Page 6 of Icy Pour

Rein it in, Johnny. He’s just a guy with a bar and a sexy smile.

“Like I said: I didn’t have anywhere else to be. Wanna know something funny?”

He narrows his brows.

“I got fired today.”

His jaw drops, and I stifle a snort. “What?”

“Yep. I was working at the auto plant down the road; they let about half of us go today, so I went for a walk and ended up here not knowing what I was going to do. And now, here it is after ten at night, and I feel more energized than I have in months.”

He tilts his head, his mouth agape, trying to find the words.

My blood heats. “Cat got your tongue?”

He snorts. “No. I…you got fired this morning, then you came here to have a drink and instead worked here all day, not even knowing if I was paying you anything?”

“Well…now that you mention it…” I tease as I take a sip of my drink.

“You know I’m good to pay you for today, right? And”—he runs his hand through his thick head of hair—“if you’re interested…I still need a bartender tomorrow. And the next day. And the one after that.”

I chuckle. “If you’ll have me, I’d love to come back. It’d be nice to not have to stand in line at the unemployment office tomorrow.”

“It’s settled then. We open at ten. Come by an hour early, and we’ll get all the paperwork sorted.”

“Will do,” I say with a shaky breath as I bite down on my smile.

We both take another sip before the silence hits. There’s something in the air here. The wood paneling on the walls, the brass railing along the bar, the Christmas lights hanging from the ceiling create such a sense of warmth, of home, for anyone who walks in the door. And that doesn’t even account for the smell of his goddamn intoxicating cologne that has me wanting to drink him in more than the lager in front of me. Something pulls deep in my gut, making me want to move into this bar and never leave.

Finally, he breaks the silence. “Can I ask you a question?”

“Shoot.”

“Were you being a smart-ass when you asked if I wanted to make money?”

I let out a roaring laugh. “No. I asked because you were overpouring those drinks for Bethany. Part of making money in a bar is not overpouring. You were giving her at least three ounces of vodka. Had you been serving like that all day, you would have lost money, and she probably would have left in an ambulance.”

He shakes his head with a sheepish smile. “So, it was an honest question?”

“Yes. Now, me laughing when you poured me that beer? That was me being a smart-ass.”

We both laugh this time, his smile hitting me straight where I don’t need it to hit—my fucking feelings. I still don’t know where he stands. If he’s like me. If he likes me. But…if nothing else, I’ll take the job and a friend.

“Well, I’d better head out. Starting a new job tomorrow and I don’t want to piss the boss off.”

“I heard he’s a big grump in the mornings, so probably best you get here on time,” he says with a laugh, walking me over to the door and unlocking it. “It was nice to meet you, Johnny. Be careful getting home, and I’ll see you in the morning.”

“Nice to meet you too. Be safe getting home yourself.”

“No need,” he says. I squint as he continues. “This bar came with an apartment upstairs. I’ll be in bed before you get to the end of the block. Goodnight.”

The breath leaves my lungs as I stand stunned, watching through the cold pane of glass as he locks the door and saunters through the bar. The thought of him having a bed mere feet from where I’m going to be working side by side next to him for god knows how long has me pushed tight against the zipper of my jeans.

This is just a job, Johnny. And now this is your employer you’re having dirty thoughts about. It’s a man you met hours ago who seems grumpy and stubborn and has the most fucking handsome face I’ve ever seen.

My shoulders slump as I sigh, my breath visible in the icy air. As attractive as I find this man, I don’t know if he feels the same. And I’ve lost enough in my life; I don’t need to lose anymore.

I realize that my car is still a way down the road from earlier today and, for once, I’m glad for another long walk.