Chapter 2
“What’s your sign?”
“Stop.”
Finn
Francie might be right. This girl is quick on the comebacks. And seriously witty. I like that.
“Should I sit and keep you company? Be your inspiration?” It looks like she’s working on something for Aidan. I pull out the chair next to her, thinking I’ll slide in close and keep working on her.
She looks at me over the top of her glasses and deadpans, “Or you could not.”
“What’s your name, love?”
“Don’t you have work to tend to, Finn?” Aidan pipes up, giving me his annoyed big-brother look.
“Sure, yeah. They’re knocking down the doors today. Clamoring for drinks with the storm going. Pretty shite move of you, making this lovely lady risk her safety out in this weather.” I throw a wink her way. Girls cannot resist the Finn wink. Not in the least.
“Right, well, Francie just took the rubbish out to the bin, so you’d best look busy when he gets back, or he’ll be on your arse.”
I shoot Aidan a fuck-off look and take in the shades of deep, dark pink fading out to a delicate, light cotton-candy hue in her hair, which is all wound together on the top of her head.
She looks like she’s trying to hide behind her big sweater and wild hair, but there’s no denying how cute she is. Fucking adorable really.
“Let me know if I can get you anything. I’m at your service…” I draw the last word out, hoping that she’ll fill in her name for me.
Instead, she gives me a side-eye and goes back to her laptop. Fingers flying across the keys, her tongue resting against her top teeth. Not biting it, but kind of.
I need to up my game. Pour on the charm—the lucky charms—and see if I can get a taste of her. “Can I get you—”
The slamming of the back door cuts me off, mid pickup.
“Christ, Finn. Go move your car, and park it straight. Have you lost all your spatial awareness?” Francie bellows as he bursts through the door from the kitchen. “You’ll be lucky to make it through the winter without your car getting hit again.”
I roll my eyes and slide behind the bar to grab my keys. Aidan barks his obnoxious laugh and looks from the pink-haired pixie to me and back again, not even trying to hold his laughter back at all now.
“What?” I pause, pulling my jacket on. “What’re you laughing at?” I scowl at Aidan sitting smugly with the girl I want to be chatting up.
“I just said it was kind of disappointing that someone so suave couldn’t seem to get it in the right place on the first try,” she replies. This girl keeps an absolutely solid dead stare while Aidan is laughing so hard, I think he might fall out of his chair. Actually, I hope the arse does.
“You don’t need to worry about me sliding into tight spots. I can maneuver just fine.”
Francie scoffs and shakes his head at me, pointing to the back door.
“I avoided a collision just today as I turned into the car park.” Having made my point that I am in fact a stellar driver, I hustle out to straighten my car at the back of the building.
It takes me three tries to park my little Kia perfectly straight and even within the lines.
I should probably get my eyes checked and see if I need a new prescription for my glasses.
Maybe I’ll get contact lenses this time.
Though I’ve always heard that girls like a nerdy-looking guy, and I try hard to be everything the ladies could possibly want.
I wonder how long she’s going to be here, working with Aidan.
Maybe I should clean the snow off her car.
Maybe she’ll tell me her name if I do. It’s not like there’s anyone inside, waiting on me to serve them.
It’s just been the four of us since we opened, and I don’t see the evening filling up too much.
When her car is cleaned off, I knock the snow from my boots at the back door and shake the flakes from my jacket before returning to the bar. My glasses are completely fogged up from the sudden change in temperature. I slide them off to clean them and I’m caught off guard by the finger in my chest.
“You’re the asshole who swerved out front? You almost hit me!” She really is quite little, her head just clearing my shoulder.
“What are you on about?” I slide my glasses back on, so I can focus on her adorably annoyed expression.
“That car you almost hit this morning? That was me, asshole.”
Her royal-blue fingernail jabs repeatedly into the center of my chest. And it hurts.
I grab her hand and bring her knuckles up to my lips, kissing them. “See then, we were destined to meet today,” I croon at her. I totally have this thing in the bag. There’s no way she can resist me.
