AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Oh, boy. Having Craig date my cousin could be a disaster. Given Leo’s reaction to her presence here the other day, I didn’t want the drama.
He must’ve sensed my hesitation. “I realize the boss man was annoyed with her coming by, but he’s all bark, no bite. Hell of a good commander.”
“You served with him in the military?” Call me curious.
“Yeah, quite a few of us did. Transitioning out can be difficult, but he’s created a place for veterans to learn new skills and develop a new career.”
Damn, these bits of information kept cropping up, reminding me Leo had a soft side.
“You know, instead of giving me Malorie’s number since that might make her uncomfortable, how about you and she meet up with us on Friday night? We like to hang out at the Angry Rooster after work for a couple beers. Totally casual. The place is only a couple miles from here.”
I liked his alternate idea better and appreciated he’d given it as an option. He was so sweet, maybe just what Malorie needed. “Let me talk to her about Friday. No promises, but I’ll see what I can do.”
He grinned. “Thanks, Addy. You’re the best. Oh, and seriously, great coffee.”
Malorie quickly agreed to the offer to meet Craig and some of the other guys. Although I was tempted to beg off accompanying her to the Angry Rooster, I wanted to ensure she was on her best behavior with the people I worked with.
I met her in the parking lot of the bar. She’d changed from her spa uniform into a tight black dress.
“What’s the cute one’s name again?” she asked.
“Craig. He’s from Alabama.”
“Oh, yeah, his accent is adorable, and he has great arm porn. He’s nothing like your hot boss, but at least he isn’t an asshole.”
“Leo isn’t an asshole.” Why the hell was I defending him? He could in fact be the biggest asshole.
She lifted her perfectly microbladed brow. “He dismissed me.”
True, and she’d deserved it. But the real blow had been to her ego. Encountering a man who hadn’t fallen at her feet. “He’s a stickler for keeping business and personal separate. Like I told you, no more drop-ins, unless you want me doing the same to you.”
I enjoyed my job. In fact, the more I comprehended the business and the people working there, the more invested I was in keeping it.
She huffed. “I’d kill you if you made good on your threat to show up naked at my spa. So who else will be there tonight?”
“I’m not sure. Craig made it sound like a few of the guys liked to go there after work.”
She smiled. “Oh, good. I like options.”
I stopped at the doorway, facing her. “This isn’t a buffet. If you aren’t interested in Craig, then okay, but you aren’t pitting the guys against each other.”
She made an exaggerated pouting face. “Fine.”
I sighed, once again wondering if tonight would be a big mistake. Guess it was too late now as we were walking into the place.
The Angry Rooster was spacious and modern with flat screens showing different sports on every vertical surface. It was hopping and the tables full, but it didn’t take long to hear someone calling my name.
Craig came up smiling. He must’ve changed over at work and was now wearing a button-down shirt, dark wash jeans, and brown leather shoes. He really was adorable with his dimples and Southern charm.
“I’m so glad you came, Addy. Nice to see you again, Malorie.”
She flashed him a flirtatious smile. “Nice to see you again too, Craig.”
“We have a table if you ladies want to join us.” He led us through the bar to a big corner table full of guys.
Two chairs were brought from somewhere, allowing us a place to sit. My gaze roamed around the familiar faces, all of them supervisors, and finally landed on Leo. He held a beer to his mouth, looking—you guessed it—annoyed.
Craig made the intros and everyone said hello. “You all know Addy, and this is her cousin, Malorie.”
