Chapter 5
five
Denver
I tense, then spin on my heel at the feel of someone’s arms sliding around my waist, a warm body pressing against my back.
“Denver, baby,” a familiar voice whispers.
Oh, no.
“Hannah?” I’m dumbfounded as I stare at her. My ex is standing before me, catching me off guard as she smiles, her eyes softening.
I’m holding the buzzer for our meals, which I almost drop as quickly as my smile. And here I was having a great evening with the guys and seeing Adi let her hair down a little. Hence the was part.
I step back from her embrace and move out of the way of the others in the queue.
“Don’t look so surprised,” she purrs, walking her fingers up my chest as I glance down at the motion.
It makes me uncomfortable, especially after months of not seeing her.
Yes, we split almost a year ago, and I run into her from time to time, but we’ve never gotten cozy again.
She messages me every couple of months, usually when on a night out with the girls to see if I want to re-kindle things. The fact is, I don’t.
Hannah is still very much a party girl, something I didn’t really realize until I was a few months in.
I saw fairly quickly she is all about herself and what her friends are doing to worry about me and having a real relationship.
She also quite openly flirted with other guys a couple of times when we were out together, and that just didn’t wash with me.
I suspected her of cheating because sometimes things just didn’t add up.
She’d sneak off to take phone calls and purposely arrange nights out when I was on shift.
I didn’t trust her because I’ve been told she was unfaithful to her last boyfriend.
Bodhi didn’t like her either, so there’s that.
“I am surprised. It’s been a while,” I say, while thinking simultaneously, Not long enough.
There’s no denying that Hannah is gorgeous.
She’s tall with long legs up to the sky.
Her platinum blonde hair hangs in loose waves down her back.
Her inflated breasts are on almost full display in the skimpy dress she’s wearing.
Hannah captures attention wherever she goes because of the way she looks and the way she holds herself.
That’s what I liked about her at first—her confidence—but then I saw the real Hannah.
Tonight I can tell straight away she’s tipsy.
Her gray-blue eyes flutter up at me with long, fake lashes, and she presses her full red lips together.
My eyes stay on her face, but without scanning her over, the barely-there tight black dress with slits cut out all over it is getting her attention.
Great. I hope someone comes quickly to take her off my hands.
There’s no doubt she turns heads, but that doesn’t interest me anymore, or what she has to offer.
Hannah started off seemingly sweet and down to earth, but I quickly learned for a girl in her mid-twenties, she still had a lot of growing up to do.
I’m no stick in the mud by any means of a stretch, I like to have fun and a good time, there’s nothing wrong with that.
But I work such long hours, the party lifestyle left me a long time ago.
And I got the distinct feeling she just liked having a fit firefighter on her arm wherever she went, more than who was attached to that arm.
“You look good, Denver. I’ve missed you.”
“Look, Han, this really isn’t a good time.”
She flicks her hair over her shoulder with her long hot pink manicured nails. “Don’t be a spoil sport.”
“I’m with the guys,” I explain.
She rolls her eyes. “Not that nerd Daryl and his sidekick Eric.”
The heckles on my back rise at hearing her criticize my friends. That’s another thing she was good at. They did nothing to make her say shit like that. My friends tried with her but she wouldn’t give them the time of day. “Excuse me?”
She laughs it off with a waft of her hand. “Don’t mind me, you know how I get around you.” She scans me from head to toe. I shift my stance uncomfortably.
I run a hand over my hair feeling rattled.
For some reason my eyes flick over to the bar in search of Adi, and they find her in an instant because she’s looking right at me.
The second our eyes meet though, she quickly looks away and starts cleaning the bar top.
“So, if you don’t mind I’d best be getting back.
” I thumb sideways, which could mean anywhere.
I don’t want her following me like a lost puppy.
I’d prefer to wait with my friends and chat to Adi in between customers than stand here having Hannah paw over me.
“What if I do mind?” Her eyes twinkle up at me as she purses her lips.
I blow out a breath. “Well, that’s kind of a problem, Hannah. I’m here with someone.” Why the fuck I say that, I don’t know, but the words are flying out of my mouth before I can stop it.
“Huh?” Her brow furrows. “You’re dating?” The words spew out of her mouth like poison.
I don’t see how it’s her business, or why she’s acting so surprised, but I answer anyway. “Is that so hard to believe?”
