Still Water (4 page)

I walked through to the break room, made a quick cup of coffee, and plopped down onto the sofa. I almost didn't want my skin to touch the fabric. The couch looked well-used. The floral pattern was stained and brown in places. I cringed to think what had happened on this couch. The back wall of the room was covered in pictures of bands, parties, co-workers, and families. Without thinking, I stood and took in all the photos.
I wonder?
My eyes rapidly started scanning the pictures. The photos on the left were obviously older. Wouldn't you know it? My mom and Frank sitting on that same stage out front holding my sister. She must have been six?

"Eve," her name whispered from my lips. She looked so little. My chest felt tight and my breathing was shallow. I started absentmindedly, rubbing my chest while struggling to breathe. The sound of the break room door clicking behind me snapped me out of my memories as I turned just in time to watch Todd as he took a large swig of beer from the bottle he was carrying.

"Drinking on the job?" I looked at him appraisingly, my eyes wide.

"I'm the boss; I'll do what the fuck I want, Red." His boyish grin was at war with his severe tone.

"Lily is my name. Lily Spring."

He chuckled. "Lily Spring? You sound like a stripper."

I was immediately angry. "You sound like a prick." I turned on my heel and tried to move past the jerk.

"Simmer down, sweetheart." His tone was softer, but it did nothing to help my irritation.

"Let's get this straight. My name's Lily…" I said like I was talking to a third grader. "…not sweetheart, princess, sugar bottom, darling, or Red. Got it!" I tried again, unsuccessfully, to get past him. He stepped in front of me. I was toe to toe with him, my furious heaving chest almost touching his. The atmosphere changed, and the crackle in the air between us could almost be heard. The pull was ridiculous, and the silence was deafening. "I need to get back to work." My voice sounded smaller than it should have. He stepped out of the way just enough for me to inch past him toward the door. My breast grazed his arm, and I about died of embarrassment. I was sure my face was at least ten shades of red.

I heard him laugh lightly as the door shut behind me. My annoyance boiled. He was trouble all right.

T
HE NIGHT SEEMED TO
drag after my encounter with Todd in the break room. His intense amber eyes only left me once when he had to throw out another couple of rowdy customers. The way we watched each other in a silent dance of wills left my skin feeling scorched. It was almost two in the morning when the night was finally over; I was beat. As Jace shut and locked the doors, the biting outside air rushed in and cooled my heated skin as the last stragglers finally left. Spring in Utah was a fickle bitch. It could be warm one day and snow the next. A storm was coming in, and the warm weather shorts I had on had been a bad choice. I rolled my eyes. Oh well, there was nothing to do about it now.

The side work checklist was sitting next to the register. I grabbed it and started working on stocking the beer fridge when Jace came back behind the bar to help.

"Shit, let me get that." He grabbed the crate of bottles from my hands. "How about you start washing those glasses." He threw me that nice guy smile again.

"Thanks."

"So you tended bar in Tampa?" He started back with the questions. All night, I felt like I was being quizzed. I knew he wanted to get to know me, but give a girl a break.

I sighed deeply. "Yup. I lived down south with my dad. He raised me."

"Where's your mom?"

I tried to tamp down my aggravation. I opened myself up for that question.

"She lives here. So does my sister. We have different dads. I'm actually staying with my sister and her family."

"Yeah? That's cool, you get along?" Jace was busy putting away the bottles of beer. He didn't notice the pause. Sure my sister and I got along. Enough. She was super religious and thought all of us lived "crazy reckless" lives. The fact that I depended on her for a place to live made it worse. I moved out here less than three weeks ago, and I already felt like I owed her my life. She was good at holding things over your head.

"Sure." I lowered my head and started scrubbing the glasses again.

"That's cool. You and your mom? You close?" He stood and shut the beer fridge and started filling a red bucket with hot water from the other sink. He opened a packet and dumped the powder into the water. The smell of bleach swirled under my nose.

"No, we haven't spoken in years."

"Really, why?" Jace walked over to the other side of the bar and started cleaning the tabletops. He looked at me now with a frown.

I knew everyone here would eventually figure out my mom was Frank's ex-wife. They had been divorced for five years. My mom abandoned me, left me to go start another life. I wasn't even sure where she lived. I just knew I didn't give a shit. Maybe I should just put it out there. Let everyone know.
Why not, right?
"You know—"

Before I had a chance to speak, the sound system in the bar blasted on. "
All I Do Is Win"
by
DJ Khaled
pounded out of the speakers. The bass hit me in my chest, and I automatically started swaying my hips just enough to feel the beat as I finished my work. I laughed as Jace started rapping while he wiped down the tabletops.

He stopped rapping when he saw me laughing so hard my head was thrown back. "This is our nightly tradition. We jam out to one song before we finish up. We share turns who gets to pick."

"Whose turn was it tonight?" The thought that anyone here liked rap made me giggle.

"Todd."

Just then Tiffany and Todd busted through the back hall door startling me. I almost dropped a pint glass. I was shocked — at first by the sudden appearance, but then at the spectacle they were making. Tiffany and Todd were dancing like idiots. Todd started singing and throwing his hands in the air like he'd just won something. He was mimicking the lyrics of the song. Even though I didn't want to, I laughed as I watched these three people grind on each other. The stoic, sexy ass from earlier was gone, and now a happy-go-lucky Todd was present. This guy's moods were giving me whiplash.

Todd's eyes found mine, and his full smile about killed me. He had two — yes two — huge dimples on either cheek. A light sheen of sweat covered his forehead as he danced, actually quite nicely, to the beat.

"Red, get your fine ass out here." Todd's voice was sweet. That's another personality trait to add to the ever-growing list that proved Todd was a moody bastard.

