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“Meet any hot guys?” She bumps me with her hip as I lean against the counter and survey my space to see what needs to be done before the dinner rush.
I feel my face heating up as flashes of my time with Deacon run through my mind, leaving me with no plausible way to deny why I’m blushing. Other than to lie, of course.
“There was one at the bar. He bought me a drink and we danced to this band that was playing.”
“Oooh.” Lennon claps her hands together. “What’s his name? What’d he look like? Are you going to see him again?”
“Uh, Jason. He’s tall with dark hair, blue eyes. And he was passing through town, same as me, so I probably won’t see him again.” I rinse my hands and grab a lemon, slicing it so I can refill the garnish container. It gives me an excuse not to look at Lennon.
“That’s it? For years you’ve been grilling the rest of us for details about our love lives and all you’re going to give me is dark hair, blue eyes and I probably won’t see him again? You can’t get off the hook that easily.”
“What’s she on the hook for?” I glance up to see Cade taking a seat right in front of me, and a stoic Deacon taking the one next to him.Seriously? He couldn’t give me one night to get my bearings before having to face him?
“Nothing,” I blurt, casting a warning glare in Lennon’s direction.
“It’s all good. Cora and I talked to him and he’s going to play nice, aren’t you, Cade?” She gives him the same glare I was giving her.
“Yes.” He sighs heavily. “So, what’s the story?”
“Tiff met a cute boy on her girls’ weekend.” Lennon gives Cade a conspiratorial wink, and the knife I’m holding clatters to the floor.
“Lennon,” I hiss as Cade turns his concerned gaze on me. Deacon pales next to him.
“A cute boy, huh?” Cade crosses his arms in front of his chest, a silent command to elaborate.
“She’s making a bigger deal out of it than it was.” I bend to pick up the knife and toss it in the bin of dirty dishes to be washed later. “We went to a bar, a guy bought me a drink. End of story.”
“You shouldn’t let strange men buy you a drink.” Cade shakes his head at me as Lennon mouthsyou got thisand backs away to go do whatever will get her away from his scrutiny.Some friend.
“Sara knew the bartender, so it wasn’t a big deal. And it’s not like I shacked up with the guy.” Deacon picks that opportune moment to have a coughing fit, which puts him in the line of fire.
“Weren’t you stuck in Jefferson, too? Did you see this guy?” Cade asks his cousin, as if the idea of Deacon looking out for me didn’t give him heartburn only a few weeks ago.
“There’s more than one bar in Jefferson, what are the odds I’d be at the same one Tiff went to?” He thumps his chest to get his voice back to normal. “Besides, you made it clear earlier you didn’t trust me to be her babysitter, right before I told you she doesn’t need one.”
Up until that comment, I’d managed to avoid looking at the man whose bed I woke up in this morning. I should’ve avoided it completely.
He still hasn’t shaved, and the scruff on his jaw makes him look even more ruggedly sexy than usual. The navy beanie on his head causes his dark locks to curl slightly where they peek out from the hat, and his blue eyes look like the ocean.How am I going to look at this man every day and pretend he’s just another customer?
“I trust you more than some random bartender in a strange town.” Cade’s comment snaps me out of my ogling.
“So, it’s me you don’t trust then?” Two matching sets of deep blue eyes swing my direction, though Cade’s are the only ones I’m looking at.
“I didn’t say that.”
“You kind of did.”
“No, I didn’t. And I’m speaking from experience here. Guys can be shady as fuck. We say pretty much anything to get a woman in bed. I used to, and this one still does.” He smacks Deacon on the chest with the back of his hand, though he’s too focused on me to notice the scowl his cousin gives him.
“Please.” I roll my eyes. “Give me enough credit to know which guys are worth my time.”
“Lennon thinks that new cook is worth your time. Andrew, I think his name is.”
“What?” Deacon barks as my jaw drops halfway to the floor.
“I… She…” I stutter. “You know about that? And you haven’t killed him yet?”
Cade nonchalantly lifts a shoulder. “Lennon and Cora think he’s a good guy. I trust them.”
