by eliza_000
“What’s wrong? Why do you guys look like you ate something bad?” Her eyes flitted from Jack to Randy and back again.
“Have a seat, baby doll.” Jack patted his knee in invitation and gave her a sheepish smile. “We need to talk.”
“I’m out,” Randy said, recognizing his cue to leave. “We can talk about this tomorrow, I guess.”
Outside the office, he paused to light up a cigarette in the dark hallway. The only illumination came from the strip of yellow light beneath the office door and the red glow of the exit light at the end of the hall. The nicotine surged through his blood but did nothing to calm his frayed nerves.
David was coming home. Like Jack, Randy had mixed emotions about seeing his longtime friend. The three of them had been thick as thieves once upon a time, in the days of their youth. Back then, they were three foolish and arrogant young men who thought they ruled the world. Jack had always been the fun one, relentless in his pursuit of all things hedonistic, while Randy had been the more sensible, serious one who kept them grounded. But David? David was the one who had big balls and even bigger aspirations, a few of which landed him in a minimum-security prison in upstate New York with a little help from Karly’s brother. Trouble followed David everywhere he went, and now it was on a direct flight to Felony.
Chapter 15
The band left the stage for their first break, and the crowd jammed the bar area. The fast-paced work kept Karly’s thoughts from straying. Thirty minutes passed in the blink of an eye. As soon as the band started again, Luke went outside for a smoke break, muttering beneath his breath. Randy rolled up to help her, a curious look of introspection on his face. They worked side-by-side in silence, pouring drinks and ringing them into the register, squeezing around each other in the narrow space. She was painfully aware of his proximity, adjusting her stance to prevent physical contact when he reached behind her for vodka on the speed rail or over her head for the premium liquors.
“Hey, Karly.” At the sound of a familiar voice, Karly lifted her gaze from the cocktail shaker in her hand to find Amber smiling back at her from a barstool. She looked cool and put-together in a short red dress with matching come-fuck-me pumps, her shiny blond hair twisted into a messy updo. Perfect red lips parted in a predatory smile when Randy hovered at Karly’s shoulder. “Hi, Randy.”
“Hey.” He jerked his head in greeting and leaned into Karly, reaching for the bar towel beside her. His forearm grazed her breast. Tingles raced through her nerve endings. Randy froze, and their eyes met. “Sorry,” he said, looking quickly away. “What’s up, Amber?”
“You never called me back. I thought we might hook up later,” Amber said. Her smile faded as her gaze flickered from Randy to Karly. Jealousy bristled the hairs on Karly’s nape.
“Yeah, well, thanks, but I’m pretty busy,” he replied. Karly moved a few paces away, to the couple waving a twenty at her, but strained to hear Randy’s answer. “Maybe another time.”
“Oh, come on, big guy. You know you want to.” Amber leaned over the counter, pressing her breasts into the bar, exposing her cleavage to maximum effect. “We had fun the other night, didn’t we?”
Karly rolled her eyes and tried not to scowl. She didn’t want to think about Randy with another girl, especially Amber. A sick feeling twisted her guts. She had to ask the customer in front of her to repeat his order twice before she got it.
“Not now, Amber. It’s busier than fuck in here.” Randy’s front rubbed across Karly’s back as he squeezed between her and the register to reach for another cocktail shaker.
The heat and hardness of his chest against her back brought a flush of crimson into her cheeks. Working in such close proximity stirred up memories of their night together, the way his body felt against hers, the gentleness of his fingertips on her skin. The glass in her hand slipped, and she almost dropped it. Randy didn’t look up but raised his eyebrows. She cleared her throat and refocused her attention on pouring shots.
“Are you always so rude to your girlfriends?” she asked, secretly pleased by his displeasure with the other girl.
“She’s not my girlfriend.” He stopped moving for a fraction of a second and flicked a glance at her.
“Really?” It was her turn to flick a glance at him with raised eyebrows. She fought to keep the jealousy from her voice. “Sounded that way to me.”
“We’ve hung out a few times. But we’re not fucking, if that’s what you mean.” The directness of his reply brought a startled burst of embarrassed laughter from her. “Is that funny?”
