Chapter Fourteen
“That was a short trip,” Skeeter said as he wandered up to the bar. It was a Sunday evening at The Ruckus, and the door was slow. The news frenzy over the billboard had faded now that it was gone. “I didn’t expect you two back so soon.”
“I just had to put in my notice and pack my things.” Billy moved a chair, as instructed. “I don’t have much.”
Roxie grasped one side of a table and nodded for him to catch the other. “Let’s put it over there, up against the one in front of the jukebox.”
“Are you back to stay?” the bouncer asked.
“I am.”
“Good.” Skeeter gave his friend a hearty wallop on the back. “I won’t have to spend so much time keeping your girl out of trouble.”
“Are you sure about that?” Roxie gave her lover an intimate wink. “He thinks it’s part of my charm.”
They’d been making a lot of “trouble” over the past few days.
Once they’d talked everything out, all the stress and angst had fallen away.
Roxie hadn’t realized how much things had been wearing on her.
They’d had an impromptu vacation as they’d packed and driven halfway across the country.
It had made her realize that worry and regret had no place in her life.
It was time to get back to doing what she did best—having fun.
That was why she was so looking forward to tonight.
She counted the seats. “That looks like enough.”
Together, they rearranged chairs. She tossed coasters like cards from a deck and made sure there were enough napkins and salt and pepper shakers. Satisfied, she returned behind the bar to check the ice and other supplies.
“Something going on tonight?” Roux asked. He was sitting at his spot at the end of the bar, quietly doodling on a napkin.
“Just having a little get-together.”
“A celebration?” he asked, tipping his head in Billy’s direction.
She grinned. They hadn’t kept the fact that they were back together much of a secret. “Nah, more of a memorial—for the billboard.”
The expression on her customer’s face turned worried. “I’m sorry I told you about that.”
She shrugged. “I was going to find out one way or the other.”
“Yeah, but you seemed upset.”
“I was.” She scrunched her nose. Heck, she’d gone a bit off the deep end. “I was sad to see it go, but a lot of good things came out of it.”
She glanced at Billy who was still talking with Skeeter.
A lot of good things.
Her gaze raked over him from his gorgeous baby face to the way his Sturgis T-shirt clung to his muscled chest. Her mouth watered. Then there was that tattoo and the sexy cuff on his wrist. Those tricky hands and the tight ass…
“Whew.” She flipped her hair back. “Is it warm in here?”
“I’m okay,” Roux said.
He was bent down over the napkin again. Twisting her head to see it, Roxie made out the Cobalt River with a city skyline. “Hey, you’re pretty good.”
He shrugged. “Not as good as my mom.”
“Oh yeah? My mom could draw, too.”
He glanced up. “Could?”
“Probably still can. I don’t know. She gave me up long ago.”
His pen jerked, leaving a line that didn’t blend. “Gave you up?”
“Yeah, I grew up in foster care.
“Hey!” Roxie called when she saw Charlie walk in the door.
She hurried over to greet him. When he held out his arms, she walked into them and kissed him on the cheek.
“Thanks for watching the bar while I was gone this past week. I know you just retired. You probably didn’t expect to be back so soon. ”
“Anything to see you two kids back together.” Her old boss patted her shoulder. “Nobody’s going to punch anyone tonight, I hope.”
Roxie made a face at Billy when he ducked and weaved. “Not unless he gets fresh with one of my sisters again.”
Grinning, Billy patted her on the butt. Heat went through her when he hooked his thumb in her back pocket and left his hand there. “I know which one’s my girl.”
Charlie took off his jacket and passed it to the bartender, who put it on the hook he’d used for years. “Are you finished with the move?”
Billy nodded. “We fit most everything in my truck. Sold some stuff and donated other things.”
“It must be hard to leave those race cars and all that technology.”
“I’d only been there for a year and a half—and that was longer than I’ve spent most places. You know me, Charlie. I’ve been a vagabond ever since I left Cobalt City.”
Roxie felt herself on the verge of blushing when Billy wiggled his fingers against her ass. He’d convinced her in many ways that he was ready to come home.
“It will be good to be settled,” he said.
Settled, but not settling.
“Are you going to open your own shop?”
“I’m thinking about it. Plus, there are a couple hot drivers in this area. Something will work out.”
Charlie nodded. “You bet it will. People are always looking for a good mechanic—and a good fishing buddy.”
Billy lifted his beer. “You’re on.”
“Charlie!”
Roxie turned when she heard a familiar voice at the bar entrance.
Excitement went through her when she saw Lexie, Cam, and Blaire.
She’d only been away for a few days, but she’d missed her sisters something terrible.
