Just One Night (Black Alcove #2) (23 page)

It’s been seven, but
if she can’t remember, neither can I.

“Yeah, something like
that.”

Sara begins organizing
her desk a little and I start filling out the paperwork. My mind is
on autopilot as I fill in the blanks and I finish in record time.
Once I’m done with that, I follow my cousin out of the office. The
bar top that Kelsey was standing behind is a large L shape that takes
up two walls, but there isn’t anyone standing behind it now.

“It doesn’t look
like much during the day, but when it’s filled with people at
night, it’s my favorite place to be.” Sara points to the corner.
“We have a stage, but it’s been weeks since there was a band on
it. I’m working on a schedule for it now, but I’m waiting for a
few phone calls.” She spins, pointing to the corner by the front
with the pool tables. “For now we use the jukebox for music.”

I nod my head as she
carries on about a couple more things.

This place is a lot
cooler than I expected it to be. The space is in great shape and
looks well taken care of. They don’t have very many tables, but it
works because they are more of an “enjoy the beer” place, not an
“enjoy the food” place. The walls are blue, but you can hardly
tell that with all the banners and neon signs. I’m actually excited
that this is where I will hang out. It has a welcoming feel, and it’s
easy to see why business is good.

Sara’s still talking
when I glance at her. She moves around at ease with a smile. She
doesn’t notice me while she talks, so I survey the rest of the
room.

It’s obvious she and
I are the only ones here now. Good. I need to ask her if she needs
anything else from me because I have an appointment with the Realtor
to pick up the keys for the house I’m leasing. It takes me a minute
to realize Sara isn’t talking anymore. She’s watching me when it
clicks.

“What’s with the
smile?” I ask. She instantly blushes and her posture straightens.

“What smile?”

“The one on your face
that screams, ‘I’m up to something.’ You wore that smile a lot
when we were kids. I know it better than you think.”

“I’m not up to
anything, Ethan,” she says with a straight face then walks behind
the bar. Slowly that sneaky smile reappears, and I can tell she’s
trying to hide it. For whatever reason, she doesn’t want to tell me
and that’s fine. I’m not here to build a relationship. Not with
her anyway.

“Thanks again for
hiring me.”

“Oh yeah, no problem.
It was you or Kelsey, and, well…” She looks up again, still
smiling. “She needs a little help with the whole
staying-on-schedule thing. I think hiring someone else to be her
manager might motivate her to take that next step.”

Ahhh. I’m catching on
now. I don’t think having a different manager is going to motivate
her. It’s
who
her
new manager is that will motive her. Women—they’re not as sneaky
as they think they are. But heck, I’ll play along. If it means more
time with Kelsey, I’ll do whatever my cousin wants me to.

Whoa.

Where did that come
from? More time with Kelsey is the last thing I need.

“Come back tomorrow
at three. You can follow one of the bartenders around for a bit to
get the flow of things,” Sara says before a tall man and a woman
with firecracker-red hair wearing black shirts with the bar’s logo
on them approach from a back room. The guy unlocks the front door and
a gray-haired couple walk in. The elderly love arriving to places
right at opening. I assume these two will be the only customers for
at least another hour.

I nod on my way out,
but Sara greets the old couple. She shares a laugh with them and even
gives them each a polite hug. She looks happy here, and for a minute
I feel guilty. I’m going to be the bad guy and help take it from
her.

Right before I step
through the exit, I hear her call my name. I turn to see her coming
toward me with a smile. She wraps her arms around me, giving me a
tight hug then steps away.

Yep, I’m the bad guy
already.

JAMI WAGNER was born in Wyoming. Still living in the
Cowboy State, Jami and her boyfriend are currently writing their own
love story with their yellow Lab.

Jami enjoys
writing New Adult and published her debut novella,
Date
in the Dark
, in 2015.

Visit and connect
with Jami at
jami-wagner.com
,
on Facebook at
facebook.com/AuthorJamiWagner
,
on Twitter at
@Jami_Wagner
,
or on Instagram at
@JAMIWAGNER_
.