“A little bit. I mean, no. It’s none of my business who you sleep with.” She turned away, rolling her eyes at the way her mouth betrayed her.
She reached beneath the counter for napkins at the same time Randy bent to grab some stir sticks. Their hands collided. Her gaze connected with his and held. His lips curved into a slight smile. When he removed his hand, the tips of his fingers dragged across her wrist, exciting the tiny hairs there.
“It’s not your business, but I’m going to tell you anyway,” he said. He moved behind her again and bent to speak in her ear, the heat of his breath shimmering against her earlobe. “I’m not sleeping with anyone. I’m interested in someone else.” The way he said those words, low and sexy, caused her heart to do a backflip. To emphasize the statement, his hand landed on her hip and squeezed before he continued on his way to the cash register.
Holy crap. She sucked in a nervous breath and splashed rum over the edge of the cocktail in her hand. Did he mean her? She wanted the answer to be yes. She was about to ask him when Luke returned from his break. Randy’s attention snagged on a potential problem across the room. No matter what he was doing, his eyes never stopped scanning the room for trouble. He walked away without further comment, intent on quelling the disruption, leaving her curiosity unsatisfied.
The next hour passed in a blur of shot glasses and cocktail shakers, leaving little time to ponder the enigma of Randy Mackenzie. Karly settled into an easy rhythm of taking and serving orders, striking up flirty banter with the men and easy chatter with the ladies. The tip jar next to the register filled steadily. She enjoyed the loud music and eclectic mix of people. When the band played a crowd favorite, Luke began to sing the lyrics at the top of his lungs, dancing and grinding next to the cash register, bumping his hips with hers. She joined into the fun by singing along and rubbing against him playfully as they passed each other. It was the most fun she’d had in a long time.
“Boy, I wish I had a swing like that on my back porch,” a smooth male voice teased from the other side of the counter. Karly glanced up. Josh stared back at her, a huge smile on his sexy face. A tight, long-sleeved white T-shirt stretched across his broad shoulders, showing off his tan to perfection. Platinum tips highlighted his gelled blond hair.
“What are you doing here?” she asked incredulously, then leaned over the counter to give him a hug.
“I had to come see what all the fuss is about,” Josh replied with a wink. He swept a long look over Luke, one eyebrow raised in appreciation. “Mmmm…very nice.”
“Stop it,” she chided but smiled at his playful tone. With one hand, she slid open the cooler door while she grabbed a cup in another and filled it with ice.
“So you’re working here now?” Josh asked. “This looks like a good gig.” His gaze swept over the room and came to a rest on Randy. “Holy hotness.” He narrowed his eyes in contemplation. “Isn’t that the guy you shagged this summer?”
“Josh! Please.” Karly glanced at Luke to make sure he hadn’t heard. When she turned away, her gaze met Randy’s. His forehead furrowed in a scowl.
“Don’t be ashamed of it.” Josh smirked and waggled his eyebrows. “You need to embrace your inner slut and celebrate her. I know I’d like to.”
“You’re shameless.” It was hard to be annoyed at someone so joyously unapologetic about sex and his lifestyle.
“From the way he’s staring at you, I’d say I haven’t got a chanc
e with him. He’s obviously straight as an arrow.” Josh cocked his head to one side and swept his gaze from Randy to Karly and back again. “But that girl over there has definitely got the slutty-desperate vibe I dig.” His eyes lit up at the sight of Amber a few paces away.
Karly snorted, lined up two dozen plastic shot glasses, and filled them with Hot Damn. “You’re crazy, but I like you anyway.”
“Oh, yes. He’s definitely not happy about me being here. Let’s try a little experiment, shall we?” Josh’s long-lashed eyes twinkled with mischief. He reached across the bar top, fisted a hand in Karly’s hair and pulled her lips to his for a long, leisurely kiss, his tongue sweeping through her mouth in a sensual caress. Too startled to react, she stood paralyzed until he released her. “Sweet,” he said, waggling an eyebrow at her. “And looks like your caveman is on his way over here to stake his ground.”