“No,” she laughs a little haughtily. “But the last time I saw you wasn’t that long ago…
anyway, I’m sure she will understand you having a drink with your ex for old time’s sake.
Where is she anyway?” She cranes her neck to look over toward the very crowded bar area and I use it as my chance to get away.
“I think it’s better for everyone if you go your way and I go mine. Enjoy the rest of your night.”
She pouts just as one of her friends, thankfully, comes tottering up behind her waving a cocktail glass which distracts her for a moment.
“Gotta go,” I say, making my escape before things get more awkward than I need them to be.
As I’m hedging through the sea of people to get back to the bar, I’m sure I hear her friend holler something, but I don’t catch the words.
Hannah isn’t usually that full-on, but it felt more awkward than usual, probably because she’s a little tipsy.
When I finally make it back to the guys, I plonk down in my seat like that took it out of me. Both Eric and Brax look at me but my eyes are on Adi down the other end of the bar serving more customers.
“You okay?” Brax asks.
“Thought you’d gotten lost,” Eric says as I place the buzzer on the bar top in front of me. “We were about to send out a search party.”
“Hannah bailed me up in the queue,” I say. “I couldn’t get away.”
“Poor you,” Brax quips with an exaggerated roll of his eyes. “Your hot ex fawning all over you must be a hardship, even if she is hard work.”
“Well, she might be hot, but she drives me insane,” I reply. “And not in a good way.”
“Why’d you break up again?” he asks.
“For one, she always liked attention from other men when we were out together. And she’s a party girl who likes the big social scene. Nothing wrong with that, it’s just not me. I don’t think it ever was.”
“Dodged a bullet if you ask me,” Eric adds his two cents. “While she might have the looks and the body, that can only sustain things for so long. She’s as thick as two bricks.”
I choke on my pull of beer. He’s not that far wrong.
“Who are you now, the I Ching of relationships?” Brax chuckles over his beer. “How long have you and Rachel been dating again?”
Eric gives him a two finger salute because it’s been about two months.
I chuckle. “A person can know a lot in two months.” I give Eric a sly wink.
“I’m doing better than you two right now,” Eric mutters. “Hannah is trouble, bro. You and I both know it.”
When it comes down to trusting the woman, I have to agree with him. Her flirting with other men while she was with me made me wonder about a lot of things, but that’s in the past now.
“I’ll drink to that.” I take another pull as I absently watch Adi preparing drinks, talking to customers and ringing up their orders at the register. The fact she’s even here in the same space as me after over ten years is kinda surreal.
My eyes skate down the back of her body.
I don’t know how she wears those heels all night, her feet must be killing, but I like the way the dark denim hugs her hips and ass.
Her hair sashays against her back as she moves, and her black shirt has a sheer fabric showing the outline of a black tank underneath.
Hot damn, she’s cute. I think she gets a little cuter every time I see her. It’s not like I haven’t noticed. Her curvy body is fucking everything. And I have to stop thinking thoughts like that.
“You and Adi seem pretty chummy,” Brax says, following my gaze down the bar, breaking my nostalgic moment.
“Dude, are you really gonna go there?” I pinch the bridge of my nose.
“Brax makes a good point,” Eric puts in. “She seemed pretty interested in where you were just now.”
“Couldn’t take her eyes off you,” Brax adds.
I laugh. “Are you two shitting me?”
“Nope,” Eric says. “You gotta admit she’s pretty hot. And don’t tell Daryl that, for fuck’s sake. He’ll have my balls.”
“I’ve known Adi since she was born. It’s not like that.”
“Funny, that’s what she said,” Brax mutters as I frown at his comment.
Before I can ask him what the hell that means, Eric shrugs. “But it could be like that.”
I shake my head. “I’m not going there.”
“Just admit she’s cute and that you can’t take your eyes off her,” Brax pushes. “Then we’ll let it drop. For now.” He mutters the last part.
I sigh. “Are you really gonna make me do this? Can’t we just drink in peace?”
“Brax makes a good point. Maybe once you admit it, you’ll feel better about eying off Daryl’s baby sister.”
Highly unlikely. “She’s an attractive woman, alright. Happy?”
“More than.” Brax holds his palms up in a show of surrender.
Maybe it’s to his own pressing questions, but why do I feel a little annoyed that they’ve both clearly noticed Adi is attractive?
