Chapter 15
Jensen
“I can’t believe I’m doing your wedding nails!” Lucie’s nail tech pulls her hand in with the brightest gleam in her eyes.
Lucie filled both Elle and Kylie, our nail techs, in the moment we walked in the door. Elle promised Lucie she had a vision for them a couple months ago, and despite Lucie swearing it wouldn’t be anytime soon—here we are.
Kylie takes a file to my nail with a snort. “I’m thinking of yours next, practically manifesting baseball babes so we can live vicariously through you both forever.”
I raise my free hand flashing Kylie my middle finger. “You know the rules. I already filled you in with what’s happened, that’s all you’re getting.”
I set a no Beck talk at these appointments months ago. Although they seem to forget and I have to shut it down every time.
I allowed Lucie one joke about me and Beck splitting up the Larsen household. Beck, Dottie, Dex, and Miles all went to the training facility while I met Lucie here for our standing nail appointment. The debrief it led to was more Beck talk than I can handle during girl time.
Kylie scoffs. “I didn’t say who—pick anyone else on the team. Hell, you could get with the team photographer if it falls through with the pitcher.”
Lucie laughs. “As cute as a couple Jensen and Callie would be, my brother is ring shopping as we speak.”
My head whips to Lucie. “Is he really? That’s so exciting!”
“Yep, he’s already messaged our group chat fifteen times. Apparently, there aren’t any rings good enough in the entire city of Boston.”
Elle pauses, looking up from Lucie’s hand. “Well, that is just adorable.”
“Isn’t it?” Lucie pulls out her phone, her thumb typing slowly. “God bless him, he brought Adam along, who apparently also agrees that no ring is good enough. I’m going to meet him at one store after this to help before my doctor’s appointment.”
Why am I not surprised? Adam gives Will hell on the daily, why would he think bringing him shopping for his sister’s engagement ring would go smoothly?
“So, when is he going to ask her? Her birthday?”
“No, he’s waiting until Opening Day at the stadium. A little rewriting of some bad memories, I suppose.” Lucie drops her phone. “I was thinking of throwing them an engagement party after, do you think we could rent out the upstairs bar at Winedown?”
“I’m sure. I can talk to Mia about it.”
Even if I’m dreading the idea of working tonight, I have to go. I need space from being around Beck. I don’t want it, but it’s for the freaking best.
Our lazy day yesterday ended on such a weird note. When he came back in with Dottie we started another movie then ate our food in silence.
The weirdest part was that our silence didn’t exactly feel awkward. It wasn’t our norm by any means. I definitely wouldn’t call it comfortable silence either. It just felt like there was this pink elephant in the corner, and we were a little too impaired to address it.
“Speaking of work—kind of…” Lucie segues. “Have you thought about the offer to do your own shop with Reagan?”
I blow out a breath. “Sort of…now, no one say anything, but I did talk to Beck about it yesterday.”
The looks the three of them exchange say enough, but Lucie swallows down her giddy the best she can. “Oh yeah, how’d that go?”
Horrible. Embarrassing. I’m just waiting for my crush confession to be thrown back in my face, but I’m hoping yesterday’s talks might overshadow that small part a little bit.
“It was fine. I can’t say I can make it work, but Reagan mentioned I could look at the space this week. I might also call Callie and see if she can help me crunch some numbers.”
Lucie nods, folding her lips together to fight her smile. “Great. I have no additional questions.”
“Good,” I say snarkily, knowing she’s most definitely lying, but I know her questions are not related to Reagan or Callie at all.
Lucie does her best for the rest of the appointment to let go every mention I make of Beck. That is until we step one foot onto the sidewalk.
“Okay, I have to ask—”
I hold my hand up, cutting her off. “You get one question.”
“Four,” she counters.
“Luce—”
She grabs my arm. “Okay, three, pleaseeee?”
“Does that count?”
“Nope.” She smiles. “First one, are you okay? I know this has been a lot for you, and from what Dex’s told me, Beck’s not exactly having the easiest time with his family right now. If you need to stay with us, just know our door is always open.”
There’s a pain in my chest. “Luce, you’ve been screaming for me to give Beck a chance for months—I didn’t think this would be your first question.”
Lucie waves her hand. “Oh, I’m still planning our future where we all share a penthouse floor like our own little MLB compound, but I’m always Team Jensen first.”
Yeah, this is exactly why I let her get away with all her pestering. “You really are the best, you know that, right?”
