30. Lex
Chapter thirty
“Your admirer is back,” Cassie, one of the bartenders, says in my ear as she passes behind me.
My head snaps to the end of the bar where Caleb always sits. For the last two weeks, he’s come in for every shift I’ve had.
I know we’re just friends, but I can’t help the way my heart picks up every time I see him sitting over there. Watching as I work with a look on his face that says he’s perfectly content right where he is.
A few times, women have come up to him to flirt. Stunning women. But his eyes never leave mine, and he politely dismisses any conversation they try to strike up.
We’re both trying to give ourselves the space to explore our feelings without crossing lines.
I know that’s the smart thing to do. But that doesn’t stop us from flirting.
And flirting with Caleb is like a moth to a flame.
It’s fireflies dancing in the dark, when your eyes refuse to look anywhere else, because why would you?
When something so beautiful is commanding your attention. It’s hypnotic.
Over the last few years, I was scared to put myself out there in a relationship, and that was when I was dating regular guys. I’m not even dating Caleb, but he’s no regular guy. He makes my heart race more than anyone else I’ve been with. To be hurt by him would be catastrophic .
The fact that Legacy Malt’s success is tied so closely to him means I can’t risk anything physical with him again. I know I’d be powerless to resist if I were to entertain anything more than his hand on mine. Although when he held my pinky at Claire’s party the other week, my limbs still liquified.
I can’t help the nagging feeling that I’m missing something before I even have a chance to hold it close.
But I’m trying to remember that my brother is affected if this turns into more and then goes drastically wrong.
I don’t have a lot of confidence in myself to maintain that distance when he comes in with his shirt sleeves rolled up his toned forearms.
Definitely not when he calls me Siren.
I finish pouring a beer for the guy waiting in front of me, then wipe my hand on the towel that sits over my shoulder as I make my way over to Caleb.
“Hello, Siren.”
Are there heart bubbles floating out of my eyes right now?
“Hi.” I can feel my cheeks heat as the blush takes over. “Too early to lose the tie still?”
He looks down with a smirk at his silver tie, with what looks like rolling waves crafted through the stitching.
“How was your day?” I ask. Over the last few days we’ve fallen into a rhythm of sending good morning messages. Every morning, I wake up and there’s one waiting for me.
“Interesting,” he says.
“Yeah?” I step back to grab the bottle of Johnny Walker he always orders, pouring a drink and placing it before him. “Why’s that?”
He stares into the glass. “Had a luncheon today. Sat next to James Huxley.”
“And that was interesting?”
“He said he chatted to you about Legacy Malt developing a whiskey for High Rollers, the same way you’re doing for Gage.”
“Oh, that would be great! ”
I’ve had a few conversations with Mr Huxley about Legacy Malt. Since the night of the contract signing, he’s been checking in with the progress and asking me about Dylan and the tavern.
“He hasn’t spoken to you about this?”
“He’s asked me about the distillery and Jed’s, but he hasn’t said he wanted an exclusive. That would be cool,” I say, but Caleb’s face doesn’t quite match my enthusiasm. “Wouldn’t it?”
He smiles softly. “Of course. It would make sense with Smoke and Barrel being associated with the High Rollers.” He chuckles and shakes his head. “He made it sound like he’d already spoken to you about it, but he was just messing with me. I should have known.”
“I don’t get the animosity between you two.
” I lean my arms against the bar top. I don’t want to shout over the noise in the club, but I’m also finding that any time Caleb is near, my body brings itself closer.
Like a magnet, I’m drawn in. Unable to fight the pull, and not really interested in trying to resist.
Caleb takes a sip of his whiskey and licks his bottom lip to savour the taste of it.
My eyes follow the path, wanting to trace it with my own tongue and drink in the flavour straight from his lips.
When he looks back up at me, there’s a wariness in his gaze. “He thinks I stole his woman.”
“Oh.” A lump forms in my throat. Unwarranted jealousy mars my skin as I try to push away thoughts of Caleb with another woman.
“I didn’t,” he says, his warm hand covering mine.
“Anna’s father and mine were high school friends.
He always joked about one of us Heart brothers marrying her, simply because he wanted his name connected to ours.
Dad begged me to take her to all sorts of events for a few months, but nothing ever happened.
But Anna and James…” He blows out a breath and shakes hi s head.
I didn’t realise I had leaned in so close, enraptured by his story, that we were practically nose to nose. His sage eyes become a deep forest green under the club lights.
“There was history there. History that she wasn’t over, a future that she was forced to give up.
I tried telling James I was only escorting her as a friend, but a photo caught us in a compromising position, and he never believed me.
So, we’ve been bitter rivals ever since, and now I use it to rile him up.
If he wants to believe the lie, then there’s nothing I can say to convince him otherwise. ”
“He still holds this against you,” I muse. “Do you think he still has feelings for her?”
“I don’t know. But I do know I’ve never seen him bring a date to any events we’ve been at together. He’s never been photographed with another woman.”
Wow. That makes so much sense with what Gen’s told me about her brother before.
“So I guess that’s why he’s trying to rile me up with you now. Telling me you’re moving back home.” Caleb starts to laugh, but my face must give him pause.
Gen has always known I planned to move back to Killara Bay when the distillery was up and running.
It was discussed with James during my manager interview.
She knew putting me in a manager position would only be for a year or so, but we’ve worked together for years.
This club was her dream, and she wanted to help me with mine.
“That was my plan. Eventually.” My words are quiet, like if I don’t speak them loud enough, maybe they won’t change anything.
“Oh.”
“Lex, can you jump in?” Cassie shouts from behind me.
My head whips around, showing a crowd much fuller than before. “Sorry. I’ll be right back,” I say to Caleb and dash over to the middle of the bar to help serve .
I’m stuck mixing cocktails, pouring wines, and lining up shots for a good twenty minutes before I can even look down the bar where Caleb is.
My heart turns sluggish when I notice the empty space.
I go to collect his glass, all that’s left behind of him now.
It’s probably smart to create more of a distance.
Despite us both agreeing that our business came first, there was no denying our attraction.
The lines of boss and client have been danced along with frivolous flirting.
We’ve been foolish to let it go on as it has.
I almost miss the note, but the corner sticks to the rim of the glass, waving like a flag.
Siren,
I told you that first night a man could get addicted to you.
Every day I need my fix and you’re not even mine.
Not the way I want you to be. The thought of you leaving is a reality I can’t comprehend.
My emotions are not my own when it comes to you and I don’t want to say or do anything I’ll regret.
I’ll talk to you in the morning.
Yours, Caleb x
Before the tears can track down my cheeks, I swipe them away.
I don’t know how to trust my emotions and let them lead. Not when it comes to dating, at least. But Caleb has a way of banishing the doubt, blurring the fear. I got so caught up in him, I wasn’t thinking about the fact that I had planned to move back home.
And now, I don’t know what I want.