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Looks like I won’t be able to fire her anytime soon. A small piece of my soul dies just a little.
5
RILEY
I’ve been working at the bar for a month, and I’ve saved every cent I’ve been paid or tipped. I have a feeling that if things keep going at this rate, I’ll be able to afford my own place within a couple of months. While I love the job and the customers, I’m still unsure about working for Travis. You’d think that I would’ve proven myself to him by this point, but he’s still just as cold and distant as ever. It almost seems like he goes out of his way to make my day miserable.
Every day, he complains that I didn’t do this or that, but it’s all stuff that I didn’t know I was supposed to be doing. Things like marking in the order book when I notice we’re down to the last bottle of something or filling out checks for contracted work. I can’t shake the thought that he’s giving me such a hard time in hopes of making me quit. If I could afford to quit, I would’ve done it already, but I’m still here, so that should tell him something.
The funny thing is that when nobody is around and he thinks I’m not paying attention, I see the way he looks at me. He watches me work from afar, eyes darkening and jaw flexing. The moment I catch him staring, he quickly turns and walks away, not giving me time to ask questions. I’ve thought about all these things for the past month, and I think I’ve finally added it all up. Travis has a thing for me even though he doesn’t want to. He hates that he’s attracted to me, and he’s doing everything within his power to make me go away so he doesn’t have to fight the urges. Realizing this has opened my eyes, which is why I’ve decided to switch gears.
I’ve always had a crush on Travis, and he knows it. The only problem was that by the time I was old enough to act on those feelings, he was already with someone else, and well, our getting together wouldn’t have exactly been considered legal since I was underage while he was well into his twenties. Now, nothing is stopping us from taking what we want. And honestly, I’m willing to give it a go just so I can say that the one who got away didn’t go far. I know it can never amount to anything between us.
For one, I’m nowhere near ready to get into another relationship. I haven’t even started the divorce process with Ryan. And two, I don’t even know his relationship status. What happened with the woman he married? Did they split up? Is she still around? Are they separated and getting a divorce, or are they separated and trying to work out their problems? Are they even separated? Maybe he doesn’t wear his ring because he lost it. Not to mention, there are a million other reasons why men don’t wear their wedding rings.
“How are things? You like the job?” Evie asks as she sits across the bar from me and I stand, wiping down the coolers.
I shrug. “The job is good. The customers are great. Working for your brother though…” I wrinkle my nose, and she laughs.
“I get it. Trust me, I do.” She picks up her beer and takes a sip.
“Hey, can I ask you a question?”
“Of course.” She seems surprised that I’d even ask.
“Well, I remember that before I left, Travis was engaged. And I remember you talking about going to his wedding once I moved. So… what happened with that? Why don’t I ever see his wife? And why doesn’t he wear a ring?”
She takes a deep breath. “I don’t know what happened between them. He’s always refused to talk about it. But one day, completely out of the blue, she just left. Packed her things and took off.”
“Are they divorced?” I pull my brows together.
She shakes her head. “Nope. He doesn’t know where she is to serve her with papers.”
“Do they still talk?”
“Not to my knowledge. I know they talked soon after she left, but she wouldn’t tell him where she was, only that she had no plans of coming back. He took the ring off right then and hasn’t worn it since.”
I take in her words, suddenly understanding why he seems so lonely. But I have what I need: Travis is single, and that means I can move forward with my plans.
Later in the day, the bar is filled with our usual customers, and we’re all laughing and having fun. Travis comes in to work the night shift, and he doesn’t seem like he’s in a very good mood. The guys are all giving him a hard time, so I jump in for the fun of it as I count down my drawer. “You’re always in a bad mood. I think we all need to pitch in and buy you a date for the evening. Maybe if you get laid, you won’t be so grumpy all the time.”
The old men roar in laughter, but Travis doesn’t think it’s funny based on the look he gives me. He has one brow arched high, and his dark eyes are leveled on mine. I can read the look. It says: Don’t fuck with me. But I’m not afraid of his looks so instead of cowering, I offer him a smile.
“Honestly, I don’t know why you have such a hard time finding dates. I mean, you’re good-looking, you have a successful business, and when nobody is watching, you’re a nice guy. It must be that attitude of yours that chases them off.”
More laughter from the guys. Travis doesn’t like being the butt of the jokes, so he motions toward the door with his thumb as he moves to the register to sign in for the night. “Get out of here.”
I laugh and bump his hip with mine as I put cash into an envelope to make my deposit. “What’s the matter, Travis? Can’t take the heat?”
He looks over at me, eyes dark and serious. “I can take the heat,” he says quietly. “I’m just worried that if I start giving it back, you’ll run out of here crying, and I don’t want to hurt your feelings for fun. So, you better go while you’re ahead.”
I wet my lips, noticing his eyes falling to them. “Hit me with your best shot. I’ve handled much bigger men than you. I think I can take it.”
He smirks. “I’m a lot bigger than you’d think.”
My brows lift in surprise. “Is that right?”
He nods as he counts down the money in the drawer so he can start his shift.
