by Jami Wagner
“That has nothing to do with me wanting to be around her. It has to do with the fact that I was already barely meeting ends meet between the store and being here to pay for the store, helping my mother out, and paying my own bills before the place was vandalized. We are working together to get the place up and running is all.”
I know it’s a lie even as I say it.
“And how far along is the store coming?” he asks in an overly curious tone. I choose not to answer his question. He knows Sky and I haven’t made much progress since we started getting along. Mainly because I should be livid the inspector booked me out again. At this rate, he’ll never show up. But every day that passes and he isn’t there is one more day I get to spend time with Sky. And that, I don’t mind it at all.
“Luke, you don’t have to hide the fact that you’re spending more time with a girl than on the store. In fact, I’m happy you’re putting yourself first for once.”
“Luke! Where are our shots?” Beth hollers. I rush to mix them—I should have been doing that this whole time—thankful that I have something focus on instead of replying to Conner. What would I have said to him?
You’ve got it all wrong, because my family and the store come first. Nope, I can’t say that.
He’s right.
Shots in hand, I head down to stand in front of Beth and Sky.
“What brings you two out?” I ask, my attempt at focusing my mind on anything else.
“Sky has this bucket list, and we are out tonight trying to fulfill a few of the things she wrote down.”
Oh, thank god. She was probably only kissing Tyler to cross something off her list. I have to hold back my smile. It wasn’t even a real kiss.
“Make me another drink, please,” Sky cuts in and throws back her shot. Her eyes bug out, and her hand shoots to cover mouth as her foot taps against the ground. “That was awful. What was that?”
Sky reaches for the soda gun. I swat her hand away and pour her a glass of Coke before sliding it to her. She gulps it down.
“So much better,” she says, but it doesn’t come out as clearly as she meant for it to. A new song comes over the speakers, a song I’m not familiar with, but Sky apparently loves it. She stands quickly.
“Beth, let’s dance.” She cheers with excitement.
“No, I’m good,” Beth answers, turning to face me as Sky heads for the dance floor alone.
“She may have had more alcohol than normal tonight.” Beth laughs.
“I can see that.”
I never let Sky out of my view during the last hour of my shift. Occasionally, she comes back to the bar for a drink before returning to the dance floor. She’s the only one there now, so when she falls and doesn’t push herself up, I know it’s time to get her home.
I close out the last few drinks I need to make, and then I meet Beth out front. She and Sky are sitting on the bench. Well, Beth is sitting, Sky is leaning over, resting her head on Beth’s shoulder.
Her eyes are closed and her arms are crossed in front of her. A loose hair falls in front of her face, and she swipes it away. Beth’s brow peaks before her gaze moves to Sky, who seems to be attempting to get as close to Beth as she can. I shake my head.
“I hate to break your moment of staring love for her, but I have to be somewhere. I’ll come back for my car later.”
“Where could you have to be at this time, Beth?” I ask, hooking my arm around Sky to prop her up to her feet. She moves with me, not letting her weight hang on me like others who have had too much to drink would do.
Beth lets go of Sky’s hand when she’s aware I’ve got a good hold on her.
“That’s none of your business,” she says with a smile. “Just please make sure she gets to bed for me. I trust you, Luke. I don’t know what’s going on with you two, but make sure she is safe.”
“Of all people, you know I will, Beth.”
“I know.” Her smile is gone when she turns to head in the other direction.
Sky looks so peaceful and innocent. With a shrug, I lift her a little higher and start walking. She walks with me, her steps slow and dragging against the cement sidewalk. After the second stumble because she can’t seem to pick her feet up all the way, I swing her legs up and carry her.
She swings one hand around the back of my neck to lock with the other and then buries her face into my shirt.
“I hate that you always smell so good, Luke.”
I swallow, affected by her saying my name or the way she moans when she finishes smelling my shirt. I’m not going to say anything because she’s drunk and she doesn’t know what she’s saying.
“I didn’t do it, Luke. I didn’t break in.”
I keep on with my silence. After a minute or two, I hear her sniffle. I feel the moment my shirt absorbs her tears.
“I really wish I could find the people who did it. I’d love to see them pay.”
I slow my steps … every word she’s saying is clear. She hasn’t slurred a single word since she was sitting at the bar.
“I wish I were a detective”—her slurred words are back—“because then I would find them and show you it wasn’t me.”
“Sky.”
“Someone has to find them, Luke, otherwise this will never be good.”
“Things are good now.”
“No, they aren’t.”
“We get along just fine; how is that not good?”
“Because I don’t want to be just your friend anymore. I’ve never got to choose who I wanted to date, and now that I can, he thinks I’m a criminal.”
I stop. We’re at the corner of the bookstore. She must notice that we aren’t moving anymore because she wiggles until I put her down. Her walk isn’t anything close to a straight line, so I follow her. She never continues with what she said. I don’t ask her about it either, because I know how I feel and I know she flirts, but I guess I didn’t think she wanted anything to come of it. We don’t know that much about each other still. But at some point in this last week, I’ve come to terms that she probably wasn’t the one who broke in.
