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“It’s a thing,” he says, shrugging one shoulder. “One thing. Something that makes you smile.”
I press my lips together and stare at his hand over mine.I’m thankful you’re holding my hand right now.But I don’t say that. I look back up and his blue eyes, patient and eager, hold mine.
“I’m thankful I met you.” A wary smile curves into the corner of his mouth, tempting me with a flash of his dimples. It’s squishy and so close to the edge I swore I’d never go over. Too close.
Zach approaches at just that moment with chips and salsa.
“After all, if I’d never met you, Zach would’ve never started giving me VIP service.”
“Don’t say that so loud,” Zach hisses. “You’ll make the others feel bad that I’m not slipping them decaf too.”
“You’re what?”
Zeke snorts as Zach walks away without responding. I make a mental note to take this up with Sarah. I eat a chip while Zeke does the same. He’s so close, his arm is still around me. I can see the golden flecks in his blue eyes. I needed him and he came, and from the looks of it, he’s not leaving anytime soon.
“Well, Faye Ellen Benington, it’s your first day as a free woman. How are you going to spend it?”
I look longingly at the bottles on the table. He sighs and starts typing on his phone.
“Who are you texting?” I ask.
“I’m not letting you do this alone. We’re gonna need reinforcements.”
16
zeke
“What amI supposed to do now?” she asks.
She smooshes her cheek against her fist, making her look like a cute cartoon princess’s adorable sidekick. I frown at the large cocktail in front of her. The one that I keep swapping out for a glass of water. Caro is proving to be a nuisance.
“You can do whatever you want,” I say, motioning for Zach to bring another pitcher of water.
He shakes his head and gives me that look. The older brother look. The one that tells me he’s disappointed I haven’t taken her home yet. Still, he fills a pitcher and when Faye reaches for her drink again, I pull it from her reach and hand her a cold nacho. Not that she notices. She chews on it thoughtfully, mouth open.
She looks so sad, like she might cry over the state of the limp chip and cheese and chorizo she’s currently masticating. As opposed to the fact that she’s six sheets to the wind and it’s only one thirty on a Wednesday. Her mascara is smudged, her hair has slipped from her ponytail, and there’s a salsa stain on her shirt.
She looks beautiful. I smile to myself as Zach brings over a pitcher as well as a glass with a variety of citrus slices in it.
“Oooh, pretty!” She reaches for the glass and I pour water on top.
I mouth thank you to him and he nods, with a pinched look. Caro distracts him with some question that I’m sure is nothing but inappropriate. Judging by the way his eyes go wide, I think I’m on the dot.
“Do you think your brother would hire me?” Faye says, licking lime juice off her finger.
“I don’t know,” I say, forcing my gaze from her pink tongue between her fingers back to my beer. I don’t love the thought of her slinging cheap beer for day drinkers. Sure, Zach has made a career out of massaging the life back into dingy watering holes around town. But do I want those career alcoholics trying to look down her shirt? The thought puts me on edge.
But she’s serious. Her face is pinched in fear, and I can’t contain the laugh.
“Faye, you don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do.”
“But I need a job. I could make good tips here.”
She’s thoughtful as she stares at the room at large and tries to find the straw with her lips. She finds it by the side, using her little pink tongue to pull it into her mouth, and sucks, hollowing her cheeks. It sends a jolt straight to my dick and I try to covertly rearrange my jeans. Fuck, she could make a killing here.
“You can make good money doing something you enjoy too.”
“Oh god,” she groans, pressing her head into her hands. “I’m going to have to work at New Seasons or some other healthy grocery store, aren’t I?”