Is it my defense mechanism kicking in because I promised Daryl I’d look after her?
Or could it just be a little more than I’m letting on…
Thankfully, the food buzzer goes off and gives me an exit to retrieve our pizza, and to clear my head. I also need to get Adi’s attention to let her know the food is ready. She said she hasn’t had a break all night, plus she should be finishing up soon. “Be right back.”
“Need a hand?” Eric asks.
“Nah, I’m good.” Luckily, I get in and out with our pizzas without any more unfortunate encounters with Hannah.
I need her hanging around as much as I need a hole in the head.
And why the fuck I told her I was here with someone makes me wanna slap myself.
I thought it was the best way to get rid of her, so I guess it worked.
I manage to catch Adelaide’s eye and give her a come hither with the crook of my finger. “Dinner time?” I mouth.
“Sounds good.” She smiles. “I’ll just let Lorna know I’m taking a break.”
I grab a spare stool for her while she makes her way around and we get tucked into the two pies of pizza on wooden boards.
The pizza here is amazing, and wood-fired is my favorite. “Are you a pineapple on pizza girl?” I ask, to which Eric screws up his face.
She sidles onto the stool and laughs. “Yep, I’m all in.”
“I’ll steer clear of the Hawaiian then,” Eric mutters, who’s been doing more than his fair share of complaining tonight. “Gross.”
“Hold your horses, there’s a supreme meat lovers,” I say, but he’s already pulling a slice away, the mozzarella sheet stretching until he breaks it off with a huge bite.
“What about you?” Adi asks as she takes a sip of the wine I ordered. It has a light pink hue so I’m guessing it’s some kind of rose. “Are you a pineapple on pizza kinda guy?”
“Oh, I’ll eat just about anything.” I shrug. “Mom always said I had hollow legs, I guess nothing changes.”
A little smile dances over her lips that I can’t help but notice, and it makes me smile, too. “I guess it doesn’t.”
I motion to the pie in front of us and tell her to help herself. She does, grabbing a piece and taking a dainty bite. I pull a slice away, too, and take a large bite because, fuck me, I’m hungry. It really hits the spot and I down the rest of the slice without trying to look or sound like a hog.
“It’s the only time Brax is quiet,” I say in Adi’s ear.
She giggles and keeps taking small appreciative bites.
“Heard that,” he mutters. He’s like me and will eat pineapple, or just about anything else, on a pizza. I try to not let my mind wander about what else I consider a delicacy…
“I meant you to.” I grab a piece of the supreme and shove some into my mouth, but before I’ve stopped chewing I see a familiar blonde with her cut-out dress, sky-high heels and pouty lips.
“For fuck’s sake,” I mutter, swallowing my mouthful at the sight of Hannah bee-lining her way over here. Out of a sea of people she seems to have spotted me. I shouldn’t have expected telling her I have somebody new would stop her.
Adi glances at me. “What’s wrong?”
“My ex is heading over here. It’s a long story.” I don’t want the pizza to go cold, so I keep eating as I try to ignore her and not make eye contact. But when it appears she’s not going to divert, I run a hand over my chin.
“It usually is,” Adi replies.
“Please don’t pay too much attention to her or any of what she says.
” I chagrin. Since I caught Adi watching us, I’m assuming she would’ve seen the unwanted display of affection.
Or maybe just the part where she slid her arms around me.
I don’t want her thinking there’s still something between us, or that it’s normal that she gets to touch me like that. It isn’t.
“In a nutshell she won’t leave me alone. For the record, we’re not a thing anymore, no matter what she says.” I need to make that clear because Hannah is the possessive type.
“She has an eye for it,” Adi says as I frown.
“Huh?”
“If she recognised you from behind,” she adds with a mischievous twinkle in her eyes.
I laugh now as I shake my head, so she did see what happened earlier. “Funny. Very funny.”
Adi’s eyes widen as her eyes flick left. “And she’s a bombshell.”
I glance at her quizzically. I don’t have time to answer. She may look like the perfect woman, but she is far from it. Beautiful on the outside, but definitely not inside. People’s looks fade when you find out they’re an ugly person.
“There you are!” Hannah’s voice makes us both turn our heads. Yep, there is no mistaking her whiny voice. She has a drink in hand, two of her friends hot on her trail.
“I think I might need another shot,” I mumble to Adi.
“That can be arranged,” she whispers back.