Chapter 10
Val
“That’s a lot of mozzarella sticks. Having a party?” I push ten full orders across the bar in plastic bags to Sophia.
“Kinda. It’s my turn to buy snacks for this book club thing I’m in. We meet up at Frozen Bones after it closes every couple of months. Most of the time it’s online.” She pushes me her card and sneaks one of the steaming cheese bites out of the top container.
“Oh ‘hit.” Her mouth is an “O” as she rapidly breathes in and out. “‘Ucking hot.” Waving her hand at her face, she gives me a guilty grin as she swallows. “It’s like lava. I shouldn’t have done that, now I have zero taste buds left.”
“The fact that you had to wait for the last ones to come out of the fryer wasn’t your first clue?” I shake my head with a grin and push the receipt back at her.
Resting my elbows on the edge, I lean closer and drop my voice. “So tell me, what kinda books?”
She mirrors me, our faces only inches apart. “Smut.” With a giggle, she grabs the handles of the bag and whirls around.
“Good girl,” I call after her as she leaves.
I’m still chuckling a few minutes later when the bell over the door chimes again, making me look up.
A tall cowboy with a dark beard wearing a dusty t-shirt and jeans glances around the empty room before sauntering up to one of the stools.
“Howdy partner. What can I get ya?” My smile isn’t forced with him, he’s pretty easy on the eyes.
But vaguely familiar.
“Fine.” He stares at the plastic covered menu for a moment. “I just need a burger and fries to go, please.”
“All the fixin’s?” I pause at the door of the kitchen.
“That’d be great,” he says quietly, then pulls out his phone.
When I drop the basket in the fryer and then the patty on the grill, it drowns out any other noise.
So it’s a surprise when Sawyer pushes into the kitchen.
“You’re early today. Got bored at home and missed me?” I flip the beef, watching him pull the pizza dough from the cooler to stage it on the prep table.
“I was almost late last week. Figured I’d make up for it.” He’s facing away, but I can see his shoulders rise in a shrug.
“You weren’t though.” I really don’t get him.
He still hasn’t asked for a dime, even though it’s been weeks. The only thing he takes in pay is the occasional pizza.
Maybe I need to just give Sophia free food?
“Your sister was just here a little while ago. Got a stack of food taller than her. How many people are in her book group?” I’m curious just how close they are.
Their personalities are like night and day.
Well, introvert and extrovert?
If I didn’t know better, there wouldn’t be a chance in hell I’d peg them for twins.
Again with the damn shrug.
“I dunno. She likes it though. Said there’s a ton in the chat group.” He turns with a crooked grin. “It surprised me that there were that many people who could read in Montana.”
He doesn’t show it often, but he has a wicked sense of humor.
I kinda wish he’d talk more.
“That’s hysterical.” Yanking the fries out of the hot grease, I get the rest of the plate ready. “Do you like to read too?" I know he’s into video games.
It’s all my brother has talked about for years. Their Call of Duty tournaments have been the focal point of their friendship.
“I know how.” He blinks those big blue eyes at me before he rolls them and looks back down. “I just don’t.”
“I do sometimes, when I get down time.” Pushing into the bar area, I deposit the styrofoam container in front of the customer.
He glances up from a wall of text on his phone.
“You too?” I wouldn’t have guessed.
“Huh?” The man’s brows raise as he tilts to fetch his wallet from his back pocket.
“Read. I guess there’s a book club here in town. Are you in it too?” I’d join a club that had guys like him in it.
But he shakes his head. “Might look into it though. I gotta lot more time on my hands now.”
“Yea?” I take his credit card and glance at the name.
Oliver Brookes. Brookes Excavation and Construction.
Now I know who he is.
He nods, following me on the other side of the counter to the cash register. “Got my divorce finalized.” His eyes wander to the table in the corner.
Oh shit. I remember. His wife, Paige, was hitting on Wade right in front of all of us.
It’s so hard not to laugh.
And now he’s permanently marked out of the “maybe” category and into the “no” side.
I don’t like guys with baggage. Especially fresh on the market ones.
They’re always wild.
“Well, congratulations.” Giving him a beaming smile, I hand him the receipt.
He snorts as he signs. “Yea, good riddance.”
After the bell rings marking his departure, Sawyer brings out a bin of sliced lemons and sets it on the ledge. “Was that Oliver?” He shakes his head. “Man, Sophia hates that guy.”
Unceremoniously, he dumps the fruit into the container.
“Yea? What for?” Now Oliver is really off the list if someone I know doesn’t like him.
Again with the shrug.
“Just said he’s an arrogant asshole. Thinks because he’s a big sponsor he owns the circuit.” Sawyer pulls open the two beer fridges below the bar and gives them a quick glance.
“I’ll go get the lemons and then restock these. There’s like…half a case of Coors left. Do you want one or two more up here?” He cocks his hip to lean against the worn brass edge of the counter, bouncing the empty metal bin against his knee.
“Um, let’s do two. Next weekend is Halloween, so through this week will be busier.” I squat down near him next to the fridge and push a couple of boxes over.
When I glance up, he’s shifted the stainless box in front of his waist to hold it with both hands.
Well, it is about eye level.
Does he not want me looking at his zipper?
Fuck, that almost makes me crack up, but I stand and step back.
I don’t need to make him uncomfortable. I think I already did that with the body shot.
And this would be the absolutely worst time to try and find someone new if he decides to quit on me.
Halloween is stressful enough.
Between the crowds and the memories of that night, I need his help.
We have a good working relationship. Hell, I like him more and more as I get to know him.
As he comes upstairs from the basement packing not just the two cases of beer, but also a full case of Jack Daniels, it’s hard not to be impressed.
“When did you get so strong?” I see his arms all day.
But when they’re all flexed like that and bulging?
Shit.
His wry smile doesn’t carry any humor. “I grew up on a ranch,” he says flatly.
“Don’t mind me if I appreciate the benefits.” I give him a wink as I head to the first table of customers.
I have to admit, he isn’t bad to look at either.