She’d spent over twenty-five years apart from them, but now she could hardly bear being separated.
Lexie hurried over to give Charlie a warm hug. “I didn’t know you were going to be here tonight.”
At the bar, Roux dropped his pen onto the floor.
“Of course, he’s here. He’s part of my family.” Roxie let out an ooof when a blonde streaked across the floor and squeezed her tight.
“Like me?” Blaire asked.
Roxie laughed and patted the youngest Underhill on the head. “Just like you, Sunshine.”
“And me?” came a low, mocking voice.
Roxie sneered. “Don’t push it, Hatchet.”
That actually got a smile out of Lexie’s boyfriend. He gave Roxie’s hair a tug before wrapping his arm around Lexie proprietarily. Her sister looked pretty tonight. She was rebelling and wearing jeans, and she’d let her hair dry into waves. They looked more alike than ever.
“Oh, my God,” came a voice from behind her.
“Oh, yeah.” The light bulb popped on over Roxie’s head. She had some matchmaking to do. Pulling Blaire along, she turned to Roux. He was staring like he’d never blink again. “Roux, this is Blaire.”
But the kid wasn’t paying attention to the cute blonde; he was gaping at Lexie.
Roxie looked back and forth between her sister and her new buddy. What the—? Oh, yeah. That’s right. She forgot sometimes that not everyone knew she was an identical triplet.
“Hey, Lex. Come over here.”
Lexie glanced away from her discussion with Billy and Charlie.
“This is my friend, Kanga.”
Lexie smiled politely. She stuck her hand out and, for a moment, Roux was frozen. When he moved, it was to latch onto her hand as if she was falling off a ledge.
A funny look crossed Lexie’s face, but her manners remained intact. “Kanga?” she asked.
He seemed nervous. “It’s Roux. She just made that up.”
Lexie tilted her head. “R-o-u-x?”
He nodded.
“x?” Roxie frowned. “Who spells a name like that?”
“Hi, Roux,” Blaire said with a smile.
Roxie rolled her eyes. How was any matchmaking supposed to happen if she and Lexie were gumming up the works? “Oh, that’s right, the French.”
“Go ahead and find a seat, Lex. I’ll bring over some drinks.” She caught her sister by the shoulder and pulled her away, making Roux finally let go of her hand.
He watched her leave, blowing off Blaire entirely. Roxie pouted. He really didn’t like blondes, apparently. He kept staring, even when Cam took a seat next to Lexie and draped his arm over the back of her chair. Dejected, Blaire followed her big sister and sat at the end of the table.
“Careful, kid,” Roxie warned under her breath. “Her boyfriend’s the possessive sort.”
“What?” Roux popped out of his trance. When he looked at Roxie, his eyes were bright.
“Lexie. She’s taken.”
“No, I…” Roux eased back onto his stool. There was energy crackling about him, the kind that was waiting for a spark. “I’m sorry. Anyone else from your family coming?”
Uh, like she was going to answer that question.
Roxie’s brow furrowed as her customer’s fingers drummed against the bar.
The kid was a bundle of nerves. She kept an eye on him as she began to fill drinks.
He kept casting glances over his shoulder.
At one point, he reached for his phone, but then slid it into his back pocket.
He seemed to be focusing on the empty end of the table.
Roxie knew when to trust her gut.
She filled a tray with drinks, but before she went to the table, she caught Skeeter’s eye. She tilted her head meaningfully in Roux’s direction. The bouncer nodded. He’d already caught the odd behavior. He moved away from the door and took a seat at the other end of the bar.
It put Roxie’s mind to rest. She was usually a great judge of people, and she liked Roux a lot. If she’d judged poorly, though, Skeeter would handle the situation.
The glasses on the tray tinkled as she picked it up, but before she could take a step, Billy was there. “Let me get that.”
She let out a puff of air that stirred her hair. “I’ve been doing this for a while, you know.”
“I know. Let me be the hero.” He pressed his mouth against her ear. “I’m hoping to get some tonight.”
She let out a snort. There was a very good chance of that.
She took a seat at the table as he served drinks to Lexie and her troupe.
When he passed a Diet Coke to Blaire, he said something that made the cutie blush.
Whatever it was, it didn’t embarrass her.
She laughed and perked up. When he returned the tray to the bar, the blonde’s dreamy gaze followed him. Rude Roux was forgotten.
Roxie snuggled up to her dream guy when he returned. Billy grinned at her when she deliberately stroked his thigh under the table. “You’re frisky tonight.”
She squeezed his knee. “I’m hoping to get some, too.”
He chuckled, but the laugh cut off abruptly when she stroked a bit too high. Coughing, he caught her hand and made her play nice.