Page 64 of Penalty Kick

“I do. I go in at four.”

“And until then?”

“No plans.”

“You have plans now. You are mine. All mine.”

I sure am…

CHAPTER NINETEEN

“For the last time, I am not stripping!” Link exclaimed, waving his hands in front of him, trying to signal the end of the conversation.

“Dude, all I’m saying is that it would earn us some serious tips,” Devlin continued, obviously not caring that Link had had enough. “I’m not saying you have to get all the way naked, just down to your skivvies.”

“Pretty sure all the way naked would violate health codes,” Talia offered, unable to hold back her laugh.

The two men had been going back and forth on the issue for most of the afternoon. When the hostess told them that she’d received a call-ahead reservation for a large bachelor party, asking if she should put them in the back room that was used for special events and private dining, the whole staff was floored. They’d hosted a few bachelorette parties since they opened, but this would be their first one celebrating a groom. Or in this case, grooms.

“Please no violating health codes,” Heather pleaded, walking out of her office. “Other than that, how you handle that party is fair game.”

“See! C’mon, just a little cheek.”

“Is that like just the tip?” Talia asked. Standing at the end of the bar, filling up the sodas Link’s table had just ordered, she looked around to make sure that there weren’t any customers nearby to hear the debate. They were still in the short lull before the normal dinner rush, but more than that, fans would soon start arriving to stake out their table to catch the game. Including her own date for the evening.

Link glared at her as the corner of her mouth tipped into a smile. His annoyance was clear, and Talia couldn’t blame him for it. Devlin was an instigator of the worst kind—which probably meant he was destined to succeed as a lawyer once he passed the bar—and the whole staff was used to it. Didn’t mean they enjoyed it when it was directed at them.

“Tell you what, I’ll handle every Tricky Licky they order if you give John and Phil just a peek of your ass,” Devlin said. How Devlin had gotten enough detail on the event to know the first names of the grooms, Talia didn’t know. Then again, there were some things she was just better off not knowing.

“Nope!”

Link grabbed the soda Talia pushed his way, walking away without another word. It wasn’t the end of the debate, just the end of this round. Talia knew there was no way Link would do it—not for all the tips or lack of Tricky Lickys in the world. She also knew Devlin wasn’t going to stop trying either.

“So, whatcha doin’ tonight?” Heather asked, leaning on the bar in front of Talia. The middle-aged woman was all smiles, letting Talia know she was up to something. Whatever it was, she was more than willing to help Heather out. As long as she didn’t ask about Dash. That was the one thing she wasn’t ready to spill the beans on.

“Delaney Stewart, Chance Walker’s fiancée, is meeting me here and we’re going to watch the game. Why?”

“I didn’t realize Chance was dating anyone, much less had gotten engaged.”

“I don’t know the whole story. When I met her back in April, she was a friend, and last weekend at the reception, she was his fiancée. I figured I’d find out more tonight.”

Avery had told Talia before she left for the trip to Portland to make sure she got all the good gossip, since none of the boys had been forthcoming. She’d been convinced there was more to the story than Chance was letting on. Talia, on the other hand, was just excited to be welcoming someone else into their group. Someone who wasn’t going to be traveling with the team every time there was an away game. It would be nice to have another friend her age.

“Think she would mind if you turned it into a working date?”

“I thought Marcy was coming in to work the bar with Axel tonight?”

“She is. But with the bachelor party here and it being game night, we’re gonna be slammed. I can already feel it. I would feel better if you were here so there’s an extra pair of hands. Food and drinks on me.”

Talia laughed. “Deal. Just mark that spot as reserved, will you? That way Delaney has a seat.”

Heather ran back to her office, reappearing a moment later with a little reserved sign, placing it in front of the stool. Talia laughed again, loving that Heather even had such a thing at the ready. It was just one of the many things that made Heather—and Bunz—special. Talia was so thankful that Felicity had gotten her hooked up here, with a boss that truly cared. Heather was the type of woman Talia wanted to be when she grew up—smart, strong, independent. The only thing Talia could think of that Heather was missing was someone who saw just how amazing she was and loved her for it.

OMG, when did I become the romantic?

“Heather conned you into staying, huh?” Axel asked over his shoulder.

“I was planning on staying anyway to watch the game, so now I just get paid for it.”