I unlock the door and wait until Sky disappears inside before I lock it behind her.
Do I move past all this and ask her out for real, make time for a girlfriend, or tell her that being friends is the best thing for me until I can get my family back on track?
Chapter Thirteen
Skylar
It’s almost been a week since I successfully crossed getting wasted off my list and made an ass out of myself in front of Luke. I remember what I said, and I know he does, too. He just hasn’t said anything about it, nor has he acted any differently.
He doesn’t even seem to mind that I spend a few hours every morning at the animal shelter instead of at the store. It’s probably for the best. Forget I even said anything.
“Listen up!” Logan and Sara both step out of the office. Luke and I are at one end, and Conner, Beth, and Abby are all at the other end of the bar. Everyone makes their way to center as Logan waves a piece of paper in the air and Sara follows behind him with wide grin.
“Tonight will more than likely get busy after the college basketball game. Sara and I have decided to make this night fun for everyone. If it goes well, we may make it a weekend tradition.”
“Work’s already a blast, Logan.” Beth’s sarcastic humor gains a laugh from everyone.
“Ha ha, funny girl. You’ll actually mean those words when tonight is over. So here are the rules.”
“Rules for what?” Luke asks. His curious tone matches spot on with the one inside my head.
“A game,” Sara answers him.
Luke crosses his arms as his hip leans against the counter. I’m more focused now on how his shoulder is resting against me than whatever Logan is about to say.
“It’s a bit random, but here.” He begins to hand out a sheet of paper to each of us. A new customer steps up to the bar, so Logan pauses to allow Luke to serve them before he continues.
“The list of drinks
on the paper in front of you is the game. Be the first to sell each of those drinks in any order and you win. Now, let’s select your teams.”
“Men versus women,” Beth says quickly.
“No, that makes three against two. Not fair,” Conner says.
“Afraid you’re going to lose?” Abby pipes up next to him with a look that could catch fire.
“No, Conner and I could outsell all you easily,” Luke chimes in.
“Twice,” Conner adds.
“Doubt it,” Beth replies to them both. “New rule, the first group to make it through this list twice wins.”
“Whoa, whoa,” Logan says, but it’s clear they aren’t listening to him.
“And if neither team makes it through twice?” Conner’s hands find his hips as he waits for Beth’s answer.
“It’s a draw and we try again another night.”
“Deal.”
“Deal.”
Abby rolls her eyes as Conner, Luke, and Beth all shake on the rules. “I’m not playing this stupid game,” she says, walking off.
Beth shrugs. “Sky, you’re in, right?”
“Yeah, sure, but I’m still not very good.”
“We just have to sell them and ring them in first.”
I nod, and as I’m about to turn, I pause. Logan and Sara are standing on the other side of the bar, watching us all with blank expressions.
“What?” Luke asks.
“That was not the game we planned,” Logan says.
“Not even close,” Sara says. “It’s way better, but I’m curious, what do you guys think you’re winning?”
Everyone trades a glance.
“A free shift off?” Conner suggests.
“I was thinking more like dinner on us one night.” Logan laughs.
“Works for me,” I say, finally adding my voice to this conversation.
“And the satisfaction of proving these two wrong,” Beth says.
“Ditto,” Luke says.
* * *
“If we don’t get this last drink, we’re going to lose. All my badass talk will have been for nothing.”
“I know I’m trying. If I hadn’t broken those glasses, I wouldn’t have been busy cleaning up my mess and I could have been helping customers.” I sigh. Beth should have known it would be a challenge with me on her team.
“You’re absolutely right. Want to make it up to me?”
“How?” My head tilts as I narrow my eyes at her. The way she said that, I’d say she already has an idea.
“Distract Luke.”
I laugh. “Luke and I haven’t exactly been … I don’t know. I just don’t think I can do it.”
“Maybe, maybe not, but you better figure it out quick, because that guy who just walked in? He’s our ticket to winning. Now get on it!” She smacks my butt as I head in the direction of our newest customer, who is headed right for Luke. With a bit of a gallop-skip thing, I’m by Luke’s side, smiling at the gentleman.
“Hi, what can I get you?” I ask.
“Let me think for just a moment. I can’t decide if it’s a vodka night or a whiskey night.”
“I’d say it’s a vodka night, and I have just the right drink for you,” Luke says before I can reply. The man nods. Crap, how am I going to distract him before he can ring in that drink and make it? It has to be something totally off the wall. Something good. Something to give me his full focus.
“Luke,” I say, touching his forearm and gently tugging for him to face me. The moment he does, I press myself to the tips of my toes. His eyes widen when he realizes what I’m about to do, and the funny thing is, he closes the gap between us, sealing my lips to his. He tastes like spearmint and smells like spices. I graze his biceps, admiring the softness of his skin as an arm snakes around my back and he kisses me deeper, leaning me back just slightly in the process. Before I know it, his tongue has crossed over my lips and my hand is tugging at his hair. What started as a gentle, innocent kiss has quickly turned desperate. It’s when I moan into his mouth and my back bumps the counter that I hear the whistling.
