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He went back inside, his heart thudding. “Well done, mate,” Tom said. “Whatever it was he did, I’m sure he deserved that.” Lucas nodded, then went back to the bar and drained his beer.
Colleen came back out. “Where’s Greg?” she said, frowning.
“He had to leave,” Lucas muttered.
Now granted, he knew that Colleen hadn’t been celibate for the past ten years (no matter how nice that would’ve been to imagine). But it didn’t mean he felt good, hearing that kind of shit.
“Lucas threw his ass out,” Gerard offered.
“Why?” Colleen asked.
“Because he was rude,” Lucas answered.
“I see. So he told you I slept with him?”
“I’d rather not discuss this in a bar.”
She sighed. “I own this bar, Spaniard. Try not to be too retro, okay? Sorry I wasn’t sitting home alone, knitting bandages for injured soldiers as I waited for you to come back to me.”
He gave her a hot look. She returned it, then went to the end of the bar to get someone a drink.
“Hi, Lucas.” Faith wriggled onto the stool next to him, Levi at her side. Probably a good thing Levi hadn’t been here five minutes ago, or Lucas might be on his way to the new holding cell at the police station. He took a breath and unclenched his jaw.
“The public safety building looks incredible,” Levi said. “Went up fast.”
Lucas nodded. The job had been easy compared to a fifty-seven-story skyscraper, and had gone without significant hiccups. As soon as the painters were done, the three emergency departments could start moving in.
“Hi, gorgeous!” Colleen said, leaning over the bar to kiss Faith. “How’s my godchild percolating in there?”
“So far, so good,” she said happily, and Levi touched her cheek.
Lucas remembered that feeling. The awe of having a baby on the way, the protectiveness over your woman.
The broken feeling in his chest when he saw Ellen, white and sobbing in the hospital.
He said a quick prayer that Faith and Levi wouldn’t know that sorrow. No one deserved that. And while he was at it, that Ellen and Steve’s twins would be healthy and hearty.
Colleen plopped his plate in front of him with a clatter, deliberate, he was sure. Probably another hearty dose of whatever evil hot sauce she’d used on his burger that time.
Then she reached over and messed up his hair. “Faith, have you ever seen hair as beautiful as this?” she asked, and just like that, she was done being mad.
“I’m partial to blonds myself,” Faith said. “But no, I haven’t. Unless it’s yours.”
“I’d ask you to stop sulking, Spaniard,” Colleen said, leaning down so he could get the full power of the view down her shirt, “but I think it’s kind of hot.”
He took a bite of the sandwich. It was excellent. No burning esophagus anywhere.
“Hey, bro!” Bryce stood in front of him, beaming. “Guess what! I got a job!” He offered his fist for a bump.
Lucas obliged. “Doing what?”
“Hi, Bryce,” Colleen said. “You want a beer?”
“Yeah! I’m celebrating! I’m employed.”
“That’s great,” she said, glancing down the busy bar as she pulled him an IPA. “What will you be doing?”
Bryce sat down and accepted his beer. “Menopause Boot Camp,” he announced proudly.