"No way." I giggled.

He stopped dancing and furrowed his brow. The look of disappointment that flashed across his dark eyes didn't escape my notice. Still, not happening.

He stalked toward me and headed behind the bar. Jace and Tiffany were too busy dancing like fools to care about me. I ducked my head down and started vigorously washing the glass, figuring if I ignored him he'd go away. I was wrong. I felt his presence before his touch. The crackle from before started whipping up again. He was right behind me, the heat of his body was humid from dancing and it filled the small space between us. I dropped the glass in the sink when his lips touched my ear.
"All I Do Is Win"
the title of the song ringing in my ear. The lyrics rang true. A guy like Todd could never lose.

"Come dance with me." His breath was peppermint again, and, as he closed the distance behind us and trailed his hands down my arms, I realized I was strangling the dishrag. He moved his fingertips into the water and lightly back up my hands before removing the towel from my death grip. I exhaled, effectively breaking the spell I was under. "Come on, Lily. I don't bite." I felt his torso move as he laughed.

I was being stupid. Jace and Tiffany were totally in the moment and having fun.
Why the hell not?

"Show me what you got," I said as I turned to face him, becoming completely caged between his arms and making an extra effort to stand tall. I was so tiny compared to him. He had to be at least six feet tall. I was just barely five-foot-three. It was intimidating, but I refused to show it. Todd's pupils dilated, the close proximity was affecting him too. I gained confidence from that. "I thought we were dancing?"

"Lead the way." He smirked.

And that's what we did… we danced. We were having a good time, and I wasn't going to feel guilty about letting my guard down and enjoying myself for once. Tiffany and Jace were cracking up watching me shake my ass. Todd came up behind me and moved with me to the bass. Jace catcalled and Tiffany whistled. I dropped down almost to the floor before slowly bringing myself up, teasing Todd with a show.

"Holy shit, bro!" Jace's fist shot up to his mouth as he smiled. "Damn girl, you got moves."

My lips curled into a smile. Music was everything to me: my body reacted to it, my mind created to it, and my hands played to it. I was a musician through and through.

"What I wouldn't do to an ass like that, I could—"

"Don't finish that sentence, Jace." Tiffany grimaced. My laugh died on the air.

I looked behind me and saw Todd had stilled. His jaw strained, and his hands balled into fists.

"Yeah, Jace, you need to learn when to shut your damn mouth." Todd's eyes constricted as he glared at me.

"What the hell did I do?" I didn't appreciate the way Todd was looking at me. Unconsciously, I started twirling my dad's ring.

"Let's get this shit hole cleaned up, shall we?" Tiffany grabbed the red bucket from the tabletop and started wiping down the table and chairs.

"Why don't you head out, Lily? You had a long day. We got this." Jace's smile was small but broke the tension between Todd and me immediately.

"I don't want you working overtime. You were clocked in earlier?" I nodded. "Then get going. Be here tomorrow at five, yeah?" Todd's mouth turned slightly into a frown. Almost like he was hoping I'd say no.

"Yup." I walked behind the bar and grabbed my purse and keys.

"I'll walk you out to your car." I didn't have a chance to protest as I felt the palm of his hand on the small of my back.

The chilled air hit my bare legs, and I groaned. Stupid shorts.

"Maybe wear pants tomorrow? This isn't Florida." He chuckled.

"I know… Wait… how did you know?"

"I know who you are. I figured it out after going over your application. Lily Spring, daughter of Danny Spring, lead singer of the very same band that Frank used to play drums for. Frank flew out to Florida for Danny's funeral last month. It's not a secret." His flippant tone as he spoke about my father's funeral pissed me off. Angry tears threatened to overflow the wall I'd been holding up all night.

"Don't talk about my father like you know something about me." My voice felt stiff. The lump in my throat burned. I didn't cry very often and certainly not in front of this jerk.

"I'm sorry… that was… I was… I didn't mean anything by it." Todd reached toward my cheek in a tender gesture. My legs reacted and took two small steps backward avoiding the touch.

"Forget it. I know it's not a secret. Frank just doesn't know I'm here yet. Let me tell him, okay?"

"I'm sorry. I feel like a dick."
Well, you are!

"Frank's going to be here tomorrow, right? I'll talk to him then." I turned and unlocked the door to my car, sat in the driver's seat, and started the engine. I quickly turned up the heater and was about to close the door when I noticed Todd's massive frame, his exquisitely inked arm was holding the door open.

"Go away, I'm safe now. It's cold, and I want to shut the door." I pulled on the handle, but his strong arm was unrelenting. He looked down at me, his coffee-colored eyes soaking through my skin. The energy from before sparked between us. My hair blew across my face as the breeze, announcing the oncoming storm, swirled into my car through the open door. I felt his warm fingers before I saw them. He pushed my untamed copper hair behind my ear.

"Drive safely." He pulled his eyes away from mine before he shut my door, leaving me breathless.

CHAPTER THREE

Lily

T
HE RAIN HIT THE WINDOWS WITH
such force I thought for sure I was back in Florida during a tropical storm. The temperature dropped significantly overnight, and the rain had gradually turned to sleet as the day progressed. I wasn't looking forward to working tonight, and the weather seemed to reflect my mood. I was afraid Frank would be pissed that I didn't come to him directly for the job. Frank and my dad had had such a strained relationship for my entire life; I wasn't sure how he'd react to me.

Frank had come all the way to Tampa for my father's funeral. To say he was distraught would be an injustice to the emotion in general — Frank was destroyed. He couldn't even look at me, let alone speak to me. Regret – it eats you alive and I would know, it was all I had at the moment. My father's ring felt heavy in my hand. The silver had dulled since last month. My chest tightened as I remembered the final goodbye.