I touch my lips the moment they are parted from Luke’s. I’ve never seen this look in his eyes before. Are they are telling me he wants to do that again?
“There you are, sir, vodka soda.” Beth’s cheery voice is right next to my ear.
We make side eye contact. Her eyes are full of happy concern; I hope mine are giving nothing away.
Luke slowly removes the arm wrapped around me as Conner comes storming our way.
“Beth, you cheated! Sending her in to kiss him was a low move,” he says.
“Hey,” Beth holds her hands up, “I told her to distract him. Kissing him was all her idea.”
I can feel both my cheeks heating and Luke’s gaze on me. The grin I find when my eyes meet his is not what I’m expecting. The chuckle that follows leaves my heart ready to explode.
“Can I walk you home tonight?” he asks.
“What?”
That’s not what I was thinking he would say. Be mad, sure, but smiling and offering to walk me home?
“Can I walk you home? To the bookstore.”
“Umm.”
“Yes!” Beth screams. “I’ll even close for you, Luke, so you two can head out in about an hour.”
Luke nods, resuming his bartender duties, and an hour later we are under the stars and headed down the block. In complete silence I might add. Now this—this is exactly how I imagined it.
Luke
Skylar hasn’t spoken since we left the BA. It’s fine with me because I asked her on impulse, and although I’m not regretting it, I’m still at a loss for words. When she kissed me, it was like something inside me woke up. I know I was smiling like a damn idiot the rest of our shift, but I couldn’t help it. My lips actually freaking felt like they were tingling from her kiss. How is that possible? I touch them now, the feeling coming back to me. How pissed would she be if we did it again?
“I’m sorry,” she says, gaining my attention.
“For what?” I ask, even though I know.
“Luke …”
The way she says my name is growing on me.
“Well, you’re not forgiven,” I say. I don’t want her to regret it.
“Seriously? Why not?”
“Because I’m glad you did it, and I don’t care if I sound like a girl when I say that.”
Her smile is wide and beautiful.
Every moment with her, I like her more and more. When she wanted to go to the pet shelter for a few hours every day, I agreed because it would give me time to clear my head and actually get some things done at the store, but all it did was make me realize I miss her. And now—now I want to make out with her in full high school, we-could-get-caught-by-my-parents style.
I unlock the door to the bookstore, holding it open for her to enter. When I step in behind her, she pauses.
“What are you doing?” she asks. Her arms brushes against my chest as she turns to face me.
“Walking you to your door.”
“Why?”
“Because I can.”
“I don’t think you should do that,” she says in soft whisper.
“Why not?” I take a step toward her.
“It’s a bad idea, Luke.”
“I think it’s a great idea.” I reach an arm out, resting my palm flat on the wall next to her head. “The other night you said you didn’t want to be just friends.”
“Ah, yes, yes, I did.”
I lean in.
“Right here is far enough,” she says, ducking under my arm. I move fast, wrapping my fingers around her wrist. She twists around, and I lock my lips on hers before she protests anymore. I must have chosen the right time because it doesn’t take her even a moment’s thought to kiss me back or to run her fingers through my hair as she holds my head in place. She has nothing to worry—I’m not going anywhere.
It feels like all time has stopped, and when we finally pull away from each other, she’s glowing.
Sounds lame, I know. But I’ve never seen the smile that’s on her face right now, and a weird sensation rushes through my veins to know I caused this reaction.
I step back because I haven’t been with a woman in a few months and my body is already pulling toward her. If I don’t leave now—well, I’d love to think about what would happen, but that’s exactly why I need to leave.
“I’ll see you tomorrow,” I say, brushing my fingers against my lips the exact way she’s doing now. Is this motion going to happen every time we kiss? Because at this rate, I’ll be touching my lips all day, every day.
“Good night, Luke.”
Indeed, it is.
Skylar’s watching me out of the window, and I keep walking backward, staring right back at her, until I hear the faint click of the lock and she disappears.
I’ve been dead set against a relationship. I have plenty of responsibilities I should be focusing on, but, tonight from the moment she kissed me, I haven’t thought about any of that and it feels fantastic. It feels … like me.
As if on cue, my cell phone buzzes. Brandy’s name appears, and as my thumb hovers over the green button, glass breaks somewhere behind me.
Shoving my cell in my front pocket, I take off at a sprint, rounding the corner back to the store.
Sky.
The main window is busted this time, and Sky is standing in the middle of the room holding a rock.
“What the fuck?” I yell.
She gasps and the rock drops.
She couldn’t let me have just one night—one night—without adding stress back into my life. But this time, I caught her with the rock, her weapon if you want to call it that, to break the glass. She isn’t getting away with it this time.
“You can’t be serious. Again!” I barge through the door.
“It wasn’t me!” she yells back, although it comes out choked up because she’s crying and shaking. “I had just slipped on my pajama shorts when I heard the glass. I thought you came back and something happened, but when I came down the stairs, the window was broken and this rock was lying on the floor.”
It’s not a big rock, and the damage isn’t nearly as bad as the first go-around, but right now, I could throw the damn rock through someone else’s window because, yeah, I have to order a third fucking window.