by Jami Wagner
I recognize almost everyone here tonight, but one person stands out. I focus on each step I take to be sure I don’t fall in front of him. He approaches me too, staying calm and collected with a smile on his face. I wish I had that much confidence when it comes to me.
“Hey, Kelsey,” He leans in to speak into my ear over the music. “You look beautiful tonight.”
I blush.
“Thank you.” I’m obvious about letting my eyes take in the sight of him. Ethan has on a pair of dark blue jeans that fit him loosely, with a brown belt and a black button-down shirt he has tucked in. He looks stunning and I can’t hide the smile on my face.
“Do you want to get a drink?” he asks.
“Yes.”
He places his hand at the small of my back, leading me to the bar. My nerves are all over the place, and I already know I’m going to need more than one drink to make it through this night.
“You look stunning tonight.”
“Oh really, I’m shocked you noticed what with all the avoiding you’ve been doing lately.”
Ethan gazes at me from the corner of his eye before waving at Lucas. “Can I get a Bud and Kelsey will have a…” His left brow raises waiting for my response.
“Reds, please,” I say because I haven’t lost all my manners. Although he doesn’t really deserve any right now. I planned to come here and grab his attention. I never said I was going to be nice about it.
Lucas chuckles as he hands us our beers.
“Thanks,” I say, quickly stepping away, fully prepared to leave Ethan wanting more.
“I’m sorry, Kelsey.”
I stop. “You seem to be saying that a lot these days, Ethan, and you haven’t even been here that long.”
“I know, I just … I have a lot going on and I’m not sure how I want to deal with it.” He takes a drink from his beer, pinning his eyes on me. “I know what I want, but wants and needs are two very different things.”
My heart thumps louder. He’s never actually done anything to hurt me. But the way he’s acted isn’t a good sign. It’s not something I want to mess with. The way he said wants and needs makes me think he’s hiding something. And although I know I should stay away from him, a huge part of me wants to know what it is he won’t tell me, and deep down, I know that’s the part of me that’s going to win. It’s the part of me that’s willing to chance getting hurt again for Ethan.
Ethan
From the moment she steps through the door, Kelsey has my full attention. Her black dress is tight on her body, showing off every last curve and I love every moment of it. She looks beautiful and hot as hell, and there is no way I’m going to let any other guy in the place get near her.
I’ve been back and forth for what feels like a zillion times. Screw it all to hell and be with Kelsey, or stay away convincing myself it’s for the best? Right now, Kelsey is definitely weighing my decision toward option one. I can’t even look her in the eyes without my mind screaming, “Fuck it, just be with her.” Then I think about how far into helping my father I am and I freeze up. I have no idea what I should do.
“Dude, Sara looks smoking hot tonight, don’t you think?” Logan asks me. We’re leaning against the bar, resting back on our elbows as we watch the crowd. More specifically, the girls as they dance together on the dance floor, capturing everyone’s attention. My face wrinkles up and I feel like I’m going to be sick.
“Yeah, no…that’s my cousin. Nothing hot going on there, my friend.” I push myself off the bar, set my beer down, and then head for the dance floor. I watch Kelsey as she moves her hips to the song and laughs with my cousin.
I pause, debating my actions one more time, but one glance in my direction and everything that isn’t Kelsey disappears. She jumps when I come up behind her. My hands shake as they rest on her hips and she turns around slowly, wrapping her arms around my neck. She continues to move her hips from side to side until we have a rhythm together. I can’t imagine a moment when I’ve ever been happier than I am when I’m around her.
“It’s hard to do the right thing when what I want most is what I need most,” I say into her ear.
Her body stiffens. “It’s hot in here, right?” She fans herself with her hand, pulling away but leaving her hand in mine.
“Let’s go cool off,” I suggest, lacing our fingers and tugging her toward the bar where the crowd is thin. I lift my hand in the air to get Lucas’s attention and ask for two waters. He sets them in front of us and Kelsey immediately starts to chug hers. There’s a glow off her skin from hours of dancing, and her hair is now pulled up. She turns, leaning her left arm against the bar, and smiles up at me. I reach up to place a stray hair behind her ear.
