Last Call (Bad Habits Book 3)

by Staci Hart

  I took a drink just as his message came in.

  I’m partial to scotch, but rye whiskey is an easy second. I wouldn’t thumb my nose at bourbon. You can keep Irish whiskey wherever you found it, though. Also, is this a test?

  I messaged him back. Sorta.

  How am I doing?

  So far, real good.

  Well, that’s a relief. So tell me, bacon and whiskey thoughts? Conversely, is there a way to combine those two things into one supermeal to rule them all?

  I smiled even wider. “I think I may have found a winner.”

  LUCKY SPOT

  Rose

  THE NEXT AFTERNOON, I FOUND myself sitting in Roasted once again, waiting on the guy who I’d really wanted to meet from the beginning — SkateTreason. Through our texts last night, I learned that his name was Greg, and he worked at a coffee shop, but more importantly, he loved my favorite things: bacon, skating, whiskey, and 90s movies.

  He was basically my perfect match. Hence the nerves. I wiped my hands on my jeans again and picked up my phone to check the time. If this one was the disaster that the other ones were, I was deleting the app from my phone, end of story.

  I hadn’t seen much of Patrick that day, or the day before. I mean, besides his dick. I’d worked last night, and by the time I got home, which was extra late, he was already asleep on the couch, face soft in sleep. He looked like a boy, a beautiful boy covered in black ink, sleeping silently on my couch. But we hadn’t hung out, which helped so much. Distance was key to keeping the lid on my feelings, and even just that little time away from him had me feeling more like myself than I had in a week.

  The door opened, breaking me from my thoughts, and Greg walked in, longboard in hand, hat low, smile bright. He was tattooed, built but still slim, with a wide chest and narrow waist.

  He was gorgeous.

  “Rose?”

  I smiled back, feeling like I’d hit the online dating jackpot. “Hey, Greg.” I stood as he approached, and I hitched a thumb over my shoulder toward the counter. “Did you want coffee? The lemon bars here are amazing.”

  “Nah, I’m a little too nervous for coffee.”

  My smile stretched wider at his honesty. “Me too. This is actually hot chocolate.”

  He laughed, and we took seats at the table. “I’m glad you messaged me when you did. I was actually gearing up to delete my profile.”

  I watched him, amused. “That’s funny, because this was my last date before I gave up.”

  He nodded knowingly. “How long have you been at it?”

  “Not long enough for me to be as over it as I am.”

  “It’s like Russian roulette, except with humans. Maybe less lethal.”

  I laughed. “Maybe. I wouldn’t have been surprised if my first date tried to steal my kidney. He actually said — out loud, mind you — ‘I’m really into dead things.’”

  He sucked in a breath through his teeth. “Ouch. I mean, the last girl I met asked me to fertilize her eggs. Just like that, dead-faced from across the table. ‘Fertilize my eggs.’”

  “Oh, God,” I said with a chuckle.

  “Another one took me home to introduce me to her doll collection. She had hundreds of them, all lined up on shelves with porcelain faces. I’m pretty sure they were made with human hair.”

  I shook my head, smiling. “You win. That makes mine look like a cake walk. You’re only my third date. One and two were a taxidermist who smelled like death and a musician who serenaded me at this very table.”

  “This table? Right here?” he joked and pointed at the surface. “This must be your lucky spot.”

  My cheeks heated up, smile stretching wider. “I’m telling you. I’m on a roll.”

  “Well, third time’s a charm, right?”

  “Looks like it just might be.” I took a sip of my hot chocolate, trying to quiet my nerves. “So, you work at a coffee shop?”

  His eyes were sort of blue and green, I noticed as I listened to him talk. “Yeah. It’s not glamorous, but it pays the bills. And you’re a bartender?”

  “Sure am, going on six years.”

  “Did you do the whole college thing?”

  I straightened a little in my seat, ready for it to fall apart with my answer. Here it is. The real test. “Nope. Just never interested me. You?”

  “I tried, but I just wasn’t motivated. So I took a tip from Ron Swanson: Never half-ass two things. Whole-ass one thing. So, I’m whole-assing my job at the coffee shop.”

