Tyler's Undoing (6 page)

Cole jumped in the ring and bounced on his feet, practicing his jabs. “That may be so, dickhead, but if you fuck with my girl, you fuck with me. One of these days, you’ll know how it feels to be on this end.”

Maybe one day I would, but right now I had a challenge to face. Kacey wasn’t going to make it easy on me. If it was a fight she wanted, she’d better be prepared to lose. I loved a good challenge.

And so it begins.

“KACEY, WHAT’S WRONG with you?” Bree rushed out of the gym.

I felt like an idiot waiting by her car, but I really needed to get out of there. “I’m so sorry,” I apologized. “I didn’t mean to leave you in there, but it felt like I was having a panic attack.” It was a lie, but she knew I had a history of panic attacks.

Bree’s brown eyes softened. “Oh, Kace, I didn’t realize. I thought it might have been from what Tyler said to you. He asked if you were going to be okay.”

“What did you tell him?” I asked, eyes wide.

She shrugged and unlocked the car doors. “I told him you had a lot going on in your life right now. He’s actually a decent guy. You should try hanging out with him some time.”

“I don’t think so. I have no desire to date any of those guys in there,” I replied, opening my door and getting into the seat.

Bree started up the car and we headed on our way to her apartment. “Well, maybe you’ll change your mind one day,” she suggested.

Not going to happen.

Once we got to her apartment and freshened up, we were on our way to the restaurant. It was good money, especially with the tips. Although, working a night job where men hit on you constantly, wasn’t exactly what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. Even if I never earned enough money to open up my own restaurant, I still didn’t imagine myself working in a bar any longer than absolutely necessary.

“Only two more hours,” I groaned, looking at the clock.

Bree chuckled and handed me the limes for my gin and tonics. “It’s not that bad tonight. Just be thankful we don’t have to work the late shift. Then you really have to deal with the drunk assholes and shitty tips. I did it once, when David couldn’t come in for his shift, and regretted every minute of it.”

Laughing, I finished pouring up the drinks and turned to her. “Yeah, I remember that. It’s a shame he quit to go to medical school. I really liked him. Damn people and their dreams.”

“We’ll be at that point someday, Kace. Our time will come soon.” More patrons started flooding into the bar so Bree quickly smiled at me before strolling to the end of the counter to take more orders.

Grabbing some napkins, I carried my gin and tonics to the two men who ordered them. They were dressed in business suits; one with perfect, combed-over midnight colored hair and green eyes, while the other had really short, dirty blond hair and brown eyes. Both were very attractive and most likely gay, knowing my luck.

“Here you go, gentlemen. Do you want to open a tab?”

“Not for me,” the guy with the blond hair said, passing me a twenty dollar bill.

The one with the dark hair smiled and sat down. “I will. I’m meeting one of my clients here shortly.” He handed me his card.

“All right, I’ll get you set up,” I told him.

He stayed at the bar drinking his gin and tonic, while his friend finished his off and left. Once Bree and I caught up on everyone’s orders, I was finally able to relax and get a glass of water. Every so often, the guy in the suit would make eye contact with me and smile.
Maybe he’s not gay.

“Would you like another gin and tonic while you wait on your client?” I asked him.

“That’d be great. He must be running a little late.” Pulling out his phone, he looked down at it and sighed. “Never mind, he just sent a text saying he’s not going to make it. His flight got cancelled.”

“Oh no,” I replied. “I hate that you’ve sat here this whole time for nothing.” After I finished making his drink, I slid it to him.

“I wouldn’t say it was for nothing. At least I got to sit here and talk to you.” He held out his hand. “My name’s Liam, Liam Harris.”

Taking his hand, I shook it and smiled. “I’m Kacey. It’s nice to meet you.”

“Likewise.”

Bree noticed the interaction and grinned from ear to ear. When a trio of girls came up to the bar, she winked and waved me off, nodding toward Liam. By the look in Liam’s eyes and the smirk on his face, he’d cracked her code.

“She’s not very subtle is she?” he asked.

Chuckling, I shook my head. “Not at all. She’s just happy I’m actually talking to someone of the opposite sex.”

