Page 41 of My All American Girl

18

DEAN

“Someone’s been doing their research,” I said, my voice rougher than I intended. “My divorce is none of your business, Sarah. This bar—it was my dream long before I married my ex-wife. But it didn’t make sense to work here when we both wanted to live in Texas. Jude agreed to keep the place going, and I operated as a silent partner.”

“I didn’t mean to pry,” she murmured. It was the first time she had actually looked contrite. She was always balls to the wall and now she seemed the slightest bit apologetic.

I shook my head with frustration. “Why am I explaining any of this to you?”

She bit her lip. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have brought it up.”

“Sarah,” Kylee said and grabbed her arm. “Let’s dance.”

She was pulled away, ending the conversation that was about to turn adversarial like so many of our conversations always did. I watched Sarah’s friends pull her onto the makeshift dance floor they had made by pushing a couple of tables out of the way.

Watching them, I felt a sudden pang of loneliness. Sarah’s friends were laughing, twirling each other around, and generally making a spectacle of themselves. The jukebox in the corner was blaring out some pop song that all the girls seemed to know the words to. I found myself tapping my foot to the beat, then quickly stopped when I realized what I was doing. They were moving pretty well, which was a surprise given what I had put them through this morning. I supposed the alcohol was helping with that.

“Give me a hand,” Jude grunted. “Use all those muscles to bring a fresh keg up here.”

I rolled my eyes but started toward the back. “Sure thing, boss.”

I hefted a fresh keg from the cellar onto my shoulder and made my way back up the stairs. The laughter and music seemed louder. She was turning my bar into a party place. This was my sanctuary, my escape. Yet here she was, an intruder in my peace. I shouldn’t have to be forced to share air with her when I was off duty. Her domain was the dorms on base.

Setting the keg down behind the bar, I wiped the sweat off my forehead. “There you go.”

Jude chuckled, slapping my shoulder. “You’re getting old, Dean.”

“Old? You should see what I can do, even now.” I flexed my bicep for dramatic effect, causing Jude to laugh harder. “Your old ass couldn’t make it downstairs. You keep puffing on those cigarettes and you’re not going to be able to stand up.”

“Name the day,” he said. “I’ll run circles around you.”

Laughter erupted from the corner Sarah and her friends had taken over. Sarah and her friend, Kylee, were now dancing in a circle, arms raised high and smiles wide. Their infectious happiness annoyed me.

“So, what’s going on there?” Jude asked.

“What?”

“Shit, who are you trying to fool?” He chuckled. “I’m not blind. I’ve still got twenty-twenty vision. I see the way you look at her and I see the way she looked at you.”

“She’s Mo’s daughter,” I said.

“And?”

“And nothing,” I snapped, my gaze still firmly planted on Sarah. Irritation swelled within me. Why did her presence in my bar piss me off so much? “She’s young, she’s foolish. “

“And she’s your problem.” He laughed.

“Temporarily.”

Jude raised his glass of whiskey in a mock salute and drank it down. “Oh right, because age and wisdom have made you the very model of self-control and restraint?”

I scowled at him, crossing my arms over my chest. “You think this is all just a big joke, don’t you?”

“Nope,” Jude replied. “I just think you’re too damn stubborn to admit that there might be a little spark between you and the girl.”

I was about to retort when a shrill giggle made me whip my head around. Sarah was now up on one of the tables, dancing with reckless abandon, her friends clapping and cheering her on. She was a handful.

Despite my best efforts, I couldn’t tear my eyes away from her. She moved with a natural grace that drew everyone’s attention, her hips swaying to the beat, her hair spilling over her shoulders as she danced. Every man in the place was watching her. I felt a twinge of jealousy for no reason. She wasn’t mine. Not even a little bit.