Page 38 of Code Violation

June nods her agreement, biting down on a breadstick.

“I think your main issue now is, how are you going to get out of your shift tomorrow night so you can witness June’s epic jumbotron interview and then head home with the Rogues captain for another night of bed sharing?” Drew remarks.

I roll my eyes at them both. “The pair of you are incorrigible—you know that?”

They don’t reply, waiting on me to say yes to tomorrow night.

I suppose I could call in sick and get away with it, I’m on the owner’s good side right now.

After a beat, I nod my acceptance and then hold up a finger before either of them can start getting carried away again. “I’m going on the proviso that you don’t mention Silas or even hint at us going home together. He’s my evil ex’s brother, and that’s a complication we both could do without.”

Again, no response from either of them.

I smile, satisfied that they got the message, loud and clear.

“And for the record,” I add for good measure and so there can be no confusion about my relationship status with the Rogues captain. “Nothing is going on between us.”

13

. . .

Vesper

I’m not usually a nervous person, but tonight, I’m crazy anxious.

Each time the door to the cocktail bar we’re in swings inward, I hold my breath and wait for Silas to enter.

Dressed in a Rogues jersey with no last name on the back, I’ve been standing at the bar, nursing the same martini for way too long.

“How does that martini compare to the ones you make?” Drew slides onto the stool next to me when she returns from the restroom.

I twist my lips around in thought. “I always make mine with a higher gin-to-dry-vermouth ratio, but this one really isn’t bad.”

She takes a sip of her Manhattan, her engagement ring sparkling brightly beneath the lighting. This girl deserves so much happiness, and I know she’s found it for life with Will. It’s hard to believe that they were friends their whole lives and didn’t realize that they were perfect for each other romantically until circumstances brought them closer together.

I guess that’s how life works, throwing curve balls at us when we least expect them.

“How’s the Manhattan?” I ask, knowing it couldn’t be as good as the ones I make for her.

She gazes pensively at her glass. “What if I told you that this was the best Manhattan I’d had in years? Maybe forever.”

I eye her suspiciously. “Then I’d be genuinely insulted and immediately demand a thorough explanation as to why this cocktail was better than mine.”

She throws her head back and laughs. This place is crowded tonight, which isn’t exactly surprising, given both the Scorpions and the Rogues played. I feel bad for calling out of work at the last minute, but also liberated for not letting guilt win out. I work my ass off at Riley’s, and I need a freaking break once in a while.

“No need to lose your mind, Ves.” Drew rests a palm on my shoulder. She has her hair pulled into a tight, low bun tonight, and combine that with her killer black dress, which hits mid-thigh, Will is going to be drooling the second he claps eyes on her. “The cocktail is a seven out of ten, at best. Yours are always pushing perfection.”

“Well, that’s good to kn—” I stop my sentence short when a hand I don’t recognize slides a pint of beer along the bar toward me.

“Mind if I join you?”

The mystery hand belongs to a dark-haired guy, dressed in a snappy black suit. He’s definitely a finance bro and really not my type. His over-styled hair and excessive use of gel is giving more try-hard vibes than it is alluring. He’s precisely the reason why I backed out of a job in the corporate world. That, and it would’ve taken me years to earn a decent wage since I didn’t go to college or know people in high places that could give me a head start.

I’m not built to sit at a desk for hours on end and that’s okay, I’m happy to serve guys like the one standing next to me once they’ve escaped their office confines.

I glance quickly at Drew and then up at the guy.

“I mean, you can if you know something about cocktails,” I reply.