Chapter 2
TWO
As it turned out—really fucking hard.
The first hour had been fine; barely anyone bothered to come up here while the sun was still out, which gave me time to get myself together.
I’d tended bar plenty of times in the past, but the Skyline was a lot different from the college bar I’d worked at before.
My former bar only had broken stools and peeling paint, a stark difference from the high-end fixtures here.
From the rich, dark amber of the top-shelf whiskeys to the hefty crystal glasses stacked behind the bar, Mark and Chelsea spared no expense in this section.
I stared out into the luxury booths lining the back wall until a voice startled me.
“Hey, are you new?”
My face flushed as I shook my head. “Not really. I’m just helping Mark and Chelsea for the night.”
I turned and took in the other bartender who’d joined me.
He had dark tan skin and stood much taller than me, and that was saying something, because I wasn’t short.
His dark hair was shaved on the sides, leaving room for small lines that turned into an asymmetric design.
He held out his hand to me. “Cade. Nice to meet you.”
“Kinsley,” I smiled.
Cade’s eyes stayed on me for a second longer than polite, and I tried not to squirm under his attention.
It was ridiculous. Once the bar got busy, I’d have no problem playing the part, laughing and flirty with customers as I filled their glasses.
But that was all it was—an act. It had been a long time since anyone interested me enough to take things any further.
Cade was handsome. That was a universal fact.
From his powerful jaw to his captivating smile, he had features that would draw anyone in.
At least, anyone whose internal attraction meter wasn’t stuck at zero.
Maybe in another life, where grief and constant stress didn’t consume all my thoughts, I would have smiled back, hoping for a spark between us.
But right now? There was nothing.
“So,” I cleared my throat as I stepped away, “when does it get busy up here?”
“Wednesdays can be hit or miss, but we usually get a rush around nine,” he said as he started putting away the glasses I’d washed earlier. “Might be a little later, because the Hawks are ending a series tonight. Some players stop in after their games.”
“What are they like?”
Cade paused for a moment as he continued to wipe down the glasses, staring out at the railing that divided us from the crowd below.
“Most of them are good guys, just looking to relax after the game and hang out with each other.” He grimaced.
“Except for Jace Lyons. He’s a fucking mess, so keep an eye out for him.
Cut him off a couple of weeks ago, and he almost decked me. ”
I shook my head. “What the hell is wrong with people?”
“Who knows.” Cade shrugged, flashing me another grin before leaning down to check the beer fridge. “Gonna make sure everything is stocked before we get busy. But if Jace comes in tonight, let me handle him, okay?”
“Sure,” I muttered, turning back to the prep list. By the time Cade returned with the cases of beer, our section had filled out, and the steady stream of patrons kept my mind from wandering too far.
Everything was going smoothly until hours later.
As I grabbed a couple of bottles of beer, a crowd broke out in the bottom level of the bar, voices chanting something I couldn’t make out.
I glanced over at Cade, who nodded toward the top of the stairs.
About ten tall and absurdly handsome men slid past the bouncer, looking far more at home in our bar than they ought to be. They all looked so familiar…Oh, shit. My jaw fell open. No wonder I recognized them—they were the opening lineup for the Erie City Hawks.
Their names flashed through my mind, having seen them countless times on television. Despite their large builds and handsome smiles, they all seemed so normal. If I didn’t know any better, they could have been any other group of guys coming out for the night.
Cade snapped me out of my stupor as the orders poured in.
Shots, mixed drinks, nothing too crazy, but not too many seemed to come from the table the Hawks had commandeered.
Some ordered light beers, but most of them stuck to water, leaving it to their guests to consume the bulk of their bar tab.
My mind slipped into work mode as I poured drinks for the other patrons, trying to keep my head down and focus on my job for the night.
“Hey, beautiful.”
My eyes rolled all on their own when the slurred words crept out from the other side of the bar. I tried to paste on my most sincere smile, but it faltered when I spun around and met the dark blue eyes of Jace Lyons.
Holy shit.
If I had felt star-struck before, I was downright done now.
I tried not to play favorites, but Jace Lyons was a legacy on the field.
His dad had been an idol of my mom’s, and that made me only root for him more, especially when the Hawks picked him up for his rookie season.
But over the past two months, he’d become more well known for his antics off the field than his scores on it.
Squandered potential. That was what the commentators loved to hurl when he missed another ball or struck out at bat.
It might be true, but it didn’t mean my heart didn’t go out for the guy.
I couldn’t imagine what it must be like to have the eyes of thousands of fans waiting for you to fail.
God, he was even more handsome in person. Jace’s strong, square jaw was shadowed in the overhead light, but his dark blue eyes seemed to glow, amusement filling his features. Jace leaned over the bar, tequila and other liquors tainting his scent. “You new?”
I nodded, wiping my shaking hands on the edge of my jeans. “Sort of.”
“Thought so. Otherwise, I would have already met you,” he chuckled as he took me in.
His eyes lingered on my curves, and, for a moment, heat built through my veins.
Seriously? After years of willing a response from anyone, my heart started to beat faster at the worst possible time.
Even if I were in the right headspace for a relationship, Jace’s reputation wasn’t a secret.
He’d already been photographed with at least half the influencers on this side of the country.
But regardless of that staunch reminder, curiosity flooded me, wondering what it would be like to have his lips on mine—at least until his mouth opened again.
“You ever think about fucking a superstar, honey?”
My mouth dropped open in disgust, and Jace continued his same cocky grin. “Come on, babe. I see the way you’re looking at me, and it’s not like it’s the first time I’ve fucked someone up here.” He winked at me, and I grimaced. “Know all the spots the cameras don’t hit.”