Lucie smiles brightly. “Hold on to that feeling.”
“Touché.” I lock my arm in hers as we walk down the sidewalk. “Honestly, I don’t know what I am. I can’t decide if I want to pack all my bags and get out of his place as quickly as possible… Or say screw it and just take up his offer to move in more long term while I make things work with Reagan.”
“I could see that. Living with someone you’re attracted to is rough. I mean, just look at me, I speak from experience.”
My laugh comes naturally. I could lie and say I don’t find Beck attractive, but Lucie would 100 percent call me out on it.
“It’s more than that, though. It’s a lot harder to blow him off. He was getting under my skin in passing enough, but…” I trail off, unsure of how to even describe that I feel the most like myself around Beck.
It’s like I’ve reached this threshold of time with him and all my perfectly placed guards have come crumbling down.
“But?” Lucie squeezes my arm.
“If you want me to answer, that counts as one of your questions.”
Lucie purses her lips. “Okay, deal.”
Ah, hell. I should’ve known.
I groan softly. “It’s just—he does all these things. Especially over the past several days, it’s like every interaction with him turns in his favor. He should be annoying, right? He’s been obnoxiously hitting on me since we met, but don’t freak out when I say this…I think I really like him.”
Lucie attempts to not freak—she tries her best not to, at least. Her eyes practically bug out but her squeal is moderately contained. “Okay, great, love to hear that out loud. Totally cool, no biggie. Um, new question, to help me move on, why are you saying that like it’s a bad thing?”
“Because it is a bad thing, Luce! I can’t—not right now. And that was your last question, so that’s all you’re going to get for now.”
Lucie’s eye practically twitches as she squeaks out, “Okay.” She swallows hard, and I can only imagine she’s trying to think of ways she can trick me into talking more about this. “To recap, we officially have feelings for Beck, but liking him is bad for reasons unknown.”
“Reasons I know,” I say smugly.
Lucie squeals again except this one has a hint of frustration in it. “Right, right, okay, well, I’m going to go help my brother look at rings, then go to my baby’s first doctor’s appointment. I probably won’t be thinking about this conversation at all.”
I pause in front of her car. “Of course you won’t. I’ll let you have three more questions at your wedding.”
“Do I get bonus ones if I send you pictures of the baby?”
I shrug. “Eh, we’ll see.”
I don’t think I’ve had three days off in a row since I moved to Boston a year ago.
Apparently, it’s affected me more than I realize because this shift is kicking my ass.
With my past call outs, I seemed to have started a bit of a chain reaction.
Two of our other bartenders sent Mia a text right as their shift started that they would not be coming in.
I told Mia I could handle it and she’s helped where she can, but I’m starting to eat my words.
My feet are killing me, my patience is shot, and if one more person orders a Manhattan, I’m going to lose my marbles.
“Stirred, not shaken,” every man in a suit has snapped at me tonight. I don’t know what fuckboy finance convention is in town, but that must be the signature drink.
Mia moves around behind me in the bar restocking some of the liquor bottles. “Christ, what is in the air tonight?”
“Apparently, whiskey and a whole lot of bitters,” I grumble. “The next finance douchebag that complains he doesn’t like the shape of our cocktail glasses is getting his drink poured on his head.”
Mia snorts. “Hey, I support women’s rights and wrongs. I didn’t see anything.”
Leaning on the back bar next to her I take a deep breath and try to find my bearings. “Mia, are you seriously wearing heels? Please, tell me you haven’t been wearing them all night.”
Mia grabs a near-empty bottle of vodka from the mid-shelf, then looks down at her black square-toe heels. “To be honest, I kind of forgot I had them on. I’m pretty sure I lost feeling in my feet years ago. I’m good.”
My feet hurt from just the look of them alone. We’re a pretty classy bar, so with my white button up and black dress pants I appear polished from the bar, but you best believe I’m wearing comfortable shoes.
“Okay, I’m going to ask a question and your answer could very much piss me off. Are you even remotely tired, sore, any degree of pain really?”
Mia tilts her head up. “Um, not really…I mean—”
“Fuck you.” I wave her off at first but then look at those heels again. “What do you mean you don’t want to kick those shoes off?”
Mia scrunches her nose. “I don’t know what to say! Image is huge to my parents, they had me in suit dresses and heels by the time I was eight. It’s my normal!”
“That sounds miserable. I would feel bad for you, but then I remember how much my feet hurt—and I’m wearing appropriate shoes.”