“I have two things to say to you, Ethan Connelly,” She is slurring her words only slightly. I chuckle.
“And those are?”
“I just want you to kiss me already.”
I grin and lean closer. “The other?”
“I’m really glad Sara chose you to run her bar while she’s gone.”
And just like that, reality returns. When Kelsey finds out the real reason I’m here, she’ll hate me.
“Oh, you two are sooo cute.” Sara comes up quickly on Kelsey’s other side, almost running into the counter, then leans away from the bar, holding on with one hand to look around Kelsey to me. Logan comes up behind her to steady her. “It’s such a good thing your dad picked you to come help me and not one of your brothers,” Sara says, winking at Kelsey and looking back to me. “Before you know it, you’re going to be marking the schedule so all your shifts can be together. You better be a good boss to her, or Logan will beat you up.” She slurs a few of her words worse than Kelsey did, but I heard them.
Like clockwork, my phone buzzes in my pocket. Pulling it from my pocket, I glance down to see my father’s name. I excuse myself to use the restroom, but I don’t go there. Instead I leave. Until I figure out what I’m going to do and can stick with it, the farther away I am from Kelsey, the better. For both of us.
Chapter Fourteen
Kelsey
Sara’s been gone for a couple weeks and I’ve hated not having someone to talk to. Especially with the whole Ethan fiasco. I pretended like things were fine when she left because I don’t want her to worry.
The first part of her trip she said would still be in the United States so she promised to make at least one visit back home before she flies to Paris. Lucky. Here I am, lying on my parents’ couch with a fresh batch of chocolate chip cookies, watching reruns of Friends, avoiding the homework I have for class, and dreading the shift I have to work tonight.
After Ethan’s disappearance at Sara’s going-away party, I’ve officially decided to cut him off of any chance he may have with me. Who cares if he’s too good looking for his own good and has a great smile? I don’t play games and Ethan has shown pretty damn well that he is great at them.
For the most part, we have kept our distance at work. I’m pretty sure he scheduled it that way, which has resulted in fewer shifts for me. He irritates me to no end these days. Some days he is nice to me and other days he is a complete jerk. I thought he liked me, but I was extremely mistaken. He made that clear when he stopped showing up for breakfast and when he left me at Sara’s party. Not that I was thinking clearly that night anyway. Come on, Kelsey. He isn’t a trustworthy person. Once a cheater, always a cheater, right? That’s probably why he disappeared. Damn it. Why am I still thinking about him?
At least at work, it’s not just me. Things are off to a rocky start with everyone else at the bar too, and have only grown worse. Ethan is taking this temporary takeover way out of control. He told Beth to save her personal problems for off the clock when she was explaining to me why she needed to trade a shift. Logan showed up two minutes late one day and Ethan was ready to fire him on the spot. Logan, his one and only friend. The guy who, after everything, still invites Ethan to shoot hoops twice a week.
His behavior isn’t the only crap thing we’
ve got going on—it’s his rules on our dress code, too. We’re no longer allowed to wear jeans or casual clothing to work—black dress pants and black shoes only and girls must wear their hair pulled back. I accepted that last one, but the rest is just crazy and the list just keeps growing. I understand looking professional, but this is a bar. It’s supposed to have a laidback feel to it.
His rules and attitude have been so bad, the others have been coming to me, asking me to do something about it. What can I do? Sara didn’t leave me in charge. She picked Ethan and now we’re all suffering. I kind of miss the nerdy boy who was sweet to me. He was kind, funny, and cared for others way more than he should have. Now, I can sum him up in one word. Jackass.
The sound of my phone vibrating on the glass coffee table startles me. I point the remote to the TV to put it on mute and grab my phone with the other hand. Logan’s name flashes across the screen.
“Hey, Logan, what’s up?”
“Okay, so I had this idea,” he says.
“Why are you whispering?” I ask. He ignores me and goes on.