  I laughed, relieved, and he shook his head.

  “I’m not ready to decide what’s next, you know? Everyone keeps asking me what I want to do with my life, and I just want to be like, ‘If I knew, I’d be doing it.’ Instead, I say ‘Chippendales,’ or ‘Tilt-a-Whirl operator.’”

  Seriously, so relieved.

  “I totally get that,” I said, cheeks flushed as I leaned on the table. “I’m a bartender, and everyone I know has this … passion. Passion for dance or literature or art. Charity. And I’m over here like, I read romance novels, watch a lot of TV, and drink a lot of whiskey. The things I love can’t be monetized, so I bartend. I just want everyone to get off my dick about it, you know?”

  “I do,” he said with a nod. “One day, I guess I’ll grow up. Maybe get some sweet desk job where I get a cubicle and have to wear polo shirts to work. Some place with an HR department and insurance.”

  I chuckled. “Insurance. That’s funny. I hope to God I never get sick. Like, every time I get even a hint of tooth pain, I flip out. My dentist would be pleased though — I floss regularly. It’s cheaper than fillings.”

  “I broke my wrist last year skating and it cost like two thousand bucks.”

  I winced. “Ouch.”

  “The worst pain was in my wallet. Trust me.”

  My phone rang, and I pulled it out of my pocket, smiling as I answered. “Hey, Ellie.”

  “How’s it going? There’s no screeching, so … better?”

  I watched Greg from across the table with warm cheeks. “Yeah, you could say that.”

  “I can hear you smiling. Is he hot?”

  Now my ears were warm too. “Mmhmm.”

  “Normal?”

  “Yup.”

  “Good. Now hang up with me and go lick him like a lollipop.”

  I rolled my eyes. “Thanks, Ellie. See you tonight.”

  “Bye, Rosie.”

  Greg smirked at me as I hung up and put my phone back in my pocket. “Lifeline?”

  I turned my coffee cup around in a circle. “She saved me from the serenade yesterday. What was left of me, at least. I’m surprised I had the nerve to show my face here again, but the lemon bars called me back.”

  “Well, they’re only the best on the West Side.” He smiled sideways at me, and I practically swooned.

  “Obviously.”

  He glanced down at his hands before looking back up at me hopefully, but with a confident edge that made my insides flip around. “So, I guess it’s a good sign that you don’t have to leave to help your Aunt Edna after she dropped her wig and busted her hip trying to pick it up?”

  “Yes, that’s a good sign.”

  He leaned forward, still smiling. “Then tell me, Rose. Would you like to skate with me?”

  I smiled right back. “I’d love to.”

  Patrick

  I stretched, recrossing my ankles on Rose’s coffee table late that afternoon. I hadn’t seen her since the day before. I smiled to myself, picturing her face when she caught me in her bathroom. If I’d had any doubt that she wanted me, it would have been erased in that moment.

  I’d denied my feelings for her for so long, now that I knew what I wanted, I’d been revived. Reborn. And all I wanted, all day long, was to see her again.

  I thought about the time, wondering how her date had gone today. Ellie spilled the details when I’d gotten there after work, but I wasn’t worried about it, figuring it was just as much of a disaster as the others had been. But I was anxious t
o see her all the same.

  Ellie sat camped out on the couch next to me with Valentino asleep in her lap, eating Cheetos and watching MTV. Somehow, I’d gotten sucked in for two hours of Teen Mom and Catfish, and as the credits rolled on Catfish, Ellie sighed and reached into the foil bag for another handful of chips.

  “This is my favorite episode,” she said between bites. “I think I’ve seen it a million times. I mean, think about it. Alyx lied to Kya about being transgender. Can you imagine how scared he was to meet Kya? To think that this person you fell in love with doesn’t know something that would end most relationships just on principle alone. But in the end, Kya accepted him just as he is. Like, that just makes me so happy. Any of us would be lucky to be loved that unconditionally.” Her face was soft and dreamy as she ate another chip.

  I sighed too and sank a little deeper into the couch. “Isn’t that the truth?”

