Chapter 19
CHAPTER
NINETEEN
Collin
The moment I walk through the door, my eyes seek her out. She’s behind the bar, pouring a draft beer, and laughing at something a customer says. Just seeing her brings out my own grin.
“Hey, Collin!” Burt hollers.
Throwing my hand up in a wave, I hold her gaze as I head toward her and round the end of the bar. “Hi.”
“Good afternoon,” she replies.
I slip my bag on the shelf and nod to Guy as he exits the walk-in cooler with cases of beer to restock the bar. “Let me help,” I offer, knowing he’s probably ready to finish the restock and get the hell out of here.
When his tasks are done, he bags up the trash, while I place a new bag in the can behind the bar. “I’ll take it on my way out.” Guy clears out the tip jar and shoves the cash in his pocket before clocking out on the sheet in the office.
I know a new sales system, complete with employee timeclock, is the next purchase Lizzie wants to make for the bar, but it was put on hold, choosing to refinish the floors and take care of other updates first. The old register still works fine, so she hasn’t been in too big of a rush to buy the new system.
“What time is your sister supposed to be here?” I ask after Guy takes off.
“Umm, between eight and eight thirty. Dad is going to text me when she is on her way. She’s leaving straight from the game, not even bothering to change out of her uniform. The only reason Dad is okay with her not going home to shower is because he wants her on the road while it’s still light.”
“I get it,” I reply, but before we can further the conversation, a new group of the post-work crowd stops by for a drink.
We’re pretty busy for the next three hours, and it takes both of us to keep up with the crowd.
Things have definitely picked up over the last few weeks, thanks to the changes she’s made.
And she’s created a lot of positive buzz already with the announcement of the first live band next Saturday.
Lizzie printed flyers and hung them around the bar and has been featuring a lot of that era of music on the jukebox tonight.
When the door opens once more, the younger version of Lizzie walks in with bright eyes and a wide smile. “I’m here!” she bellows, pulling everyone’s attention.
“Oh Lord,” Lizzie replies, shaking her head.
The two remaining regulars all turn to the bubbly blonde. “Little Lizard!” Gus hollers, offering a wide smile.
“Oh, I like that,” Emberlyn states, coming up to the two older men and giving fist bumps.
I glance over at Lizzie and spot her typing on her phone.
She mentioned last night, when I stopped by and escorted her to her apartment upstairs, her dad wanted her to let him know the second Emberlyn arrived.
I helped her make a few final touches up there before I let her show her appreciation for the massage.
She was on her knees, and every time I close my eyes, I see her.
It’s fucking glorious.
But now isn’t the time to pull up those mental visuals.
“Hi, Collin,” Emberlyn sings as she bounces up to the bar, bag slung over her shoulder.
“Hey, Em. Can I get you a drink?” I offer, drying off my hands from washing some of the glasses.
“No thanks.” When she spots her sister, she runs around the bar, drops her bag, and throws her arms around her shoulders. “I’ve missed you so much!”
“Same, Em. Same,” Lizzie whispers just loud enough I can hear over the noise.
“I can’t wait to get to work on the stuff we were talking about earlier. I brought my laptop so I can log into all your social media accounts and start making videos.”
Lizzie grins fondly. “Okay, but first up, run upstairs and shower.”
Emberlyn makes a face.
“You’re covered in dirt. Did you slide here?”
Her sister laughs. “No, but I did have two stolen bases, plus a slide home to score the final run of the game.”
“Of course you did.”
“Anyway, I guess I can run up and shower real quick and get into comfy clothes. But then I’ll be back down here,” Emberlyn states with a pointed look, as if daring her sister to tell her she has to stay in the apartment.
“Technically, you’re not supposed to be here after nine, but I suppose I can make an exception, since you’re family.”
“And practically an employee. You can pay me with those brownies from the diner. Oh, and iced coffees. I saw this cute little coffee joint at the end of the block.”
“My sister loves that place. It’s her favorite,” I interject into the conversation.
“Well, tell her to meet me in the morning for coffee. But not too early. It’s Saturday, and I need my beauty sleep.”
I nod, knowing Charli will be thrilled at the invite. Especially since she does nothing but sing Lizzie’s praises.
“We can see what time Charli goes to work tomorrow. Maybe she can meet us for coffee,” Lizzie says, her emerald eyes sparkling.
