. It was still small and when I drove through the towns looking for a job, it just felt like this was the one. It was the middle of winter the first time I came here, right when all the decorations and lights were up for the holidays. I just… fell in love.”
“And the Narwhals?” I questioned. “They seem to be a pretty prominent figure in this town.”
“They are,” he admitted, “but honestly? Most of them head into Chicago or one of the bigger cities when they want to celebrate rather than sticking around here. So, they’re actually pretty easy to avoid.”
“Good,” I said. “I’ll be spending too much time with them anyway.”
He pulled up in front of an older brick storefront that had a sign out front that was hand-painted.
“Keep an open mind,” he said again as we climbed out, beckoning me to follow.
Chapter
Four
Rylan
Roxie looked incredible tonight, and I was starting to question why I’d ever wanted to keep things platonic between us. I’d tried to cling to my defenses, but I swear they were falling from those first few days of texting and late-night calls.
Now that she was here, close enough to smell her scent… the last thing I wanted was to stay roommates.
My eyes slowly trailed over her in a way that was anything but platonic. Her dark jeans were the perfect fit, hugging her ass, the black lace top showcasing her perfect tits.
Dark, intricate tattoos wound up her arms with small bursts of red. Daggers, vines, dragons, it was like a dark fantasy scene brought to life.
I was never into the ‘soft and sweet’ types. My ex was a testament to that. But Roxie? She was different. She wasn’t just rough around the edges. Her black lipstick and perfect, curvy hips meant she would absolutely ruin me, and I would probably thank her for it.
“This place looks interesting,” she offered as I led her up the front steps.
‘Interesting’ wasn’t exactly the word I’d use to describe Mac’s Pub. ‘Grungy hole-in-the-wall’ definitely fit, though.
“Like I said, keep an open mind,” I reminded her, not giving too much away. I knew once she tasted Mac’s cooking, it would be over for her, just like it had been for me.
Rock music played just loud enough to drown out the other patrons but not make it impossible to hear each other. I led her to my usual table. It was a bit off the beaten path, and that was always better for me. I liked my privacy.
“Rylan, my boy!” Mac called out when he saw me. His voice cut through the place, sending every set of eyes right to us.
Mac was a beefy man in his sixties. He had a slight Irish lilt, but you could tell he’d been here long enough to lose most of his accent.
“And you brought me a new customer today,” he said with a big grin, arms spread wide.
“This is Roxie, my new roommate. How could I not bring her to the best food in town?”
“Oh? Roommate? Sure…” he said, giving me an over-the-top wink that had Roxie cracking up next to me.
Her laugh was incredible.
“For now,” Roxie countered, playing it up right back.
That had Mac cackling like an old witch.
“Remind me to stop coming here,” I grumbled.
Mac, the traitor that he was, only laughed harder. “You’d starve yourself to death if you didn’t eat here. You’ve been in every day since you moved to North Crossing. My pretty face is just a bonus.”
I couldn’t argue with that. I’d been to Mac’s more than I ate at home. I came from a big family. It was hard to get used to eating alone after rowdy family dinners. In some twisted way,Mac reminded me a bit of my family. He was just as loud and boisterous, blunt in a way that made you feel like family.
“I’ll send Cara your way very soon,” he promised. “She’ll get y’all set up. But can I get you started with something from the kitchen?”