“Josh, seriously. He couldn’t care less.” Nonetheless, her gaze travelled around the room to find Randy. In the space of the kiss, he’d moved to the end of the bar, where he stood with legs braced and arms crossed over his chest, obvious disapproval on his face. She cocked her head and raised an eyebrow at him in silent question. The only response she received was pursed lips and narrowed eyes.
The slap of a serving tray on the bar top announced the return of Tasha. “Yeah, Randy’s definitely into you,” she said with a toss of her pigtails. “Every time you turn your back, his eyes are glued to your ass.”
“Oh, snap, girl. I like you,” Josh said to Tasha, dragging his eyes over her colorful outfit with heartfelt appreciation. He waggled a finger to encompass her bustier and skirt. “This outfit is like Alice in Wonderland meets Betty Paige.”
“Finally, someone gets it,” Tasha said, sighing with relief, a huge smile on her face. She turned to Karly. “I need two Jack and Cokes, a Crown and Coke, and four shots of vodka.”
“Okay, got it,” Karly replied and went to work on the order. “So what’s up between you two?” She jerked her head in Randy’s direction, overcome with curiosity. “Were you going out or something?”
Tasha’s laugh rang out over the hum of voices and music. “Yeah, for about five minutes. And damn, he was a great kisser. The sex was good until he called me by his ex’s name.” Her pert nose wrinkled with adorable mischief. “I’m not really pissed at him anymore. I just like yanking his chain. He takes himself way too seriously.”
“I’ll say,” Karly replied.
Long after Tasha left, Karly’s thoughts stayed on what she’d said. Was Randy still hung up on Pilar? She knew what it was like to love someone who didn’t love you back. Pilar had dumped Randy on his ass, hard and without warning. Even though Mitch was her brother, she didn’t approve of the way he shit on Randy. A person didn’t come back from something like that without a few scars. She bit her lower lip and watched Randy disappear into the back hall, wondering just how deep his still waters ran.
Chapter 16
From the end of the bar, Randy rubbed the back of his neck and tried not to stare at the blond guy talking to Karly. He recognized him as one of the bartenders from the Thirsty Scotsman. The way her face lit up at the sight of him caused a burning sensation in Randy’s chest. With his right hand, he rubbed the offending spot and tried to breathe through the discomfort. Were they dating? For some reason, the idea of Karly with another guy bothered him.
Working so close to her tonight reminded him how much he liked her. Every brush of her body against his brought back memories of their one-night stand. This revelation gave rise to a seed of panic. No, it couldn’t be. It was too soon. He still hadn’t recovered from Pilar’s betrayal.
When the blond guy pulled Karly across the counter and kissed her, the answer became blatantly obvious. He didn’t like it. Not one bit. He took a stance at the end of the bar and tried not to glare. Karly’s gaze met his. The large gray eyes had a way of pulling a man into their soft depths. He wanted to learn all the secrets behind them. A tap on his shoulder tore him away from the torturous tableau. Jack stood behind him, still pale, a scowl on his face.
“I heard a couple of guys are headed into the alley to throw down. Can you go check it out?” Jack ruffled a hand through his dark hair.
“Yeah, man, I’m on it,” Randy said, relieved by the distraction. He eyed his friend and shook his head. “Dude, you look like shit. Why don’t you get out of here?”
“Yeah, I’m out,” Jack replied. “I’m going to leave my truck here, and Ally’s going to drive us home.” If Jack was leaving his beloved truck behind, he must really be ill.
“Don’t worry, man. I’ve got it covered. Go home. Get some rest. I’ll catch up with you tomorrow.”
The altercation in the alley was nothing more than two drunks pissing on the wall. Randy sent them on their way with a word of warning, smoked a cigarette, and returned inside. As he walked through the maze of hallways, the sound of low, intimate voices caught his ear. He smirked. It wasn’t unusual for couples to hook up in the dark recesses, their inhibitions loosened by liquor and music. He paused beside the recess, debating whether to break up the interlude, and raised an eyebrow when the girl spoke to her lover. The female voice belonged to Amber. He shook his head and walked past, relieved to be rid of her.
