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“Sure thing,” she said. “I’m here when you need me, baby.”
38
Hayley snatched up the receiver when the phone rang behind the bar.
“Squeaky Lion!”
“Hal? Baby, I’m coming back.”
It was Kevin. Her stomach clenched.
“No.” She kept her voice low and scanned the room for Nick. “I’m at work.”
He laughed. “That’s why I called the bar, babe. I’m coming to get you.”
“Kevin, you can’t just come back. You can’t do this at my job.”
“It’s all going to be okay. Talk soon. Love you!”
“Kevin!”
But he was gone. Hayley rooted around under the bar for a bucket, sure she was going to be sick.
He was coming back. He was coming here. But he wasn’t coming home. Kevin had said he was coming to get her, not his stuff, and that meant he would be walking into the bar anyminute now, expecting her to be okay because he was okay. Expecting her to leave with him. It would be a problem for her, for Nick, probably for the whole bar. She would be a problem, and why had she ever thought she could move on from Kevin so quickly and everything would be okay?
The bar was frustratingly bucket-free, and when she stood back up, Nick was returning to her.
“You okay?” he asked.
“Yeah.” She swallowed, grinned. Shewasokay because he was here, and why get him worried about Kevin ahead of time?
Nick put his arms on the bar. “I forgot to tell you. I had a date last night too.”
“Wow.” She feigned nonchalance. “What’re the odds?”
“Actually, I’m a pretty popular guy.”
“I hadn’t heard that.”
He was unfazed. “It’s been a little too long since I kissed her, though.”
Hayley put a cup of water in front of him. “That’s all I can do for you, champ. Patience is a virtue.”
“Oh, I’ll be fine,” he said cheerfully. “I’m actually worried about her—she’s probably pining for me right now.”
Hayley smirked. “How good do you think you are?”
He shrugged. “It’s just that our date got cut short last night.”
“That’s too bad.”
“And singing isn’t the most impressive thing I can do with my mouth.”
Hayley’s imagination clicked into high gear, and warmth built inside her as Nick grinned like the Cheshire cat.
“That was good.” She drained the cup of water and nearly choked on it as she started laughing. “Didn’t see that one coming.”
He winked at her. “I’m here all night.”