Mia steps around me with ease. “Well, how about I make it up to you by helping you cover the bar.” Mia points to the other side. “Loverboy’s here to see you.”
Spinning slowly, I find Beck sitting on a stool with those freaking slutty glasses on his face and a Blues ball cap. Offseason Beck is just next level hot, it’s ridiculous.
He sends me a flirty wave as I make my way over to him. “Hi, roomie, miss me today?”
Yes, and no. I tried my absolute damndest to not think about him at all actually.
I lucked out by missing him on my way to work.
Dottie was the only one to greet me when I got back from the nail salon, and rather than texting, Beck left a note on the counter to let me know he was going to meet up with Adam and Will.
“I didn’t realize ring shopping was such a huge group decision.”
“I inserted myself.” Beck shrugs.
Of course he did. “How long before Will kicked you out?”
“About half an hour. I took Adam and Lucie down with me too. Will was overthinking it, fifteen minutes later and the decision was made. It had to be done.”
I humph a bit of a laugh. I can see it all playing out now, Beck pestering the shit out of Will until he breaks. It doesn’t surprise me at all that Beck knew that was what he needed. Anyone could say whatever they wanted about Beck, but a bad friend is a straight lie.
To prove my point even more, a small s’mores power bar slides across the bar.
“I got you that and…” He sets a Red Bull and a bottle of water in front of him.
“Lucie said I wasn’t allowed to give you the energy drink until you finished the water, but I’m here to enable you.
” Beck slides my lifeline in a pink can across the bar top then follows it up with the water.
“Just drink this at some point to appease her.”
“I make no promises.” Grabbing the can, I crack it open and take a huge gulp.
“Is it just me or are there a shit ton of guys in suits here tonight? Is it some fraternity reunion or something?”
I nearly spit out the drink, but force it down in a way that burns in my chest. “Not too far off. Our best guess has been a finance convention or some shit, but I like your reunion take. They’re all ordering fucking Manhattans, then being real dicks about reminding me to stir it.”
“The fuck they are,” Beck growls.
I wave him off. “It’s fine, I’ve had worse nights, it’s just me and half of Mia manning the bar tonight that’s all.”
“Want some help?”
I quirk an eyebrow, but don’t get a chance to respond with Mia coming up. “Okay, so sorry, but that’s all of a break I can give you tonight. I’ve got someone demanding to speak to a manager, and Alex upstairs is crying over a broken glass.”
My eyes nearly roll out of my head. “She breaks a glass every time she gets behind the bar. I swear, she does it on purpose.”
Mia shakes her head. “I know, but we had no choice. Someone has to be back there. I’ll come back down here when I can.”
“I can help Jensen down here,” Beck says, causing Mia and myself to whip our heads to him.
“Beck, you don’t work here.” I get he likes to be helpful, but the offer is kind of ridiculous.
“So?” He shrugs. “I know how to make a drink, and I take directions really well.” He winks at me, and I can’t decide if I want to punch him for doing it in front of Mia or blush.
Mia looks back and forth between me and Beck before biting back a smile.
“You know, it would be absolutely insane for you to come back here and help Jensen. As the owner…I couldn’t condone such a thing.
” Mia’s tone turns a bit mischievous. “But you know, I am needed upstairs, so I won’t be able to see this bar down here. ”
“Mia, you’re not serious.”
She scoffs while Beck beams. She takes a step back with her hands up. “I’m not saying he should be back bar, but I’m going upstairs. Also note, that I will not be paying someone I don’t see working, and MLB bucks are expected to cover any unforeseen liabilities.”
I open my mouth to argue with her, but she waves.
“Bye, good luck.”
Beck doesn’t waste a second, he’s up from his seat and sliding under the gap to get behind the bar. “Put me to work, Jenni-cakes.”
“You’ve lost your fucking mind. You know that right? This”—I point between us—“this is nuts. You can’t be back here.”
Beck doesn’t argue, doesn’t make any moves to go back to the other side of the bar. He simply lifts his hat, runs his fingers through his hair then puts his hat back on backward.
Are you kidding me?
“Tell me what to do, Jensen.”
Oh, so it only gets hotter.
The string of curses in my head is long, and they only get worse when I hear three different voices calling for the bartender.
“Ay dios mío, okay. Fine. Go wash your hands. Get me some more maraschino cherries on toothpicks. And turn your hat back around.”
Or else I’m going to tell you to bend me over this bar.