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“Here, you look like you could use it more than me.”
I hated to see the pitying look he gave me. I was nobody’s victim. I’d done this to myself and I needed to fix it before it got out of hand. But Graham made it worse as he slid another Fizzy Flamingo in front of me, looking just as sympathetic as Reid.
“I stand by what I said,” he vowed, looking after Carson across the bar. “You definitely need new friends. But sometimes, you have to have patience with the dumb ones and give them extra leeway until they pull their head out of their ass and see what they’re missing.” He leaned over the bar and clapped my shoulder. “Hang in there, Ryan. You look like a patient guy. My nephew, he’s one of the dumb ones.” Graham winked, chuckling as he moved on to the next customer.
Spectacular! Now everyone knew I was a fool for Carson Carrick. I couldn’t help but wear my heart on my sleeve for all to see.
Why couldn’t Carson see it?
16
CARSON
“This event is goingto triple our liquor sales. I’m thinking we should do one every month!” Carly exclaimed, vibrating with enthusiasm.
As the guy in charge of our social events and sales figures, Shannon having given up long ago, Carlisle’s knack for planning successful money-making events for the Lounge and coordinating them to run smoothly were his main focus lately, leaving the bulk of waiting tables to me and a few other employees.
I was proud of my brother and glad he’d found his niche. Tonight, he’d planned a speed dating event, Cocktails and Crash Dates. At nine o’clock, the straight dating began and at ten-thirty, the same-sex edition would get started.
I served a lot of alcohol to nervous participants, some lucky enough to make a connection remaining after the event to linger in the lounge over dinner. My tips would easily cover my share of the rent this month.
At a quarter past ten, I was standing behind the bar drying a load of freshly washed glasses when Ryan walked in. He looked ridiculously hot in a tight black short-sleeved shirt that had a shine to it and tight cranberry jeans. When had he been arrested by the fashion police and given a makeover? Even his hair had undergone a transformation, looking messy and sexy and moussed. Dread pooled in my gut. Was he here for the event? I purposely hadn’t told him about it, trying to spare myself a night of heartburn and heartache.
Carly clapped my back. “Pick your mouth up off the floor. It’s dirty down there, much like your thoughts,” he teased, laughing at me.
I shook my head to clear the fog and swallowed, steeling myself for a miserable few hours. “Hey, Boytoy, what are you doing here?”
There was a slim chance he didn’t know about the event and was here by coincidence, in which case I could shove him out the door in the next fifteen minutes and avoid disaster.
Ryan blushed. “The speed dating event. I saw the announcement posted online. I thought it was odd you didn’t tell me about it. Did you forget?”
My heart raced as I debated lying. But when I met his gorgeous blue eyes, so trusting and honest, I couldn’t do it. “I didn’t think it was your kind of thing.”
“Dating? Isn’t that the whole point of our friendship?”
Anger flashed in my heart like fireworks. “Is it, Ryan? I thought we were friends, regardless of the fact that your dating life sucks.”
At least he had the decency to look contrite. “I’m sorry. Of course we are. What I meant was, isn't that why you’re helping me?”
I set down the bottle of liquor in my hand and reached across the bar top, taking his hand in mine. I gazed into his eyes.
“I’m helping you because I think you’re extraordinary. You deserve to find the best of the best. You shouldn’t settle for anyone or anything, Ryan Middleton.” I gestured to the tables that were already beginning to fill up. “These guys, they’re desperate. Bottom of the barrel. These guys aren’t in your league, Boytoy. They’re not even fit to lick your shoes. Trust me, you can do so much better.”
I felt the words pouring from my mouth unchecked, my eyes welling with moisture, my voice growing thick and hoarse. Fuck. I took a deep breath and squeezed his hand before letting go. “If you want to check it out, be my guest. Or you can save yourself a headache and leave now.”
Ryan laughed, his smile sunny and light. “I’ll take my chances.”
He sauntered over to an empty table and sat down. I poured him a stiff drink, a whiskey sour, and walked it over to him before retreating to the safety of the bar to spy on him. My brother announced the start of the event and rang a bell every five minutes, where the participants would switch to the seat on their left, like musical chairs. I could see Ryan wore his fake smile, the polite one he pasted on when speaking to servers, cashiers, and strangers. Not one of his forced laughs sounded genuine. It should have made me feel better, but I wouldn’t breathe a sigh of relief until he was headed home, alone.
Carlisle sidled up next to me. “You look awfully relieved in the face of your friend’s failure. You make a shitty dating coach. Remind me never to hire you.”
“I just want him to find the right guy. He deserves the best.”
“Maybe that’s why he’s still single. Because the best man for him hasn’t figured it out yet. Mama always said I was the smart one, and you were the pretty one.”
I frowned, not following his logic. “We look exactly alike.”
“Oh, then I guess I’m smartandpretty, and you’re just pretty.” Carlisle’s self-satisfied smirk made me want to wipe his face clean. With my hands.