“Tonight when it gets dark out, like dark enough you can’t see anyone, you sneak out of your parents’ house and slash his tires then hammer a note to his front door that tells him to ‘get out of town or else.’”
Oh geez.
I can’t help but laugh. We would never be that fortunate.
“Even if I thought this idea was a good one—which I don’t, by the way, but I have to say you’re ideas are getting more creative—what happens when he wakes up to my hammering on his door?”
“You run, Kelsey. Duh.”
“Right. You do remember what happened the last time he caught me sneaking around someone’s house? It didn’t end well for him,” I point out.
“Exactly!” Logan shouts into the phone.
“He isn’t that bad. We don’t need to threaten his life. Besides, aren’t you still friends with him.” I say.
“Outside work, yeah. But at work … come on, you’ve seen him at work. It’s like working for that Bain guy in Batman, Kelsey. We’re all scared to screw up. I know you are too.”
“Stop acting like such a girl, Logan.” I push myself off the couch and catch the sight of myself in the mirror at the bottom of the stairs. Whoa hair, calm down. “So, what is the real reason you called?” I ask as I try to fix my fuzzy hair while holding the phone with my shoulder.
“Oh. Uh…that was my real reason for calling.”
“Yeah, ok.” I catch myself rolling my eyes in my refection. “You call me every day that you don’t see me in class. Sara told you to check up on me, didn’t she? Typical.”
Logan’s laughter only confirms it.
“Good-bye, Logan.”
“Bye, Kelsey, see you at work tonight.”
Poor Logan. He has it bad for Sara and is so worked up over her absence. I turn for the stairs and pause mid-step when I hear a loud banging noise from outside. I open the front door and poke my head out. Ethan is inside his garage, standing over a motorcycle, shaking his head. His hands are on his hips and he spins to kick the tire and then yells at the bike. He must sense someone is watching him because he snaps his head right in my direction. I close the door quickly, but there’s no doubt he saw me.
As much as I don’t want to do anything nice for him, an idea comes to mind. Maybe if I can find someone to fix his bike, he’ll be in a good mood for my shift tonight. I send a quick text to Logan, telling him what I saw, and then run up the stairs to work on my paper for that column contest before I have to get ready for work.
Someone’s going to knock some sense into Ethan. If it’s not Logan, it’s going to be me. And there is no time like tonight to start.
Ethan
This stupid piece of shit bike still won’t start. I’ve been working on it for hours, trying to let off some steam. My dad is being a dick. You’re not trying hard enough, Ethan. Do better, Ethan. Don’t make me replace you with your brother, Ethan. Just hearing my father say my name makes me want to hit someone or something. I am so sick and tired of not being good enough in his eyes.
Sara hasn’t been gone that long. What does he expect me to find? It’s not like I could be snooping around while Sara was still in town. It was bad enough when Kelsey opened her mouth about my living arrangements. I know Sara thinks I’m buying the house. My cousin drilled me with questions until I gave in and told her I am thinking about staying here permanently.
I don’t even care about hurting anyone’s feelings anymore. I just want Max Connelly to tell me I did something right or maybe even that he’s proud of me. Or I could just tell him to fuck off and be done with it. I’m starting to like that idea more and more.
I was really hoping to get this bike to start so I can go for a long ride where no one can bother me. Take some time for myself. But that’s not going to happen. This piece of junk refuses to start.
A reflection off the front of the bike catches my eye and I follow it. Kelsey is standing in her doorway, watching me. She jumps back and closes the door, but my eyes remain glued to that spot for a while. She doesn’t appear again.
I rub my fingers over my eyes. My neighbor is another problem for me. Things would be so much easier if I drop everything my dad wants and do what I want, which is to get to know her better. But I can’t, not without hurting her. Maybe I don’t know what I want and that’s why I haven’t done anything. No, that’s a lie. I know exactly what I want. I just don’t know how to get it without letting someone down.
I step out of the garage toward Kelsey’s house, but a black Ford on lifts pulls up in front of my driveway. Logan waves at me through the window and jumps out.
