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Mitch Hebert scrutinized me, his gaze turning even colder.
I stood a little straighter and held my chin high, staring right back at him to let him know I wasn’t intimidated. “I’ll grab those drinks, Chief,” I said, turning and getting as far away from that table as I could.
Once I rounded the bar, I caught Remy’s attention. He was playing pool with Dylan and not so subtly keeping an eye on me. He raised a concerned brow, and I responded with a subtle nod and went back to pouring drinks. He was always checking on me. We didn’t talk about it much, but he had quit drinking, and I worried hanging around in a bar would be difficult for him, but he showed up time after time, sipping on water and watching me.
I inadvertently touched my lips, still reeling from our afternoon together. Every time I looked up, he was watching. His gaze unnerving and such a turn-on.
I had the rest of my shift ahead of me, but when I peeked over at him for what must have been the hundredth time and caught his hungry expression, I knew one thing—Remy had plans for me, and it was going to be a long night.
Chapter25
Remy
Iwasn’t the jealous type. Never had been. Even with Crystal. And with the way she flaunted things, maybe I should have been. Her skimpy outfits, her constant social media posts, her need for attention—I never thought twice about any of it.
I let her be herself, and then she cheated on me. Humiliated me and ruined my life. Wasted six good years.
Though six years was an exaggeration since I’d done her bidding for the first two before she even agreed to go out with me. And I’d wasted so many years before that, desperate for a chance with her.
In hindsight, it was obvious that by the time she’d gotten around to me, she had exhausted her options. She was just as stuck as I was. And I was a way to pass the time. A diversion. Something to do while she waited for her trust fund to kick in. All the while, her parents indulged her, never saying no and contributing to the creation of the monster she became.
The loss of that time was what hurt the most. Time I could have spent furthering my education or career. Opportunities lost because I was trying to be someone I wasn’t. Focusing so much energy on trying to please someone who didn’t really want me.
She had been so dismissive of my training and groused every time she traveled to competitions with me. On the rare occasion she actually went. Or complaining that I was no fun because I had to get up early to work out.
But things were different with Hazel. Maybe because we had grown up together and shared a familiar level of comfort. She had always been around, usually reading a book while Dylan and I built forts and ran around, making trouble.
I had always been protective of her, like any boy would be with a little sister.
Except she wasn’t my little sister. That was for sure. It would be easy to say I’d never thought of her in that way. Because at some point during my teen years, Hazel the annoying little sister in her brother’s old clothes turned into something else completely.
It was the summer before my senior year, and a group of us were at South Birch Lake, messing around on the beach and drinking beer someone’s older brother had bought us.
Hazel had come with Dylan, like she always did, and when she took off her T-shirt and exposed that purple bikini, every neck snapped. There was not a guy on the lake that day that didn’t notice.
She had always been a scrawny kid who wore clothes a few sizes too big. But in that bikini, she was a goddess. All curves and creamy skin.
After that moment, I had trouble keeping her in thesistercategory in my mind.
Regardless, she never dated. She was too busy with school to bother, I was sure, and Dylan would have lost his mind anyhow.
So I’d safely tucked away that desire and let Crystal consume my thoughts instead, keeping Hazel locked firmly in theoff-limitscategory.
But now, everything had changed.
Hazel was my wife.Wife. I could not stop saying it in my head. Or out loud, for that matter, every chance I got.
And we had kissed. It would have been a hell of a lot more than kissing if we hadn’t been interrupted by Clive the cock-blocking moose. Every time I looked at Dylan, I cringed. A friendly game of pool had become a minefield, the guilt overwhelming me every time he cracked a joke or smiled. He had come out tonight to keep me company. It was a lot easier to pass the time drinking water and eating salad when I had company.
He had always been a good friend. But these past few months, he had been there for me more than my actual siblings had. And here I was, hiding something major from him.
But this connection with Hazel was overwhelming. Our marriage had brought us closer and forced us to lean on one another. The competition last week had been a game changer. She showed up for me in a big way, more than any person, save my parents, had ever done.
When I was with her, I didn’t feel alone. I didn’t feel like an impostor or the idiot little brother who brought no real value to any aspect of life.
Tonight, I came to the Moose determined to be close to her while she worked. Dylan had kindly distracted me for a bit, but now it was late, and I sat alone at the bar, pretending to look at my phone. I wasn’t proud of it, but the guys I’d been playing pool with were long gone. Henri was with his family, and I wasn’t speaking to Paz. And no one knew where the hell Adele was spending her time these days. So it was just me. Drinking water and trying to control the sudden jealous urges I was experiencing.
Because Hazel in that tiny tank top and red lipstick? Tending bar surrounded by grizzled mountain men who looked at her like the most delicious snack at the candy store? She brought back feelings I’d stuff down years ago. Desires I’d spent my adult life channeling into other things.