My attention is drawn to the front door where Aidan is coming back in from outside. I don’t see it coming, not at all. But, when she yanks her hand from mine and shoves her shoulder into my sternum, it knocks the wind from me.
She’s a hell of a lot stronger than I gave her credit for.
“Your car’s all cleared off. Is there anything I can carry for you, Adelaide?”
The arse just took credit for my work. I cleared the snow off her car, me.
“Thanks, but no.” She shrugs on her coat and wraps a blue-and-teal scarf around her neck. And then she pulls bright-green mittens out of her pockets.
She is a riot of color that I can’t seem to take my eyes off of. She’s captivating.
And she’s walking out of the pub.
I have to do something. I need more time with her. I need for her to realize she wants me, needs me, can’t live without me. I don’t like losing.
“Maybe I’ll run into you again sometime,” I toss out to her.
I lean back against the bar, feet spread and thumbs hooked in the pockets of my jeans.
That leaves my fingers dangling, framing my goods.
This move always works, gets the focus where I want it.
The ladies can’t resist me when I point out what I’ve got to offer.
When she turns in the doorway, framed by the snow falling outside, I give her the smile and wink. Hope lights up her features. I wiggle my fingers a little to draw her attention to what I’m sure she’s thinking of.
And, with her eyes never leaving my face, her lip twitches as she says, “All flirt and no follow-through.”
My smile fades as she turns and walks out of the pub. I almost don’t hear Aidan laughing at me through the sting of her words, my mind locking in on her brush-off.
* * *
The pub never does fill up. Probably has more to do with the fact that it’s a Tuesday night in January than the bit of snow we’ve gotten.
Unfortunately, that means I’m bored. Nothing to do but wipe down bottles, bullshit with the handful of regulars who never miss stopping in, and think about what comes next.
I should probably go back to university and try again for a degree. I pull up the college website on my phone and look at the offerings. Teaching, nursing, business, computers. I have a fair bit of money in the bank. That happens when you share rent and work all the time.
I love my job; I do. I get to sleep late, drink at work, and have constant access to lovely, willing women.
But I can’t just tend bar for the rest of my life.
I don’t know what Francie’s plans are for McBride’s, but he’s not getting any younger.
Maybe a business degree will give me some options.
Maybe I can help Francie, show him I’m responsible and that I can take on more responsibilities here at the pub.
“Finn, my man, how’s the single life treating you?”
Andy’s a regular, and he has been giving me shite for as long as I can remember. I slide his usual down the bar to him before continuing to wipe down the liquor bottles.
“Yeah, I’m good.” I spin a bottle of whiskey round in my palm before dropping it back down in the well and picking up the rum to run my bar rag over it.
“Tell me about your latest. I have to live vicariously through you.”
He quickly drains his pint, and I take it straight from him to refill. Andy needs a beer on the house every now and again. His youngest has been poorly, and things are tough at home for him.
“Erm, no one new today, man. Not since Marlee last weekend.” I throw him a smirk as the words tumble out of my mouth.
Marlee was really damn appreciative of the time we spent in her bed, her kitchen, and after that thing in the shower.
Christ, that shower.
I follow through. I had all kinds of follow-through with Marlee, and her neighbors can vouch for it.
“Andy, can I ask you a question?” I lean my hands against the bar for a moment, arms spread wide.
He wipes the beer off his upper lip and nods. “Sure.”
“I follow through with things, yeah? I-I don’t leave you hanging and wanting for more?” I pull at the label of the vodka bottle resting in front of me in the well.
“Uh, you give me beer when I need it. Is that what you’re looking for? Validation in your job, Finn?” Andy chuckles as he takes another draught of his beer.
Everyone treats me like a joke, and I’m not sure what that’s all about.
I work hard. I’m here on time for almost all of my shifts, certainly more often than not.
Chat with the patrons and entertain the ladies.
I’m good at what I do. Better at some things than others, and I sure as shite haven’t had any complaints in a long time.