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“Ethan’s out there prowling around like a caged tiger.” Chloe made an exaggerated face. “I think someone’s a little nervous.”
“Myles is trying to calm him down, but I don’t think he’s having much luck.” Sarah’s eyes got misty and she pressed a hand to her face. “Is he doing okay, then? Myles?”
Eloise’s smile faltered for a moment, but she nodded. “I think so. He still goes out to her grave sometimes, but I think he’s doing better now.”
“We were worried about him.” Chloe reached for Sarah’s hand, a comforting and absentminded gesture as she spoke, and Eloise wondered if there was something more between them these days. It would explain Chloe’s attitude toward her all those years, her jealous need to be closer to Sarah than anyone else. Maybe they just hadn’t been ready to face it. If there was something there, they’d tell her when they were ready, but she was hopeful that they had found happiness.
“I’ve been worried about all of you,” Eloise admitted.
“Don’t worry about me,” Chloe said. “House arrest and probation aren’t so bad when the other options are death and prison.” They’d each gotten eight years of probation after their house arrest terms were up but after what had happened, Eloise was sure it must have seemed like a blessing. They’d also lost their jobs and had to give back all the money they’d stolen but they weren’t complaining about that, either.
“Look, I know we talked about all this but … You two went through a lot. I know you’re doing okay now but I still can’t help but worry at least a little bit.”
They had spent a lot of time in the days following Dylan’s arrest talking about what had happened and helping Eloise piece together the events that had led to Kim’s death and the near miss they had all experienced at the bar.
It had been hard for her to understand some things—like how Dylan had convinced them to get involved in this scheme of his to begin with—while others were simply surprising. Realizing Sarah had been the one to trash Kim’s office, for example. Chloe had slept with one of the security guards and convinced him to turn the cameras off in that part of the building. Eloise had been coming out of Kim’s office as Sarah had been going in. They had all been keeping secrets but they all kept the details of that particular day from the cops.
They had both cried when they’d told her about finding out what Dylan had done. The way he’d threatened Myles and abused Sarah. They’d been living in fear. Even worse than Eloise because they’d had no one to protect them and she’d had Ethan.
“Well, try not to worry today.” Sarah batted her eyes and flipped her hair before saying dramatically, “It’s your big night.”
She hugged them both awkwardly and then shooed them toward the door. “Go ask the very stressed looking blond guy with a beard to make you a drink. Maybe then he’ll stop pacing.”
“I doubt it, but we’ll try.”
Eloise had only just gotten them out of the kitchen when Jackson and David came in with their own congratulations and a huge bouquet of red lilies. She let them stay for a few minutes and look over her workstations until Jackson tried eating the ingredients and then she sent them out to wait with the others.
Once the doors were opened, she had no more time to think. Orders came in fast, and her mind narrowed its focus until the food in front of her was all that existed. It was hot and demanding work, but she’d designed her menu and her kitchen well. Her process was efficient and even with the excitement around reopening, she was able to keep up with the demand with only a little help from Myles as he pitched in wherever he was needed.
Before she knew it, hours had passed, and Ethan was leaning against the door frame with a glass of white wine. “That was the last order for the night. Myles just announced the kitchen was closed and we’ve only got another thirty minutes until the rest of the place closes down, too.”
“How did it go out there?” She took a quick drink of the wine to wet her dry throat but set it aside to reach for her bottle of water. There would be time for wine after she’d rehydrated and eaten her own dinner. “Any problems?”
“Not a single one.” He looked happier than she’d ever seen him. “Paula came by and had everyone out on the dance floor. Jackson was hustling everyone at the pool tables. Myles was running everywhere but mostly here and the bar and I think maybe even flirting with one of the customers. It was an incredible success.”
“You made this happen. This dream is for you and Myles. You’ve earned it.”
“I would never have made it this far without you.” He picked her up and spun her around until they were both dizzy, then kissed her senseless. “You were the one that gave me a reason to hope for something better.”
“I love you.” She beamed down at him, feeling bubbly and free, until he set her down again and kissed her.
“Not bad for an obnoxious neighbor, huh?”
“Hey, you absolutely were obnoxious. But,” she continued, when he started to argue, “I’d rather have you in my bed than as a neighbor any day.”
“Just in your bed?”
His smile was suddenly devilish, and a shiver ran over her. “Where else did you have in mind?”
“Let’s get everyone out of here and then I’ll show you.”
It took more than an hour to clear out all the customers, run through their new end-of-night routine, and pry Myles down off his adrenaline high enough to get him out the door, but Ethan spent all of it tormenting her.
He touched her at every opportunity, never missing a chance to let his fingers dance over the inside of her wrist or the curve of her hip. By the time they locked the door behind Myles and turned to each other, she was eager to get her hands on him in return.
She squealed in surprise when he tossed her over his shoulder and carted her from the doorway to one of the old pool tables he’d stored in the back.
“Did you put it back here just for this?”
“Hey, it’s a health code violation to fuck you in the bar’s kitchen and I don’t want to listen to Myles complain about us messing up the new ones.”
“You could take me home, you know?”
He grinned at her from the space between her legs and she knew she wasn’t fooling him. Her thighs were already trembling with anticipation and her voice was husky with want. There were no more secrets between them, and he knew exactly how much she enjoyed this.
“I could.” He bit into one thigh and then the other and laughed as she squirmed beneath his teeth. “But what’s the fun in that?”