  The television landed on the DVR screen, and Ellie turned to face me. Valentino gave her a look before stretching and hopping off the couch. “So, are you going to tell me what the deal is with you and Rose?”

  I smirked. “Straight to it, huh?”

  She shrugged and offered me the Cheetos bag. I took one and popped it in my mouth, buying myself a little time as I chewed.

  “It’s complicated,” was the best answer I could come up with.

  “But you like her, right?”

  “For a long time, yeah.” I watched her, wondering if she was angling to hit on me.

  “Then what’s in your way?”

  “We are.”

  She dropped her chin and rested her forearms on her thighs. “Look, I’ve known Rose my entire life. She’s practically a big sister to me. I know her, and she cares about you. Like, as in, more than a friend. As in, she’s got it bad for you.”

  I smiled. “You say that like she’s not on a date right now.”

  Ellie shrugged and ate another chip. “Trying to get over you. You’re not making it easy, what with your naked shower shows and whatnot.”

  I chuckled. “That really was an accident.”

  “Oh, I’m sure it was, but it still happened.” She laughed and shook her head. “Man, you should have seen her face when you were getting dressed. I think you should go after her.” Ellie pointed a Cheeto at me.

  “Well, you’re in luck because I’m going to.”

  Her face screwed up in confusion. “Wait, what?”

  I reached into her bag and grabbed a chip. “I said, I’m going after Rose.”

  She blinked. “Are you serious?”

  I nodded and opened my mouth, tossing the Cheeto in.

  “Wow, I thought that was going to take a lot more convincing. What’s your plan?”

  “No one gets anywhere with Rose by pushing, so I’m just waiting for the opportunity. My plan is to hang out here with her as much as possible until she caves. I get it now. I’ve seen it. I feel it. So I’m going to take a shot. Even if it’s my last one.”

  She huffed, brows knitting together. “You can’t just sit here on your ass and wait. She’s out on a date right now, literally right now, and has been hanging out with this hot skater dude all day.”

  My smile slipped off my face. “Oh?”

  “Yeah. So maybe don’t push her, but definitely don’t just wait like a good little soldier. You’ve got to take charge, before it’s too late. Just take her. I don’t think she has it in her to say no.”

  The door opened behind us to Rose’s laughter, but before I turned to the sound, Ellie looked me dead in the eye and said, “You can’t let her say no.”

  When I looked over my shoulder, I found Rose smiling a smile I hadn’t seen in a very, very long time, legs long in cutoffs and Vans, flannel tied around her waist. Her head turned back to the guy following her in, and I couldn’t help but check him out. Tall. Built. The vibe I got from him was that he was all right.

  Naturally, I wanted to get up and deck him.

  When Rose saw me on the couch next to Ellie, she might have said the same. Her eyes narrowed with suspicion.

  She set her skateboard down next to the door and dropped her keys in the dish. “Ah, hey guys. This is Greg. Greg, this is my friend Patrick and my cousin Ellie.”

  Ellie smiled and waved, and I jerked my chin in lieu of a greeting, pulse thumping in my ears.

  “What’s up?” he said, smiling, and turned back to Rose. His voice dropped as he reached for her hand.

  My eyes were stuck on their point of contact so hard, Ellie kicked me. I blinked and looked away, turning to stare at the television blankly as every molecule listened to them in the entry.

  “I had a great time today, Rose,” he said. “Thanks for hanging out, but I should probably head home.”

  “Are you sure you don’t want to stay? Or we could go get a drink?”

  I could hear her smiling — she didn’t want him to leave. The knowledge made me feel sick. Maybe Ellie and Joel were right. Maybe I’d waited too long. Maybe I should have kissed her the second I had a chance and prayed West was right, that a kiss would be all it took.

  “I feel like I should quit while I’m ahead. It was a great day.” I think he was smiling too.

  This is bad.

  “Third time was most definitely a charm,” she said as she walked him out the door and stepped into the hall.

  I turned again, training my eyes on the door, trying not to think about what was happening on the other side of it.

  Ellie smirked at me. “I’ve never seen somebody frosty and on fire at the same time before.”

  I sniffed and looked away. “What do you mean?”

