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He sidles up to the bar and Nate glances over his shoulder. An alarmed expression gets thrown my way before he turns fully around and offers his hand. “Liam.”
Might as well get this over with.
I raise my hand in greeting. “Hey.”
Although Brinley favors her mom, I see now that she shares some physical characteristics with her dad. Like her eyes that are so transparent and give away their emotions. Brinley’s is usually shyness, embarrassment, or arousal. That last one is always hard for me to ignore. But currently, Liam’s eyes tell me he’s determined and definitely pissed off.
“Who’s your new hire?” Liam asks Nate.
Nate clears his throat. “This is Van Adler. Liam runs the tattoo parlor next door, Smokin’ Guns.”
I put out my hand and Liam surprises me by shaking it.
“Nice to meet you,” I say.
His handshake is stiff and strong and meant to intimidate. I’m not gonna lie, I’ve never met a woman’s dad in my entire life. Not that I’m sleeping with Brinley, but he’s here to warn me. Even Nate realizes that.
“Van is a div—”
“I have some friends who like your work,” I interrupt, and Nate gives me a quizzical expression.
Liam examines my arms. “Not you though? Where’d you get those done?”
I look at my own arms covered in tattoos. “Here and there. Mostly Anchorage.” I’m lying because they were all done in Kodiak, but saying that will be a dead giveaway for what I do.
He stares at them again and raises his gaze to mine, then makes a noise that says he doesn’t believe me. I know certain tattoo artists can do certain styles to perfection, but I never got one of Micah’s trademark styles. I’m thankful for that right now because Liam would know I’m lying.
“Mind if I have a word with your new hire?” Liam asks Nate.
“No one else for him to serve.” He opens his arms out wide.
“Can I get you something?” I ask.
“Beer. Tap. Light.”
I’m a little intimidated by this man because, from what I know of most fathers, they’re crazy when it comes to their little girls. Just because I haven’t ever come across one doesn’t mean I haven’t heard the stories. I give him his beer and he examines the head, his lips downturned, but he nods as if to say it’s okay, not stellar.
“My wife tells me you’re my daughter’s new roommate now, Van.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Don’t sir me. Liam is fine.”
I don’t say anything else.
“Tell me something about yourself.” He sips his beer, his legs widening, eyebrows raised.
“My name is Van Adler, I’m originally from California, but I haven’t been back there in a lot of years. Found my way up here to Alaska and fell in love with it.”
“And your dream is to be a bartender?”
I look over my shoulder at Nate, who’s shaking his head while trying to act busy. “Not my dream, but it gets me by.”
“Gets you by.” He scoffs. “Well, my daughter has been through hell and she sure as shit doesn’t need someone like you who’s only interested in getting in her pants as her roommate. She needs people she can trust who will have her back and keep her standing.”
They really do treat her with kid gloves. I think if I ever overstepped, Brinley would have no problem putting me in my place.
“I’m not going to sleep with your daughter if that’s what you’re afraid of, sir… er, Liam.”