“Charli? Her name is Charli? I love it!”
“It’s short for Charlotte,” I tell her.
“Hey, I almost forgot. I have a surprise for you upstairs.”
“A surprise?” Emberlyn asks, her matching green eyes sparkling.
“You’ll know it when you see it. Go shower, and make sure the apartment door is locked when you’re inside,” Lizzie says before moving down the bar to fix a mixed drink.
Emberlyn squeals, grabs her bag, and takes off for the back hallway. She moves through the closed door to where the back entrance and stairs are located. About a minute later, Lizzie’s phone chimes with a text. She checks the screen and smiles, holding the phone up so I can see it.
Emberlyn
OMG! I love it!! My very own room!!
Lizzie found a great daybed after a quick stop to a thrift store yesterday, after her massage, and got it for a steal.
They even delivered it for her for a small fee.
So, while she worked, I volunteered to go to the big box store over in Stockton, a short fifteen-minute drive.
I picked up bedding she wanted and dinner, and then after she closed the bar, helped her wash everything and set it all up.
Of course, afterward, we got to the part where she thanked me for covering her massage, and I reciprocated because it’s the polite, gentlemanly thing to do.
I try to push that image and the taste of her on my tongue out of my head.
One, we’re at work, and we’ve been trying to toe the line at keeping things divided between professional and personal.
The other reason is simply because the last thing I need is to be spotted popping a woody behind the bar, and if there’s one thing I’ve learned about Lizzie, she’s completely boner-inducing.
I can’t help it. Just the sound of her voice, the slightest touch of her skin, the quickest glance her way has my body reacting in ways it hasn’t since I was a teenager and learning what that damn thing was for.
We stay busy, me working one side of the bar and Lizzie the other.
Her side always seems to back up quicker, thanks to the guys.
They line up at her end, getting as close to the gorgeous new woman in town.
Not that I blame them, but I don’t like the feeling that bubbles in my chest when I see them shooting their shot all night long.
“What’s wrong?” the woman I can’t stop thinking about asks as she comes over to grab the bottle of Jack Daniels from my hand.
“Nothing.”
Her eyebrow arches in question, but she doesn’t prod.
She just goes about her business, mixing the drink and taking it to the guy who is practically drooling on the bar top.
She laughs at something he says and takes his cash to the register.
When she tries to hand him his change, he leans forward and says something only she can here.
Lizzie smiles, but shakes her head no, triggering something that feels like happiness in my chest.
Did she just turn him down?
I return my focus to the customer in front of me, apologizing for the long delay in making her drink.
She offers me a flirty smile, and I can feel Lizzie’s eyes on me.
I take the tip dropped on the bar and slip it inside the jar.
Turning, I watch Lizzie grab a bottle of All American Crüe from the cooler, realizing it’s low and prompting my need to grab a cold case from the cooler.
Just as I slip inside and retrieve the case, I feel a hand on my back. I don’t need to worry about who’s touching me. I’d know her touch anywhere. “Everything all right?” I ask when I turn around.
Her answer is to kiss me.
Hard.
Her tongue dives into my mouth, tangling with my own in a fierce kiss.
It’s all tongues and heat, and that erection I was worried about is very much alive and well right now.
It’s begging to get close to her, to feel her, and I’m weak.
All I want to do is bend her over the stack of beer cases and remind her exactly how good we are together.
To show her those assholes out in the bar are nothing in comparison to what I offer.
To what we have.
“Don’t be jealous,” she whispers, finally breaking the kiss.
“I’m not,” I respond, the lie bitter on my tongue.
She smiles knowingly before adding, “You’re the only one I want in my bed.”
I shift the case to balance it on my right arm and adjust my dick in my jeans with my left. “How quickly can we make that happen again?”
She gives me a sad look. “Em is here until Sunday afternoon.”
I sigh. “Then either you’ll be in my bed that night or I’ll be in yours.”
A wicked smile spreads across her swollen lips. “Deal.”
“What are you two doing in here? The natives are getting restless!”
Lizzie jumps back and spins around, facing her sister. I strategically hold the case of beer in my hands in front of my crotch, so she’s not scarred for life. “Nothing! Grabbing beer,” Lizzie insists with too much force.
Emberlyn just grins. “Right…” she replies with a smirk, drawing out that word.