  She motioned to me, amused. “Look at you. You look like you could explode, but you’re cool as a cucumber too.”

  I turned back to the TV. “Yeah. Well, Rose does that to me.”

  The door opened again, and Rose walked in, blushing. Heat crept up my neck at the sight.

  She shook her head at Ellie. “Have you moved at all today, Ellie?”

  “Nope.” She hopped off the couch and smiled at the two of us. “I got some bath bombs yesterday and we made a date for tonight. So I’m going to take a long bath in that gigantic tub of yours. Because I take what I want and tonight, that’s a bath.” She gave me a pointed look.

  Rose chuckled as she made her way into the kitchen. “Uh, okay, Ellie.”

  Ellie twiddled her fingers and bounded off.

  “Whiskey?” Rose asked from behind me.

  I propped my feet on the coffee table, not sure how I felt, but absolutely certain that I needed alcohol. “Always.”

  I listened to her in the kitchen, the clink of glasses and ice, the low pop of the bottle’s cork-top, trying to find meaning in what Ellie had said.

  She brought in the drinks and sat next to me on the couch, passing mine over.

  “Looks like your date went well,” I said before taking a sip.

  I tried to read her face, but it was blank. “It did,” was all she said before changing the subject. “What have you and Ellie been up to?”

  I shrugged, feeling salty. “MTV. I’m waiting on them to start a show about people addicted to their network.”

  “That sounds about right,” Rose said with a laugh and took a drink. “Excited for your birthday party? One more day!”

  I snorted and sank down into the couch, resting my head on the back with a sigh. “Yeah, you know how much I love being the center of attention.”

  “Aw, it’ll be fun,” she assured me. “It’s just Habits. Although, I won’t promise Lily didn’t get a cake.”

  I chuckled. “Yeah, West told me.”

  She smiled. “I figured you’d like to know in advance. Pretty sure that’s the only potentially embarrassing moment, though. Just sit through the fifteen seconds of Happy Birthday, and you’re home free.”

  I groaned.

  She looked down at her thigh and tugged at the fraying ends of her cutoffs, avoiding eye contact. “Hey, so Greg was going to come with me tomorrow night
, if that’s okay?”

  “Why wouldn’t it be?” I took a drink and looked away. Lie, lie, lie.

  She twisted a long strand around her finger. “You know why. I just figured since there will be so many people there, and since we’d be at Habits …”

  “It’s fine, Rose. Really,” I smiled, feeling like I was going to choke on the truth.

  She smiled and bought it with a sigh. “Thanks, Tricky.” She settled into the couch and took a drink. “So who all is going to be there?”

  “Everyone from the shop. You guys. Seth.”

  Her face hardened.

  “I know, I know. But it’s a big deal that he’s coming.”

  “Can’t disagree with that,” she muttered.

  I frowned. “Come on, Rose.”

  “What?” she said defensively. “That guy’s a vortex of drama, and I don’t want you to get sucked in again. It’s not fair to you when his shit blows up because you’re the one that gets nailed with shrapnel. I just don’t want you to get hurt again — you have to get that.”

  She didn’t even realize that she killed me every single day. I took a drink to buy a second. “Look, what if Lily was sick? What if she needed you, but helping her hurt you. Would you do it?”

  She gave me a flat look. “Lily would never be like Seth because she’s Lily.”

  I gave her the look right back. “Humor me.”

  “If you’re asking if I’d do anything for Lily, the answer is yes. But you know I have a line. There’s only so much I can give, and if it got to the point where I’d said enough’s enough, that would be it.”

  “Well, I guess we’re different that way. I don’t know how to walk away for good.” I looked away and took a drink.

  “Loyal to a fault?”

  I shrugged. “I just like to call it loyal.”

  She sighed and changed the subject. “Anyway, tomorrow should be fun. I haven’t seen Joel in forever.”

  “He doesn’t really ever change. It’ll be good to have everyone together.”

  “Plus, free drinks.”

  “And that,” I said with a smile and took a drink.

  So did Rose before resting the glass on her bare thigh. “Is Veronica coming?” Her voice was a little too controlled, her face a little too still.