“Gage is now a Saint.”

“No shit. Congrats dude.”

“Yeah, thanks. Why don’t you two go ahead and go inside. Just give me a minute then I will be in.”

Jenna exchanged a look with Larkin before they both agreed.

I hopped onto the trunk of my car when a small silver car caught my eye. Watching it pull into the empty lot next to my bar I saw the back door fly open and a small boy, probably around five years old, fly out.

“Dammit, Gabriel! What have I told you about getting out before I tell you its safe?”

The little boy with shaggy brown hair ducked his head. “Sorry, mommy. I’m just so excited. I get to play the guitar tonight, Uncle Jase promised.”

Taking my attention off the little boy I looked to his mom and I really wish I hadn’t. My khaki shorts got a little tighter just from looking at the woman. She was too far away to see too much detail but I could see she had dark brown hair and when knelt down to talk to her son her shirt rode up in the back and I could see some sort of tattoo.

“Gabe, I hate yelling at you, but mommy doesn’t want you getting smashed like a bug by some car.”

When the mom stood, I recognized her shirt. She works for me. Fucking great. And my shorts just keep getting tighter. I couldn’t take my eyes off of her, though.

I heard the giant, dark blue truck before I saw it flying into the lot. The mom I had been watching grabbed onto her son and flung him behind her.

“What the fuck are you doing?” She yelled at the driver.

The guy left the truck running my hopped out of the truck. “Parking, what the hell does it look like?”

It looked like a divorced couple trading off their child. The little boy slipped out of his mom’s grip and ran to the guy standing in front of her. The guy instantly had his arms out, catching the little boy.

Another guy, covered in tattoos appeared from the passenger side and high fived the little boy. “Uncle Jase!” The little boy, yelled.

The tattooed guy held his arms out. “Hey buddy. I’ve missed you. Are you ready to learn some good ole rock and roll tonight?”

The little boy bobbed his head up and down. “Will it be Lynyrd Skynyrd?”

Huh. The kid knew good music.

“You know it.” The tattooed guy responded.

I looked back at the mom. She looked bored. “Ok, well as fun as this little hoorah has been I have to get to work. Some of us have a child to raise.”

Maybe that was her little dig at the guy I assume was dad.

The little boy wrangled his way free from tattoo guy and ran to his mom. “Love you, mommy. Don’t work too hard.”

Her face lit up. “Love you too, Gabe. Be good and mommy will see you tomorrow afternoon.”

The assumed dad leaned in to kiss her cheek but she side stepped him and went straight to tattoo guy.

“Thanks, Jase. He loves spending time with you.”

Tattoo guy pulled her into a hug and kissed her cheek. “You know I love spending time with little man. Now go shake your ass and make you some rent money.” He lightly smacked her ass before he climbed into the truck and buckled the little boy into his booster seat.

The first guy attempted to get the mom’s attention again. I saw her body go rigid and she spoke low enough that I couldn’t hear but he dropped it and got into his truck. She kicked at the loose stones in the parking lot as the truck drove away.

Something was definitely going on.

The mom dropped her head onto the roof of her car as a slew of curse words fell from her mouth.

Now I was intrigued. She yanked open the driver’s door and grabbed her purse before slamming the door shut and locking it. Stomping across the lot I could see more and more of her the closer she got. Her dark brown hair made her intense blue eyes that much more noticeable. She had an amazing mouth with plump kissable lips.

What the fuck was I thinking this way about someone who I didn’t know, and someone who works for me?

Once she was getting close I slid off the trunk of my car. Something was pulling me to her. I took one step before I retreated in the opposite direction.

I was disgusting.

I walked around the edge of my bar and looked up at the full deck. All the people carrying on lives like there isn’t a care in the world. Those who will probably go home with a random girl or guy tonight and regret it tomorrow. Not thinking tonight what could possibly result in that heat of the moment choice.

Slowly I walked up the steps to the throng of people drinking on the deck. Hoping no one would notice me and I could slip inside without a problem

No such luck. I had been spotted. And queue the giggly girls offering me drinks and their bodies.

No thanks. I warned off person after person and made my way inside to the bar. I just wanted a beer and to hide in my office until I could go home to my daughter. 