Once the bar emptied and they closed for the night, Karly left with the blond guy from the Scotsman, one hand on the small of her back. His gut clenched, watching them walk way. Their laughter floated down the hall then faded, leaving him in silence. He locked up the building and sat on a barstool alone, chain-smoking, a glass of Jack’s favorite Scotch in his hand.
Devoid of people, the stillness of the bar unsettled him. The century-old building creaked and groaned as old buildings often do. A cold draft swept through the room, sending a shiver down his back. Usually, he enjoyed the quiet following the chaos, but tonight the silence disturbed him on many different levels, highlighting his isolation. In the past, when loneliness struck, he hit the nearest all-night bar and got drunk with the prettiest girl he could find. Hence, his acquaintance with Amber. Liquor never filled the void, only masked it for the short-term. Tonight the emotional hole in his heart gaped wide open, too big for repair by alcohol or sex.
How had he gotten to this miserable place? Jack was home with Ally, probably enjoying her attentions as he struggled to recover from the flu. Caleb, his son, was miles away, sleeping in the house of a man Randy hated. And Karly was with the pretty boy bartender from the Thirsty Scotsman. Randy snorted and took a long drink of his Scotch, the heat of the whisky doing nothing to dispel the coldness inside him. This wasn’t the life he wanted, but he had no idea how to change it.
Chapter 17
The next morning, Randy nearly missed Karly shivering on the bench at the bus stop as he drove down Meeker Avenue. He did a double take into his rearview mirror and saw the telltale bright hair. The image of Karly and Josh the night before burst into his mind, followed by the painful sting of jealousy. With a shrug, he accelerated and sped away, eager to get as far away from her as possible. Two blocks down the street, he thought better and circled back. With sub-zero temperatures and another snowstorm on the way, Karly had to be freezing. He wasn’t the kind of guy who left his friends in the cold, figuratively or literally, and if nothing else, she was his friend.
He stopped the truck in front of the bus stop and rolled down the window. "Hey, pretty girl. Need a lift?" The bitter cold burned his lungs, while the exhaust from his truck rolled in clouds around the cab, almost obliterating Karly from view.
She’d been looking in the opposite direction but turned at the sound of his voice. Her eyes brightened. A smile lit her face. Plenty of girls smiled at him, but their smiles didn’t churn up his insides the way hers did. He thumped a hand on his chest and coughed to cover up the stir of feelings.
"Yes," was all she said. That one word was enough to drive away the chill of the winter day and warm him from the inside out. Her cheeks glowed with cold. The tip of her nose was brigh
t red as she climbed into the cab. "Thank goodness you showed up," she said as she stretched mittened hands toward the dashboard vents. "Another ten minutes out there, and I would've frozen to death."
"Where's your hat, missy?" he asked in his best stern voice, instantly at ease in her presence. A little of the former jealousy eased. She had every right to see other guys. After all, he wanted nothing from her but friendship. "Didn't your mamma teach you better?"
"It's here." She whipped a blue-and-white knit cap from her pocket and waved it in front of him. "I don't like to wear it. It messes up my hair."
"Of course. What was I thinking? Better to freeze to death than have a bad hair day."
"You know it." She beamed at him again, and the loneliness of the night before disappeared.
“Where are you headed today?” He shot her a sideways glance, struck by the up-tilt of her pert nose and the pouty fullness of her lower lip.
“I was on my way to the hospital. Chelsea’s in labor, and I think Ally needs some backup.” Her fingers played with the hood of her coat as she spoke, like he made her nervous. He smiled and tried not to look intimidating, eager to put her at ease.
“Yeah? Me, too. I just got off the phone with her. She said Jack is having a meltdown. I guess handling Chelsea and Jack at the same time is a little much for any one person,” he said.
“You’ve known Jack and Chelsea for a long time, huh?”
“Yeah. Jack since we were kids. Chelsea not so long, but long enough.” He pursed his lips in introspection, unsure how to explain a relationship fraught with tragedy and bad decisions. “Jack’s been my best friend since junior high, and they were kind of a package deal. I don’t like the way she’s treated him over the years, but she’s not a bad person, really.” He cleared his throat, overcome with the need to explain. “She’s the reason I left your apartment so quickly the morning after our hook-up last summer. She was in the hospital, and she needed someone.”
