Page 14 of Hot Under the Collar

“Excuse me? I put in just as little effort as you did, so we’re even.” She threw her rag over her shoulder and left to make his old fashioned. When she returned, she lowered her voice. “So I hear you have a girlfriend. Sounds like our Leo’s all grown up.” Lynne glanced around the busy bar, over his shoulder and off toward the bathrooms. “Where is she?”

Leo felt a sting in his chest but forced a smile as he bit into his skewered cherry. “She’s driving back to Eastmoor. Had to work early tomorrow.”

“Bummer. I was kind of hoping to meet her, see what her drink is. It tells you a lot about a person, you know.”

“Oh really? What does an old fashioned say about me?”

She shot him a cocky grin. “That you have terrible taste, and your name is Leo March.”

“So accurate,” he teased. “Are you sure bartender is your calling? You might make more money with insult comedy.”

“Oh, shut up.” She smacked his arm playfully with her rag.

“Ouch.” He rubbed where she’d just hit him, feigning pain. “Or a dominatrix with that arm.”

“You wish, Leo. Don’t make me throw you out of the bar on your birthday.”

“You know, some people around here might pay good money to see that, too.”

That made Lynne snort, and when they were done laughing, they both turned to find Ruby gawking at them. One of her eyebrows was raised.

“I think she’s still annoyed about me disappearing during clean-up last Halloween. She’s been watching me like a hawk tonight.” Leo clocked how Lynne’s cheeks suddenly flushed beneath her pale freckles. She pretended the counter needed to be wiped again. Picked up his glass, set it back down. “So you two are pretty serious, huh? You and…?”

“Rebecca.”

He took a sip of his drink as he eyed her. What was he supposed to say? He didn’t owe her an explanation—and still, everything he wanted to say felt like a betrayal waiting to happen. Like, if they were so serious, why couldn’t Rebecca stay for his birthday? Why had he taken a whole week off work for hers a few months ago? And how, when they’d finally talked about moving in together, had it become an argument? Rebecca didn’t want to leave Eastmoor. She wanted him to uproot his life instead. And this was turning into a pattern—expecting more from him than she was willing to give.

But he decided it was best to just meet Lynne’s question where it landed. “Sure,” he told her. “It’s been about nine months.” He finished his drink and passed it back to her.

Lynne looked as if a weight had been lifted off her shoulders. “That’s great. I’m happy for you.” She was sincere. He could tell from the way her blue eyes squinted at the corners. “Wow. Leo March has a girlfriend.” She shook her head then went to make him another drink.

She could’ve been you, he thought, and immediately hated himself for how true it felt. If she’d been ready a year ago, there wouldn’t have been a Rebecca.

Lynne passed the old fashioned glass across the bar into his hand. “Well, I better go grab drinks for table 10 or Ruby’s going to eye-shame me again. Don’t leave without your maraschino cherries, okay? Nobody else wants that crap.”

He chuckled and watched her walk off. But then he was left alone at the bar for almost an hour. Dale swung by to wish him a happy birthday but kept things short. Then there was Mazzy, who jumped onto his lap a few times, making the rounds for table scraps and emotional check-ins. She always left him with a headbutt and a purr before sauntering off to the next person.

It brought him no comfort to notice that everyone Mazzy doted on tonight seemed like a loner. The quiet one in a group or some guy off to the side nursing a drink. The folks more concerned with the next jukebox selection than the fun happening around them. Was he really giving off that vibe?

He tried to keep his eyes off Lynne as she crisscrossed the floor, pub food and drinks in her hands, those tight black jeans hugging her curves in ways she probably didn’t even intend. And he tried not to do a double take when she wrapped her hair into a messy bun, skin glowing from the heat of her swift movements. He tried not to remember how the rest of her looked naked, how soft she’d felt everywhere he’d touched.

Whenever he caught himself thinking like that, he’d check his phone, thumb hovering where Rebecca’s name should’ve appeared by now. At any moment she would let him know she got home safe. Nothing new yet, though.

Then suddenly it was 11:45 p.m., and he felt like he’d outstayed his welcome. The bar would be closing soon. He typed out Just checking if you made it back home yet and slipped his phone into his coat.

Lynne reappeared at his side. “You okay? You look sad. Want me to get you some water?”

“No, I’m fine. Thanks. Really.”

She looked at him like she didn’t believe he was fine. “Oh, okay. I know what this is. Yes. I’ve got one for you, Leo.”

“One what?”

“A memory about your dad. To cheer you up. I didn’t forget.” She rested her elbows on the bar between them then braced her head against one hand. “Your dad didn’t really like cats, but he loved Mazzy,” she said.

As if on cue, Mazzy jumped onto Leo’s lap and tucked her forehead under his chin.

“Good girl,” Lynne cooed.