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With not much time to kill before work starts, I grab a clean T-shirt and a pair of jeans out of the closet. In total, I only have seven sets of clothes. It makes for light traveling.

My phone vibrates in my pocket, and pulling the device out, I go into the app and see that a bird flapping against the window in the living room triggered the alarm.

As it flies away, my thoughts turn to Annie, and the day the pigeon scared the hell out of her.

I almost had a fucking heart attack when I heard her scream.

Stop!

Pushing the memory out of my thoughts, I walk to the bathroom and turn on the faucets in the shower. I go through my routine, not feeling the warm drops or enjoying the sweat being rinsed off my skin.

I loved feeling Annie’s hands on my chest, her tongue brushing against mine, her thighs pinning me between her legs.

Stop!

I have to condition myself to not think of her at all.

I’ve only known her for two months. Not long enough to form a real bond. It will be easy.

Once I’m done showering and dressed, I leave my apartment and take the route to the back entrance of the bar. Walking into the kitchen, I switch on all the fryers and appliances, hoping the bar will be packed so I can stay busy.

Harlan comes into the kitchen, and giving a chin lift with a wary look in his eyes, he says, “How’s it hanging?”

Not talking, I only return his chin lift. I open the freezer while he heads down to the basement, where the alcohol is kept.

When I set packs of food, sauce, and fries down on the counter, Miles comes in to say, “I’m running to the store to get some ribs. I want to taste if they’re any good before putting them on the menu.”

I nod, and as he leaves, the door swings open again, and Annie comes in.

My eyes snap to the counter in front of me, and I get to work.

“Harlan, do you need help down there?” she calls out.

“Nope. I’m okay,” he replies.

She doesn’t hang around like she used to or attempt to talk to me, but instead returns to the front.

Glancing up, I watch her through the window between the kitchen and the bar.

She doesn’t look bothered at all by what happened between us earlier.

I told her we couldn’t be together, and she just accepted it.

Why the fuck does that get to me?

I hear Harlan come up the stairs and move through the kitchen. The door swings as he leaves, and a few seconds later, he sets a crate down right in front of Annie, blocking her from my sight.

Stop!

Aggravated with myself, I roll my shoulders and get back to work.

I get the chicken wings ready, then head to the fryers to make sure the oil is warming up.

Suddenly, glass shatters, and I hear Harlan snap, “Shit, Annie! Are you okay?”

“It’s just a cut.”

“Fuck, that’s a lot of blood. Miles, where’s the first aid kit? Annie has a bad cut.”