“Hey, man,” he says, walking over to me with his hands in front pockets and taking a look around. “I heard you were having a little bike trouble. Mind if I take a look?”
“Kelsey called you, didn’t she?”
He nods. “Yeah.”
I step back toward my bike. “It won’t start. I’ve been out here most of the day and I can’t figure out why.” I tell him.
Logan walks around the bike slowly and stops in front of the toolbox. “Is this cool?” he asks, pointing at it.
“Be my guest. I’ll go grab us some waters,” I say before heading inside. I’ll have to remember to thank Kelsey. She didn’t have to send anyone to help me, but I’m glad she did. I open the fridge and pull out a couple bottles. The sound of a motorcycle roaring to life comes from the garage.
“No way,” I say, stepping outside and handing Logan a bottle.
“It was an easy fix,” he says as I grab my helmet, ready to take it for a spin. “So what’s the deal with you and Kels? I’m going to be honest. You’ve been a dick to everyone since the day Sara left, and somehow Kelsey feels enough kindness to help you out.”
I shrug and look away from him. “I can’t tell you. But I’ll be sure to thank her later, and thanks for fixing my bike.”
Chapter Fifteen
Ethan
I hate the way everyone is walking around the bar, pretending like I have a disease. They’re all going out of their way to stay away from me. At first I thought it was weird that I hadn’t spoken to anyone since I got here, but it isn’t until I come out of the office and watch Beth and Abby scatter like the building is on fire that I figure it out. All in different directions, too, and any direction that doesn’t include toward me.
I head straight for the end of the bar where Abby is working. The moment I get to the end, she turns around and walks to the other, all without even a glance in my direction. I study each girl and can’t find a single clue to what’s going on.
“Hey, Ethan, is something wrong?” Logan gestures toward Beth with a bar glass. “Or did she do something wrong?”
“No, I just can’t figure out why my employees are avoiding me. I haven’t done anything new lately that would piss them off.” I pull up a seat in front of him.
“Yeah, women are like that. I’ll probably go half my life not knowi
ng why Sara or Kelsey is mad 70 percent of the time they are around me. It’s just how they work—one minute they’re calm and couldn’t care less. The next minute… ”
He clears his throat.
“The next minute, you never know what they’re going to do.” He chuckles then walks away.
I spin on the seat to see what caught his attention. My eyes about pop out of their sockets when I find Kelsey standing in the doorway, a beaming, white smile on her face. Her hair is pinned up into a messy bun. The Black Alcove t-shirt she’s wearing is tighter than normal, showing off her every curve and she is wearing a….mother fucker, she is wearing a skirt. One that is way too short for the public eye. If it’s getting to me this fast, it’s getting to every other man in this bar too. I take a breath and attempt to control the groan in my throat. This woman knows how to test my patience.
In two quick strides I’m at her side. “What are you wearing?” I ask in the calmest tone I can handle. My hands are clenching at my sides, and when I hear a whistle, I know it’s directed toward her. My breathing picks up as I wait for her reply and control my urge to punch the mystery fucker in the face.
Kelsey shrugs and glances down at her chest.
“Um, it’s our required uniform, Ethan.”
“That is not required.” I point to her outfit. “You should be wearing black pants and, let me guess, you shrank your shirt in the dryer?”
“No, I bought a size smaller and I didn’t feel like wearing pants today.”
“You didn’t feel like wearing pants?”
“That’s what I said.” She smiles again.
“Well,” I growl at her and point to her skirt, “that sure as fuck isn’t going to work for me.”
“Well…” She rolls her eyes and looks away. “You’re going to have to make it work. I’m not changing.”
I stand there completely dumbfounded as she walks away. Heads turn as she greets a few people on her way to the jukebox. I watch her hips sway back and forth to the music. That skirt is way too short. It reveals her delicious long legs, and when she leans over the jukebox to press a few buttons, my mind starts to wander to places it really shouldn’t go right now. I can do this. I can let a couple of rules slide for one night.