Chapter 15
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Cade
“You seem…happy.”
I look up at my twin and narrow my eyes. “I’m always happy.”
He snorts and shakes his head. “If you say so.”
I take my cue stick and walk around the table before lining up my shot. After I tap the cue ball, sending it into the four, it sinks into the corner pocket.
“Everything went all right last night?” he asks from her perch on a stool as he waits his turn to shoot.
“Yep. No one lit their ass on fire, if that’s what you’re asking,” I say, trying to figure out my next shot. I don’t have a clear angle on the seven ball, and the two is being blocked by one of Collin’s.
“Always a good thing,” he agrees, taking a drink of his Coke.
A cackle of laughter pulls my attention to the bar, where Oaklee is chatting with Lizzie and a few of the regulars.
The football game is on the TV, but no one is paying any attention to it.
Burt and Larry are both listening to Oaklee’s story, hanging on every word, and laughing like it’s the funniest thing they’ve ever heard.
“I rest my case.”
I turn to my brother, who is giving a rare, wide smile. “What are you talking about?”
“You’re happy, and I think a blind elephant can see why. I rest my case.”
I pick the lesser of two evils when it comes to my shooting options and line it up. The ball bounces off the rail, not anywhere close to what I was trying to do. Standing up, I rest my hands on my stick and ask, “A blind elephant?”
He shrugs. “I don’t know, but I made my point.”
“You really didn’t. What you said makes no sense.”
“I speak the truth. Now, I heard she spent the night in your tent.”
I roll my eyes. “Camden or Charli?”
“Does it matter?” he asks, lining up his shot and easily sinking the thirteen.
“Yes. Camden I can pummel the next time I see him,” I say, watching as he moves into position for his next shot.
He chuckles before settling in and moving the stick with a fluid forward motion. “Make sure I’m there when you do. I’ll bring the popcorn.”
I flip him off and get comfortable, since he seems to be on a roll.
We finish out the game, and even though it would be Oaklee’s turn to play the winner—Collin—we both set our sticks down on the table and head to the bar.
My twin leads the way, clearly heading straight to his girlfriend behind the bar.
Since he also works here, no one teases him about being back there.
What they do tease him about is the kiss he plants on her lips in front of her customers and God.
“Gross! Lizzie, you just let any ol’ slob go back there and kiss you?” I belt out.
Collin doesn’t break stride on his kiss. He just lifts a finger, flipping me off. “I can’t believe you’re doing this in front of your customers,” I state.
They finally pull apart, and Lizzie looks a little shocked.
Her eyes are glazed over and her mouth is hanging open.
Something tells me, if they have it their way, she’ll need “help” with something in the storage room for about ten minutes and come back out looking awfully satisfied.
I mean, that’s what I’d do if the woman I loved was giving me the fuck me eyes right here in the middle of her business.
Patrons be damned.
“I got this, if you need a few minutes alone,” I state, indicating behind the bar and causing her to blush.
Lizzie quickly spins around and retrieves a fresh beer for Burt, even though he didn’t order one. “We’re good, Cade, thanks.” She opens the can and sets it in front of the customer.
“All right, the offer stands. You two need a minute in the back, I’m your guy.” And because I’m an asshole to my twin, I point at him and add, “I’m aware this guy only needs a minute, tops. We did used to share a room in high school.”
Again, he flips me off, making the regulars laugh.
I walk over to where Oaklee is sitting at the bar and take the empty seat to her left. “How’re you doing?”
“Good,” she replies, taking a few pieces of popcorn from the bowl in front of her and popping them into her mouth. “This place is pretty great,” she adds, speaking of the bar.
“It is. She’s made a lot of positive changes since she bought it earlier this year, and in turn has seen an increase in customers.” As if to punctuate my point, the door opens and a group of five guys comes in and heads for the bar. I recognize them all immediately.
They take a table in the middle, chairs facing one of the TVs to watch the game. Blake, a guy two years older than me in school, comes up to the front to order two buckets of beers. “Hey, Cade. How ya doing?”
“Not too bad, Blake. Work going well?” I ask, even though I don’t care. The guy’s a douche.
“Going great. You out at Wyatt’s last night?”
“Yep,” I say, my hand on the back of Oaklee’s chair and my eyes on the TV.
I see his eyes on us in my peripheral vision, and I know he’s zeroed in on Oaklee.
I can practically feel the wheels in his head spinning, trying to figure out who she is.
It usually doesn’t take too long before the gossip gets around and any new person is identified.
