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“Who are you looking for?” the hot bartender presses. “Maybe I can help.”
“His name is Milo. Milo Anders. Or Jake Jensen. Either of them will work, actually.”
As soon as their names roll off my tongue, a spark of recognition flashes in front of the bartender’s eyes that’s quickly followed by a quirked brow. “What do you want with them?”
“I’m sorry, is it normal bartender behavior to be so nosy?”
“Maybe. Depends on the day and if I’m serving a drinks anything girl or not.”
“Oh, so because I’m a little desperate for alcohol and have a vagina, you’re allowed to be nosy?”
He laughs, taken back by my bluntness. “Was it that rough day, Drinks Anything Girl?”
My expression sours before I nudge the empty shot glass a few inches toward him. “You could say that.”
“Wanna talk about it?” He raises a whiskey bottle into the air, then pours a generous amount into the tiny cup that’s ten sizes too small.
After throwing it back, I answer, “Oh, you know, just your usual sob story. Girl meets guy. Girl falls in love with guy. Girl ends up working for guy. Guy turns out to be a cheating rat bastard. Girl escapes to big brother. That kind of thing.”
Eyes widening, the surprised bartender looks me up and down. “Which means Milo or Jake is your older brother.”
I wave my finger through the air like a miniature celebratory flag. “Ding, ding, ding, we have a winner.”
“So you’re not sleeping with either of them?” he clarifies, his tone still laced with disbelief.
My face scrunches as I picture either of them touching me in a non-platonic way.
I shiver. “Why does everyone keep jumping to that conclusion?”
“Everyone?” he challenges.
“Hey! I need two rum and cokes please,” a voice orders behind me. I turn to see a pair of beautiful girls dressed in leather skirts and tank tops with sky high heels that make their legs go on for miles. Day-um. I am so underdressed.
“Yeah, they’ll be right up,” Hot Bartender answers them before lowering his voice and adding, “I’ll be right back.”
“Take your time.”
The band starts a new song and I watch the singer hum into the microphone before diving right into the first verse a few counts later. This one is an original, or at least I think it is. It’s soft and smooth with a haunting edge that makes me want to give the entire band a giant bear hug. Closing my eyes, I let the harmony wash over me and get lost in its lullaby while feeling more at home in a strange bar than I’ve felt in my apartment with Ian in a long time.
“Alright. Big brother it is,” the bartender announces, shaking me from my reverie while reminding me of our unfinished conversation. “The question is… which one fits the bill?”
“Ooo, I like this game.” Apparently, the alcohol’s making me way more intrigued in the current conversation than finding my asshole brother who has yet to make an appearance. I rest my elbows on the hard surface, and lean closer. “Guess.”
Tapping his forefinger against his cleft chin, he considers his options. “Well… you have virgin skin which immediately puts you in the Jake category, and you’re tiny as hell which would also put you in the Jake category.”
I chew the inside of my cheek to keep from cracking up and giving the answer away because he’s so freaking far off with his investigative skills.
Detective, you are not, sexy bartender.
With a look of triumph, the guy wags his finger at my face. “Aaaand there’s my answer.”
I pull back. “Excuse me?”
“The nervous tick.” He motions to me again. “Not only is it exactly like a certain tattoo artist I’m friends with, but the dimple etched into your cheek is a dead giveaway. Sorry, Drinks Anything Girl. But I
think you just handed me the key to crack the code without even knowing it. I’m Gibbs, by the way.”
“Reese,” I return, offering my hand across the bar top for him to take. His calloused grip is warm and strong. But there isn’t a zing that I’d initially expected. Probably because my asshole ex has ruined me for all healthy relationships, but what do I know? With our palms still touching, I dip my chin to a freshly inked skull tattoo along the back of his hand. “So, is that how you know my brother?”
