by Adele Niles
“What?” he asked, huffing. “You got something to say?”
Around us, the shop went silent.
I could feel them all watching—Zoe, Logan, Benny, Bradley. All of them staring at me, wondering what the hell I was going to do.
“Garrett…” Bradley’s voice was low. He was standing close behind me, watching. “Look. We all know what happened. Just think clearly.”
I glanced over my shoulder at him.
I was thinking clearly.
I’d never thought more clearly in my life.
I looked back at Ryker and said, “I’m not backing down.”
“Okay.” He shrugged.
I frowned. He couldn’t just act like he didn’t give a shit. I knew better. He cared about this a lot.
“I like her,” I said. “I love her. And I’m not giving up.”
He looked at me, eyes cold.
I just kept going. “If you’re not man enough to act like an adult and let me date her, fine. I’ll quit my job and you don’t have to see me anymore.”
“Don’t fucking insult me like that, Garrett.”
“I’m not the one with the problem.”
He straightened up, hands clenched at his sides.
He took a step forward, closer to me.
I shifted my weight, making fists of my own.
I could feel Bradley tense behind me, but I didn’t care.
Ryker looked down at me and straightened to his full height. “No man is ever going to be good enough for her,” he growled. “She’s one of the best girls I’ve ever known. Nobody deserves her. Nobody on this planet is good enough.”
The door opened.
I heard Zoe’s voice, breaking through the tension between me and Ryker.
“Bailey, good timing,” Zoe said. “They’re about to kill each other up there.”
And then Bailey’s voice, exasperated. “Shit. Okay.”
Chapter Twenty
Bailey
I walked in to see Garrett and Ryker face to face, clearly on the verge of kicking the shit out of each other.
I sighed heavily, shaking my head.
Zoe, her hair bright pink, gave me a tired smile. “Bailey, good timing. They’re about to kill each other up there.”
I rolled my eyes.
They were still being children, and I had to do something to put a stop to it.
“Shit. Okay.”
I moved toward the stairs, climbing them and standing next to them. Bradley stepped aside to let me pass.
I looked up at Ryker first.
He glanced at me, and all the anger melted out of him.
He took a half-step back, turning his body and folding his arms. His hands relaxed, no longer tightened into fists.
“Bay.”
“It’s Bailey now, Ryker. Please?”
“Fine. Bailey.”
I smiled at him.
He huffed and shook his head. After a moment, he extended his right hand to Garrett.
Garrett looked at it, scowling.
Ryker frowned, but spoke up.
“Look. You’re not good enough. Nobody is. She deserves the best. But, you’ll do. You better take care of her.”
Garrett looked up, but still didn’t say anything.
Ryker continued. “If you cheat on her, I’ll kick your ass. You hurt her and make her cry, I’ll kick your ass. I ever hear that you raised a hand to her, they’ll find your hands on the side of the interstate in Montana. Got it?”
“I got it.” Garrett frowned.
Ryker dropped his hand, sighing. “Look, you’re a good guy. Okay? You’re nice and you don’t run around with a bunch of girls and I know you’ve never taken advantage of anyone. So, I mean it. Take care of her. Because she’s worth it.”
He held his hand out again.
This time, Garrett took it. They shook hands, one solid pump, then let go of each other.
I smiled.
I put one hand on Ryker’s shoulder. He looked down at me, and I rose on my toes to kiss his cheek. “That means a lot. Thanks.”
He shrugged. “Seriously, though, if he hurts you…”
“You’ll be the first to know, and I expect to be defended appropriately.”
“Yeah, you got it.”
“But don’t neglect Syd. She seems cool. I want to hang out with her.”
“I can give you her number.”
“I’d like that.” I patted his shoulder, then turned.
Garrett looked at me, eyebrows raised—that hopeful, earnest face that made me melt every time.
I pulled him close and kissed him hard, in front of everyone.
The other guys started to clap, some of them laughing. Ryker nudged me, a playful punch in the shoulder. Somebody wolf-whistled.
This was the best turnout I could have imagined.
I eased back from the kiss, smiling at Garrett. “You good?”
He nodded. “I’m good, yeah.”
I smiled at him. “Dinner tonight?”
“Pick a place and tell me when.”
“Deal.” I kissed him again.
He held me tight, squeezing me just a little.
I eased back. “I gotta go, and you gotta work. But…see you tonight?”
“Tonight, yeah.”
I smiled and let him go.
Everything was going to be just fine.
Chapter Twenty-One
Garrett
Everything felt so normal after Bailey left.
Immediately, the teasing started. I didn’t mind, though—it was all in fun, all good-natured.
And when the shop opened, I settled in to work with no issues.
I went through a few clients, working with a clear mind. Everyone was happy with their pieces when they left, and a few slipped me extra tips on their way out.
I’d just finished another piece when Logan stood up, leaning over the half-wall between us. I liked him; he was quiet, but nice, and a talented artist. I didn’t see him much anymore, since he worked at the shop in Malone most days.
It was nice to have him back.
He cleared his throat and I looked up. “Hey, Garrett, you got a sec? Can we talk?”
I nodded. “Yeah, of course. What’s up?”
“Uh…outside?”
He glanced at Bradley as he said it.
Ah, shit.
Was he quitting?
I got up and nodded toward the door. “Let’s go, man.”
We walked outside and down from the door, standing at the corner of the building. You could see most of the street from here—The Beanery, Bakeology, a few of the little shops that thrived in this part of town.
The door to Bakeology opened and a cute blonde walked out. She turned back to the door, locking up.
Kenzie. Bradley’s kid sister and one of the girls who worked at Bakeology. She was a hell of a baker, and cute, and made the best coffee in town.
And now she was off work.
It was almost closing time for us, too.
She looked toward the shop, her ponytail bouncing. She raised one arm and waved. I waved back. So did Logan.
“Hey, man, watch it,” I teased. “Bradley will lose his mind if he sees you waving at his sister. You’re the last one of us that’s single. You’re a threat.”
“Yeah…that’s what I wanted to talk to you about.”
Shit.
Logan and Kenzie always flirted with each other. Harmless as it seemed, Bradley was quick to shut it down each time.
If Logan had a thing for her, it was gonna cause trouble.
“What’s up, man?” I asked him, frowning.
“I’m in trouble.”
“What, you have a crush on Kenzie?”
“No.” He shook his head, expression grim. “No. Way worse than that. I, uh…I might’ve slept with her last night.”
I looked up at him in shock.
When Bradley found out—and he would—he would murder Logan.
“Dude,” I said, shaking my head. “You’re fucked.
”
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