He’s probably heard about her, but if he’s smart, he’ll keep his mouth shut and move about his business.
“Hey, I’m Blake.”
Obviously, that’s not going to happen.
Oaklee turns and gives him a polite smile. “Oaklee Daniels.”
“Ahhh, the new nurse in town. I heard they had a pretty one working at the clinic,” he replies, giving her a big smile. I feel the pressure on my teeth as my jaw tightens. The last thing I want is this asshole hitting on Oaklee right in front of me. He’s liable to lose those pearly whites of his.
I’d gladly knock them out for him.
“Yep, I work at the clinic,” she confirms politely.
“Here ya go,” Lizzie states, setting the two buckets on the counter. “Want to start a tab?”
“Please,” Blake confirms, pulling his card from his wallet and handing it to Lizzie. He turns to me and asks, “Gone are the days where you just trust everyone, right?”
Clearly he’s referring to the fact the old owner used to just write down the tab on a piece of paper and total it at the end.
Now, Lizzie has a computer system that keeps track of those things, but she uses a card to hold it, so if someone slips out without paying, it’ll automatically charge the card on file.
Honestly, it’s a good thing, especially in light of the increase in business. Chuck’s Place wasn’t nearly as busy as The Tipsy Lizard, thanks to all the positive updates Lizzie’s made since she purchased the old bar. Now, she doesn’t have to worry about someone stiffing her when her back is turned.
Lizzie returns with his credit card. “All set. Let me know if you need anything else.”
I see the way his eyes light up, and he’s probably two seconds away from saying something inappropriate that’ll get his ass beat.
Collin walks over, behind the bar, and casually steps up beside Lizzie.
He doesn’t touch her or throw his arm over her shoulder, like he’s marking his territory, but just the sight of him standing there must be enough for Blake to keep his trap shut.
“Hey, Collin.” He nods his head in greeting and grabs the two buckets. He turns toward Oaklee and adds, “Welcome to Cooper Town, Oaklee. I’m sure I’ll see you around.”
Then, he takes his beers and walks over to the table behind us. “Fucker,” I mutter to myself, but I know they all hear me.
“He’s an asshole,” my brother adds.
Lizzie turns and gives him a smile. “I can handle assholes,” she says and goes up on her tiptoes and places a tender kiss to his cheek.
“I know you can, but that guy just…pisses me off. He’s entitled and thinks he’s better than everyone else,” Collin mutters.
“I briefly thought of asking about him for Allison, but he’s definitely full of himself,” Oaklee adds.
“Yeah, he’s single for a reason,” my brother states.
I take a drink from my cup and turn to Oaklee. “Wanna play another game?”
“Sure,” she replies, already spinning around on her stool.
I don’t say anything to my brother, even if it’s his turn to play. He won’t care. In fact, just a quick glance lets me know he has no intention of walking away from Lizzie right now. He wants to be where she is, and that jealousy slices through my chest once more.
I push that emotion aside and take Oaklee’s hand, walking with her toward the back wall where the pool table is located. In doing so, I pass Blake and his friends, and it takes everything I have in me not to aim a smug grin that way. Instead, I do a chin lift to the group and keep on walking.
I slide the quarters into the mechanism and release the balls. “I’ll rack,” she says, hip-checking me out of the way.
“My balls are yours,” I joke, heavy on the innuendo.
She giggles and places all fifteen balls in the rack. Once they’re arranged properly, she moves it to the point on the table and carefully removes the wooden triangle. “Have at it.”
I chalk the tip of my cue and take aim. When I hit the cue ball, it careens into the fifteen other balls on the table, sending them flying.
One of each falls into a pocket, giving me the option to choose what I want to play.
Since my next shot is an easy five ball in the side pocket, I settle on low numbers and take aim.
It falls easily, but I miss the next shot.
“Aww, poor baby,” Oaklee goads, making me smile.
I lean against the wall, enjoying the view of her playing. She walks around, surveying the table, and settles on an easy shot. When it falls, she does this little shimmy that makes my balls ache.
The ones between my legs, not on the table.
She’s positively the most spectacular woman I’ve ever laid eyes on.
She’s a vision.
“Oh yeah,” she sings, moving around the table for her next shot.
“Lucky shot,” I tease.
“Maybe, but five bucks says I still beat you.” She gives me a pointed look and waits for me to reply.
“Five bucks, huh? How about we make it more interesting, and we each get to pick our winnings.”
Her lips crack a smile. “Hmm, I get to pick what I win?”