That caught his attention. “Do you usually not? I’d think a woman like you would be surrounded by men, especially in a place like this.”

“Oh, she is,” Bree cut in. “She just doesn’t give them the time of day.”

Liam laughed. “Well, then I guess I should feel privileged she’s talking to me.”

My face blushed bright crimson and I could feel the heat flooding to my cheeks. Turning around, I faced the register and ran Liam’s card. “Thanks, Bree,” I grumbled, glaring over at her.

When I faced him again, he finished his drink and signed off on the receipt, leaving me a three figure tip.
Holy shit!
I closed my eyes and looked at it again . . . yep, three figures.

“So I guess this means you’re not seeing anyone?” Liam asked, getting to his feet.

I closed my gaping mouth and cleared my throat.

Bree was the one who replied, “No, she’s not seeing anyone.”

Liam’s brows lifted, waiting on
my
answer.

“I’m single,” I said.

Pulling out his wallet, he grabbed the pen off the counter and wrote his number down on the back of one of his cards. “I’m going to leave you my cell number. If you’re not busy Saturday night, I’d love to take you out to dinner.”

Bree nudged me in the side when all I did was stand there like an idiot. “Answer him,” she mumbled under her breath.

“Yes,” I blurted out. “Dinner would be nice. I’ll give you my number as well.” Grabbing a napkin from the bar, I scribbled my phone number on it and handed it to him before taking his card.

“Feel free to call me anytime, Kacey.”

Looking down at the card, I nodded then looked back up at him. “I will . . . thanks. Have a good night.”

“You do the same.” Turning on his heel, he made his way out, looking back once before disappearing out the door.

“I must say, you sure do know how to snag the good looking ones,” Bree teased. “At least he’s not gay.”

His card only had his name on it and a phone number which must’ve been the one for his work. There was no description of who he was or what he did as far as business. He was a mystery.

“Or so you think,” I chuckled, putting his card in my pocket. “He could be gay and just want to pick my brain on the newest fashions.”

Bree snorted. “I don’t think so, babe. Not with the way he was checking you out all evening.”

Rolling my eyes, I peered up at the clock and breathed a sigh of relief. We only had fifteen minutes left until the end of our shift.

“Are you going to call him?” she asked.

Shrugging my shoulders, I pulled out his card again and bit my lip. “I don’t know. He could be a complete ass for all I know.”

“True, but he could also be pretty cool too.” Her phone buzzed in her pocket. Pulling it out, she tapped away, smiling from ear to ear. It had to be Cole.

“I’m assuming that’s Cole. Are you two going out tonight?”

Finishing up her text, she nodded and put her phone in her back pocket. “Yeah, he wants to see me later. For a guy, he’s actually been taking it kind of slow. I never thought he’d be like that, given the reputation some of the fighters have.”

“Which is exactly why I stay away from them,” I remarked dryly. “The last thing I want is to be just another fling for a day.”

“That’s not how Cole is, Kacey. Tyler might be a little different, but he’s still a good guy. I think you need to give him a chance, or better yet, just be friends with him. He’s actually pretty cool to hang around with and he’s funny as hell. It’d be great to have us all go out together some time.”

Clasping her hands in front of her, Bree pouted her lips and whimpered pleadingly. She was the only friend I had and I would do anything for her because I knew she would do the same for me.

“Okay, let me think about it, Bree. Just because I’m considering it doesn’t mean I want to have anything to do with Tyler. I can tolerate just about anyone, but if he gets in my space, it’s not going to be pretty.”

Bree snickered and shook her head. “Um . . . you know he’s a lot bigger than you, right?”

“I don’t care,” I exclaimed. “I’m a lot stronger than I look. Besides, there’s one thing he doesn’t have that I do.”

“And what’s that?”

“My refreshingly charming wit. He won’t even know what hit him.”

“I’d like to see that,” she teased.

I wouldn’t, because then that’d mean I was actually going to be around him. I just had to hope and pray he didn’t want to have anything to do with me after our time at the gym today.

AFTER COLE AND I sparred, he left to get ready for his date with Bree while I continued my training. Much to my surprise, my father had basically been leaving me in charge for the past couple of months. The only time he was really in the gym was during my training sessions, which happened to be starting right now.