My nails dug into my palms as I took a deep breath, trying to keep my rage under control. Even on my best day, I wasn’t the friendliest, but my temper was legendary. My mom tried to get me to tame it, showing me various breathing exercises and other ways to help me keep my head.
After a few deep breaths, I smiled tightly at Jace. “As…flattering as that might be, I’m working.”
Jace leaned in further, and, for a moment, I debated spraying him with the water hose. “Don’t be like that, baby. Think of what you’d tell your friends.”
“That I fucked a third-rate baseball player who hasn’t earned his salary, much less the spot he takes up on the roster?” I sardonically fanned myself. “Be still my heart.”
His eyes darkened. So much for not fucking it up.
If Jace complained, it would devastate Chelsea.
As much as she bemoaned the long hours, the bar was her baby.
I’d hate myself if I did anything to mess it up for her, and if I had to suck up my pride for my best friend, I’d do it every time.
My mouth fell open, searching for the right words to apologize to Jace.
But before I got a word out, he shocked me when he tilted his head back and barked out a loud laugh.
It made some of the anger fade away, and, as he laughed, I couldn’t help but grin.
“Shit,” he chuckled, rubbing his hand over his face. “That might be the harshest rejection ever.”
His laugh eased some of the tension in my chest. Honesty seemed to work for him, so I stuck with it. “Seems like your ego needs a hit or two. Want to fuck a superstar? Does that line work for you?”
“More than you’d think.” Jace shook his head. His eyes met mine, and, for a minute, his expression shifted into something more serious. “You’re interesting, new girl.”
Turning back toward the other side of the bar, I kept my voice low. “Not exactly. Just not a fan of being hit on while I’m trying to work.”
His gaze burned into my back as I kept moving, heading to the other end of the bar, needing some distance. Only a few minutes in Jace’s presence told me enough: he was unpredictable. Not just for the ridiculous comments that flew out of his mouth, but because of how he affected me.
When another customer grabbed my attention, I expected Jace to rejoin his friends, but he just shifted along, sliding into one of the open bar stools in front of me. I arched my brow. “Do you need something else?”
“Yeah,” he bounced back. “Your number.”
I stared at him for a moment, waiting for the punchline. Oh, shit, was he serious? Just when I opened my mouth to reject him, he held up his hand. “Not for that. Just in case my ego needs another check. Who else is going to tear into me so sweetly?”
“If you think that was sweet, I need to cut you off.”
Jace pushed back from the bar, guarding his drink. “Not yet, new girl. I’m having too much fun.”
With a wink, he sauntered back into the crowd, joining one of the other players at the railing, overseeing the building party downstairs. When I forced my gaze away from Jace, I muttered under my breath, “What the hell was that?”
“Jace Lyons,” Cade answered from my side. He glared out across the bar with a clenched jaw, as if Jace had crossed a line with him, not me. “I warned you—the guy is an asshole. Pretty sure he’s fucked half the staff by now.”
I rolled my eyes and took another order before answering Cade. “Doesn’t surprise me. He seemed to think all he had to do was whistle, and the entire bar would come running.”
“You have no idea how true that is.”
Cade frowned at me, his brow furrowed, as if he had more to say.
A server cut off our conversation when she came over, asking for something I couldn’t quite make out.
He nodded and then turned back to me. “I’ve got to mix some drinks for table four.
Can you take them over when I’m done? Lydia’s going on her break. ”
“Of course,” I answered as I greeted a few more guests, getting their drinks while Cade worked behind me. By the time he passed me the tray of bright green shooters, Jace had faded into the back of mind, joining most of my other concerns.
After crawling under the bar, I grabbed the tray and made my way over to the table in the back.
Luckily, it wasn’t the Hawks, so I could avoid Jace for the rest of the night.
What even was that before? Did the filter slip off my brain?
It had been a long time since my mouth got the best of me, but something about Jace brought it out.
The teasing in his gaze made me want to play.
As I tried to push him out of my mind, someone collided into me, knocking into my side. My knees fumbled and my arms wobbled, the tray shifting right in front of my eyes. As much as I tried to right myself, the drinks tumbled off my tray and crashed onto the floor.
Well, fuck.
I groaned as I looked up at the ceiling, wondering what deity I’d pissed off to have this kind of night. The universe had already knocked me down enough; couldn’t tonight go smoothly? Was that too much to ask?
“I’m so fucking sorry.”
The words didn’t register as I shook my head. “It’s fine. Work at a bar long enough, and you’re bound to get some drinks spilled on you.”
But as I looked up and met Jace’s apologetic stare, the rest of my words died on my tongue.
Sticky green liquid pooled on my fingers, but I didn’t dare to move, too focused on the grin on his face.
He leaned down, attempting to grab a shard of glass by my foot.
As I told him to stop, he hissed under his breath.
I reached out and grabbed his hand, checking it over.
Shit. A sliver of glass had sliced through his palm, and the blood had begun to pool.
I probed the cut, having no idea what to look for but hoping that something would miraculously pop into my brain.
“Crap. This isn’t deep, but you might need stitches.
Come around back with me, and we’ll get it cleaned up. ”
Looking over my shoulder, I pressed my bar towel into the cut, hoping to slow some of the blood.
Cade met my eyes, and I motioned to the glass scattered all around us.
As he grabbed a broom, I lifted Jace’s hand and nodded behind me.
He followed without complaint. Please, please tell me Mark put a first-aid kit somewhere up here.
He’d shown me the one downstairs, but that would mean dragging Jace down to the office, and I’d have to tell Chelsea what happened.
And that was a conversation I did not want to have right now.
But as I pushed Jace into the storage area, I realized that might have been the better option. If I thought he’d affected me before? It was nothing compared to how it was now, with only inches separating us.