14

Annie

Yawning, I walked up the steps and into the bar. Stopping just before going in I looked at the setting sun. This wasn’t supposed to be my life. I wasn’t supposed to be a single mom working at a bar. I had a plan. A plan that included being married to Derek and raising our son together. Nowhere in the plan did it say he was supposed to die and leave me to raise our son alone.

Pushing my hair back, I took a deep breath of the warm, salty air and opened the door. Being a bartender at Wet Spot wasn’t ideal but the money was good and I had a son to raise.

“Hey, bitch. Where the hell you been? Palmer has been looking for you.” My best friend squealed as soon as I was through the door. I loved Leigha but damn the girl needed to tone it down.

Smacking her away I said, “Palmer can fuck himself. I have told him I’m not interested. Not my fault the dumbass can’t take the hint. Tonight is not a night to mess with me. I’m on my period and I just had a run in with Tristan when your brother picked up Gabe.”

Leigha’s smile slipped a little. “Take some Midol and tell Tristan to go to hell. As for Parker, You can’t blame him for finding you so damn sexy. Momma’s got it goin’ on.”

Glaring at her I turned on my heel to face her. “Shouldn’t you be going and asking if somebody needs a refill? Hell, see if Palmer wants to fill you up just so he leaves me alone.”

She frowned before pouting, “He doesn’t like me. I tried.”

I still couldn’t figure out why Palmer wasn’t interested in her. She was smart, witty, funny, and gorgeous as hell. She was that all American natural beauty. She had long, wavy chestnut brown hair. Her tan skin made her greyish blue eyes stand out.

Leigha flipped her long hair over her shoulder and scrunched her face. “I’ll tell Palmer to get lost. Besides I heard Mr. Owner man is coming in tonight. You need to be on your game, not worried about some beach bum.” She may be a pain in my ass and a little too happy sometimes but God, I love her. I know I could always count on her and she always has my back. Through everything she has been the only person in my life that hasn’t left.

“Isn’t the owner some big time soccer player or something?” I asked.

Leigha laughed and shook her head before bouncing off to the table. I shrugged, and made my way to the employee room. It was only eight at night but this place was already filled. Being mid-August I wasn’t surprised, but I also knew that meant another late night.

Looking down I noticed something on the floor. Bending over I saw it was a beer bottle. I grabbed it and before looking up started to take a step and ran into something solid, falling flat on my ass.

Not thinking I yelled out, “What the hell?” Thinking some drunk vacationer knocked me over, I was irate.

Before lifting my head, there was a large hand being shoved in front of my face. Staring at the fingertips I scanned my eyes over the hand and onto the muscular, tattooed arm and straight into the bluest eyes I’d ever seen. Swallowing hard, I stared into those clear blue eyes. I felt as if they could see into my soul.

“You okay?” A deep voice with a slight southern accent asked.

Without speaking I nodded my head. Taking his hand I allowed him to help me up. “Um. Thanks.” I dropped the guys hand and darted around him without looking back.

My hand was still tingling from the feeling of his touch. I hadn’t felt that way since before Derek died. Wiggling my fingers and making a fist I tried to force the feeling out. Flinging the employee door open I threw my purse into a locker and rested my head against the cool metal. After taking a few deep breaths I gathered myself enough to go back out, hopefully not running into mystery man again.

Once I was behind the bar I had order after order being yelled at me. Making a few drinks helped to clear my head. Then, I turned to see Palmer sitting on the barstool right in front of me. His silver eyes sparkling from the overhead lighting, he ran a hand through his buzzed red hair. That damn knowing smile on his face. The guy was a relentless creep.

Rolling my eyes, I curled my lip in disgust. “What the hell do you want, Palmer?”

Palmer slid a twenty dollar bill across the bar and waggled his eyebrows. “You know, Annie, I think I could make you very happy.”

Keeping my head up, I dropped my eyes to look at the money on the bar before bringing them back up to look at Palmer. “How? Are you leaving?”

Palmer didn’t take the hint. Instead he tried again. “Can I buy you a drink?”

Looking behind me, to my left and to my right I raised an eyebrow. “No, but I’ll take the money. Thanks.” Snatching the twenty dollars off the bar I shoved it into my shorts pocket. Smirking I walked to the opposite end of the bar to wait on another group of people.