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For all the feelingsKatrina expected to assault her once she saw Lorenzo, longing was not one of them.
Yet there she stood after Martin had let them in, her eyes settling on Lorenzo, the urge to walk up and kiss him. Not the hello kind of kiss, either; she wanted the kind that let him know what seeing him behind the bar in a white button-down shirt, untucked, and jeans that hugged him just right without being too tight did to her. His hair was tousled and he still had scruff on his face that showed her he hadn’t shaved. She wanted the feel of it beneath her hands as her lips covered his, and the realization had her pulse racing.
“Doesn’t it look amazing in here?” Judith’s voice reverberated perfectly in the open room with its black tables and chairs with red accents on each. The lighting had been changed just so, leaving the room just the right level where people could be seen, but still dark enough to keep the mystery, the allure. It wasn’t super fancy, still had the feeling of a small bar where one could go to forget their troubles if only for a little while.
There was a band setting up on the stage as Katrina turned from it and approached the long wooden bar that had been polished up since her last visit. Lorenzo looked up from the glass that he was wiping down and grinned at her, his eyes filled with excitement. He pulled out a coaster with his new logo on it and set it on the bar in front of him. “What can I get for you?”
“I thought you weren’t opened yet.” Katrina had found her voice and somehow the courage to finish her walk up to the bar.
“For you, I’ll make an exception.”
“It looks great in here.” Katrina ran her hands along the bar. “This cleaned up nicely.”
“I couldn’t have it looking like hell with the way the rest of this place looks. You and Judith really brought out exactly what I’ve wanted.”
“I’ve only known about it since high school; I kinda had an idea.” She smiled up at him, willing her sadness away. “I only watched you sketch it out, listened to your vision. This isn’t Judith, or me. This is all you. Although between you and me, I wouldn’t tell Judith this isn’t her night. She dressed the part.”
“Martin!” they heard Judith call out. “Martin, dear, could I have a word?”
Lorenzo’s soft chuckle had Katrina returning her eyes to him, even as he watched the interaction between Judith and Martin, who’d said on more than one occasion that Judith was crazy.
“What did your lawyer say?”
“She thinks I’ve got a shot.” Lorenzo seemed unable to maintain eye contact as he said this. “A damn good one.”
“Hey.” Katrina reached across the bar, her hand resting on his, and she noticed the slight hitch in his breath so she pulled away. “You don’t have to be uncomfortable speaking about this with me.”
“Don’t I?” His dark eyes held her gaze now, searching, saddened when he found the answer hadn’t changed. “How about a beer?”
Oh, this was going to be a long night.
But she was ready for it.
“Beer me,” she agreed. “Judith’s our driver.”
“Cade!” Justin walked up, his arms stretched wide. “My man, you’ve done it! Now when do I get to tend bar?”
“As soon as you learn how,” Lorenzo replied as he placed Katrina’s beer in front of her.
“What do you serve here?”
“We keep it simple. No blender so nothing frozen. Our regulars are normally ordering shots and beer.”
“I can handle that.” Justin grinned at him. “You and me behind the bar, Trina here cookin’ the books.”
“Cooking books usually refers to something illegal,” Lorenzo said, one eyebrow raised. “You want a beer, man?”
“Fine, if I can’t serve, I may as well drink. Thanks,” Justin added as Lorenzo popped another bottle of beer open and handed it to him. “Judith swears up and down she recognizes this band, says she thinks Jase Warner is playing here tonight.”
Lorenzo only grinned, and Katrina’s mouth hung open. “The Jase Warner? Grammy nominated and all Jase Warner?”
“Don’t text that shit out, not yet” Lorenzo said to Justin, who had reached for his phone. “I want to see who comes out for the bar, you know? Not because of who’s playing.”
“How did you manage this?” Katrina asked.
“Martin knows his personal assistant, they grew up together. He called Jackie, who put in the word, who got me Jase Warner, a full-band show, three sets worth, for the price of their bar tab.”
