Total pages in book: 141
Estimated words: 141428 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 707(@200wpm)___ 566(@250wpm)___ 471(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 141428 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 707(@200wpm)___ 566(@250wpm)___ 471(@300wpm)
He settled in at the bar and nodded to Mac who gave him a far friendlier look than he had before.
“Here you go.” The bartender set a beer down in front of him. “On the house.”
Hayes raised his eyebrows.
“A small thank you for helping our Devi.”
“You’re not pissed at me?”
Mac shook his head. “I’ve told her so many times not to put out the garbage. That it’s Andy’s job. But she’s always covering for him. She’s a funny mix of tough and kind is our Devi.”
Hayes saw the moment that Devi saw him. And Mac likely did too since he was staring over at her.
The smile dropped off her face and she glared at him.
“If looks could kill I’d be giving you mouth-to-mouth right now.” Mac walked away with a whistle.
Hmm. Such a brat.
He sipped at his beer and watched her continue to work. He could tell when she started growing more tired. She got clumsier, made more mistakes.
Of course, that could also be due to nerves as well.
The number of looks she shot his way told him that she was definitely nervous.
As she should be.
He might not have retaliated straight away but that didn’t mean he was going to let her naughtiness slide.
No, he was just waiting for the right opportunity. And he thought it only fair that she should sweat it out for a bit.
After watching her for a while longer and realizing there was no way that she would come near him, he moved seats.
And placed himself right into her section.
There. That should really make her start to sweat.
Devi was hyperventilating.
What the heck was he doing in her section? He never sat at a table, he always stayed at the bar.
So why was he mixing things up tonight?
You know why he’s mixing things up. He’s trying to psych you out.
She still didn’t know why he hadn’t complained about his coffee. He had to be playing a long game.
And part of that long game was him moving into her section, where she’d be forced to serve him.
Silla was working with her tonight. Tuesday nights were always busy due to the local bingo club and the bridge club meeting early then coming for a drink after. She hadn’t seen Hayes since the salt in the coffee incident last Saturday.
“Silla,” she hissed.
“Yeah?” Silla said loudly.
“Can you take that table in my section? Please.”
“What table?”
Dear Lord. Could she speak quietly for once?
“The table with him at it. The bodyguard.”
Silla turned and stared straight at Hayes. She had no clue how to be subtle.
This was it. The end.
Please let the world open up and just swallow me.
“You’re hoping that you’re going to be beamed up by aliens, aren’t you?” Silla said, rubbing her back. “I’d know those dejected shoulders anywhere. I’ve had those shoulders before. They never listen. Maybe one day we’ll get beamed up but not today.”
“Actually, I was hoping that the earth would open up and swallow me whole.” She turned her head toward Silla. “But I’d accept aliens. I don’t mind being probed.”
Silla threw her head back and laughed. “Well, that might depend on where you’re being probed, right?”
Oh God.
Please, earth. Please open up and put me out of my misery.
“Why are the two of you standing there and talking about probing when there’re customers to serve?” Mac demanded.
“I don’t want to serve him,” she said to Mac.
Mac sighed and studied her for a long moment. “Is this about last Friday night? You’re not holding a grudge about what he said, are you?”
“Umm. Well.”
“Jesus. What did you do, girl?” Mac grumbled.
She straightened. “What makes you think I did anything?”
“Because I know you. I know what you’re like when you think you’ve been wronged by someone. And I also know a guilty look when I see it.”
Crap.
“So what did you do?” Mac demanded.
“I put salt in his coffee,” she confessed.
There was silence and she could feel them staring at her, even though she couldn’t glance up.
Silla let out a hoot. “Is that all? Sheesh, the way you were acting I thought you’d killed his cat or something.”
Devi glared at her. “I’d never harm a cat.”
Mac shook his head. “I don’t know what you were thinking, Devi. That is not a man you play games with.”
“He was a jerk to you,” she said. “And he was mean and bossy to me. How can you defend him?”
“You know what? I’d have been angry with me too, if someone I cared about was attacked while working for me.”
“But he doesn’t care about me!” she protested.
Had Mac lost his mind? Or had he gotten into the whiskey? Care about her?
“You and he might want to pretend that he doesn’t care. But it was pretty easy to see that he got upset with you for putting yourself at risk. Now, I don’t know for sure, but that sounds like a man who cares.”