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He stares at me for a brief second, waiting for his point to hit. “When she’s with you, and she’s willing tostaywith you, she’s ready to compromise a little more to make it work. Until you’rebothwilling to put your fears aside, you’re bound to fail. Stop fucking demanding her to love you the way you want her to.”
He gives me his back, moving back to the hidden bunk. He pauses as he reaches it, glancing over his shoulder. “You’re right. Someone in my empire has paid you, and your work here is finished. So get the fuck off my tour bus, photographer-man. I pay people to pretend to like me, but you obviously suck at the job.”
I bark out a laugh, standing to retrieve my bags. “There’s hope for you yet,” I mumble.
“If you need me to serenade your Henley with my soulful voice and mesmerizing eyes, let me know. Can’t promise she won’t fall in love with me, though.”
“Anyone ever tell you you’re a twat?” I raise my voice as I begin to descend the stairs.
26
HENLEY
AGE 26
I tastethe concoction I’ve spent the last hour perfecting. A personal twist on sours that needs a pinch more lime juice.
“Love to take you out for a drink.”
I look up, a slice of lime held loosely in my hand. “I work in a bar. If I wanted a drink, I’d just pour one.”
He laughs, the sound both flirtatious and frustrating.
“Come on, baby, don’t be like that.”
I frown. “I’m not your baby.”
Hands held up in surrender, he blinks in apology. “Didn’t mean to overstep. You’re cute as fuck, can’t blame a guy for trying.”
He’s genuine in his words, and I sigh. “I don’t mean to be rude. It comes naturally. I’m just not interested in starting anything right now.”
The corners of his lips pull up, and if I wasn’t hell-bent on rejecting him, maybe I could appreciate the handsomeness in his face.
“Why’re you buggin’? I wasn’t promising marriage. Just wanted to talk to you.”
He elongates theAin talk, theLdropped away in replace of a W. He’s born and bred in the city that never sleeps.
Just wanted to talk to you.
That’s why I joined that stupid app. To put myself out there. I may have had zero intention of actually following through, but a gorgeous stranger has landed in my lap. More, my bar.
He’s cute. Long blond hair lying messily over his shoulders, eyes somewhere between a green and brown. Not quite hazel, but not definitive in their coloring. He has a nice smile, one that stretches the expanse of his face, thick and healthy smile lines carved into his clean-shaven jawline.
“What’s your name?”
“Harry.”
Twisting the lime in my hand, I watch him, his full grin moving into an awkward laugh. “Gonna tell me your name?”
“Henley.”
“Different.”
I shrug. “Harry, I’m gonna buy you a drink, and by buy you a drink, I’m gonna give you one on the house. Your reaction will determine if I give you another.”
A raise of his eyebrow challenges me, and I mirror the gesture, squeezing the lime into the glass I’d been mulling over before sliding it his way.
“What if I hate it?”
