Page 17 of Stirring Attraction (Second Shot 2)
“I sent Dominic home to shower,” Lily said. Her gaze shifted away from the bundle of cuteness to Noah, who was pretending to count beer cases. Unless sleep deprivation prevented him from reaching the magical number four, Big Buck’s owner and manager knew exactly how many cases of light beer were stacked beside the long wooden bar.
“I thought you called me in on my day off so that Noah could teach me how to mix up a martini,” she said. “Are customers complaining? Missing their fancy drinks? Or are we expecting James Bond?”
“We stopped by Noah’s dad’s house this morning and Caroline filled us in on Dominic’s arrival,” Josie said. “From what she said, I thought my brother was taking his role to watch over you seriously.”
“He is. But after sleeping in his car covered in pie, I’m guessing he needed a shower. Plus, I thought your dad would like to see him. But don’t worry, Dominic promised to be back on the job for my date with Ted tonight.”
Five feet away, Noah dropped the clipboard onto the polished floorboards.
“I didn’t realize you and Ted were still together,” Josie said. She stopped her rocking motions and leaned back against one of the high-top tables near the bar.
“Or you wouldn’t have sent Ryan to bring your brother home?” she asked.
Noah abandoned his failed attempt to complete the inventory. “Lily—”
“When you offered me a temporary job, I didn’t realize it came with a bodyguard,” she said, unleashing her frustration. They had no right to step in and throw another curve ball into her life, not when it felt like she was holding it together with Scotch tape and paperclips. “Or is that part of the Big Buck’s benefits package? Did you arrange for Josh and his pies too? Is that how you make Caroline feel safe? Is Josh Summers her Big Buck’s–ordered bodyguard?”
“No.” The firm, familiar voice cut through the bar. “No. That’s not why Josh brings pies.”
Lily turned to the swinging door that led to the Employees Only space. They hadn’t flipped the sign out front to “Open until the cows come home,” but Big Buck’s dishwasher had her own key to the place and permission to enter through the back room.
“I’d stop Josh if I could,” Noah muttered. “But he’s more stubborn than the trees he fells.”
“We’re friends,” Caroline said. But Lily could see the hint of doubt in the other woman’s eyes.
“Josh’s brothers are tired of eating his pies so he brings them here,” Caroline continued. “Baking helps with his memory. He was in a logging accident a while back. He was hit in the head and lost his short-term memory.”
“If he just needs to keep his mind sharp, he could pick up Sudoku,” Noah muttered.
“There are some fears not even you can protect me from, Noah,” Caroline said simply.
Noah sighed. “Yeah, I’ve received that message loud and clear.”
Lily studied the woman she’d asked to act as her bodyguard last night. Caroline seemed so bold, ready to jump into action, throwing pies or shooting guns. What was she afraid of?
“Did it help? Having Dominic parked outside?” Josie asked, steering the conversation away from her mysterious coworker.
“Yes.” Lily headed for the front door leading to the parking area. “But I’m not sure it’s good for him. If he wanted to be here, he would have come home a while ago.”
“Sometimes it’s hard to think of home as the best place to lick your wounds,” Josie said softly.
And Lily knew she spoke from experience. Once upon a time, Josie Fairmore had been F
orever’s bad girl. She’d left. And she’d stayed away even when she needed help. Lily didn’t know the full story. But she’d heard enough.
“Josie, I know you think that maybe he will stay for me. But I don’t want him to,” Lily said flatly. “I’m not interested in being his consolation prize. I don’t want him camped outside my front door, thinking ‘I could be out there freeing the world from terrorists, but instead I’m helping my ex-girlfriend face her supposedly imaginary fears.’ I don’t need him making the dark a little less scary.”
Liar.
Because I know the threat is still out there.
“Now if you don’t mind saving your drink lessons for another day,” Lily said, opening the door, “I need to paint my nails and get ready for my date.”
LILY CLOSED HER front door behind the man she would never marry and turned the lock. She stared at her burgundy-red nails.
I should have learned how to make a martini instead. Shaken, not stirred.
Or maybe she’d prefer the hard liquor swirled together? She didn’t know and she wasn’t about to find out. Because tonight she planned to drown her sorrows in wine the color of her fingernails.
