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Hallie: Great! We invited that new girl, Vivian, too. She seems fun.
Skyla groaned at that. She hadn’t spent more than five minutes with Vivian, but that woman didn’t seem like fun at all. More like trouble, and not the boy-crazy kind. There was something about Vivian that put Skyla on edge, but then again, most people did these days. So, maybe Skyla was just over-reacting.
Skyla: Can’t wait :)
She put her phone aside and glanced over at her computer. She could hide out back here and do some paperwork, or she could brave the crowd out there and work the floor, knowing that by the end of the night, she’d go home too tired to confront her father or care about anything besides going to sleep.
A knock on her office door had Skyla bolting to her feet and opening it to find Nico standing there with a sheepish grin.
“What happened?” She asked, suddenly wondering if he’d broken something more than a tray of glassware. “What did you break?”
Nico shook his head. “No, it’s not that. There’s someone out front who wants to see you.”
Skyla narrowed her eyes at him in consternation. “Who?” She asked.
“Your father,” Nico said, then turned and left her standing in the doorway of her office with his parting words as he went back to work.
Her father was here? He never came to Madigan’s anymore.
Pulling at the hem of her tank top to straighten it, she pushed her shoulders back, lifted her chin and strode out of her office, head held high. As soon as she stepped out into the bar area, she spotted her father standing near the bar with a woman who seemed to be fawning all over him. What the hell?
Remembering the conversation they’d had, she made sure her expression revealed nothing, as she made her way through the crowd until her father spotted her. She smiled in his direction, then quickly glanced at the woman on his arm, politely acknowledging her. She was petite, with short blonde hair, caramel brown eyes, and wore a black off the shoulder dress with matching heels, which still put her at least half a head shorter than her dad. The woman acknowledged Skyla, but didn’t smile.
“Good evening, how may I help you both?” Skyla asked, using her most professional demeanor.
“We’d like a private booth,” her father said. “See to it.” He waved her off like she was a pawn in a chess game instead of his daughter.
Skyla looked around, but it was a Friday night, and Madigan’s was busy. Very busy. All the booths were taken and most of the tables were being shared by two or more parties. She turned back to her father. “I’m sorry, Dad. It’s packed tonight.”
Without saying a word, the man gave her a look so cold, she felt her blood nearly freeze inside her veins.
Skyla drew in a breath and walked away, not wanting to be near him another second. That would only buy her a minute, if that. She needed to find or create an empty booth for him.
“Hey,” a soft hand touched her arm, and Skyla turned to see Blake hovering over her. “Are you okay?
“Great.” Skyla forced a smile, desperately trying to ignore the fact that he was touching her again. She caught a glare her father was sending her way, and any warmth Blake’s touch may have offered instantly froze over.
“What’s wrong?” He asked, following her gaze. “Isn't that your dad? Who’s the woman?”
“Yes, and I have no idea.” She started to move away from Blake, but he blocked her. “Talk to me. What’s going on between you two?”
Skyla sighed. “Nothing. He wants a private booth, but we don’t have one right now. It’s too busy.”
“They’re just about to head out,” Blake said, nodding to his friends. “He can have theirs.” His soft tone didn’t match the intensity of his gaze or the hard set of his jaw, but Skyla didn’t want her friends to leave just to appease her ungrateful and arrogant father.
“They don’t have to do that.”
“It’s nothing,” he said, his hand still on her shoulder. The weight of it was minimal, but having him close like that, the scent of mint and leather filling her senses, did something to settle her. “They were about to leave anyway, and I’ll take my usual seat up at the bar.”
Skyla nodded, inwardly sighing with relief. He was staying. “Thank you,” she said, and he gave her a curt nod before going back to his friends. She watched them pack up and leave a tip on the table before heading out. Luke gave her a chin lift, and Orly and Hallie hugged her goodbye, while Nico collected his tip and quickly cleared the table.
Skyla didn’t have sisters, but if she did, she imagined they would be a lot like Orly and Hallie, sweet and caring, and hopefully nothing like her father.
“Well?” Her father’s voice urged from behind her. The woman on his arm was either completely oblivious to the bitterness in his voice toward his own daughter, or she simply didn’t care. Either way, Skyla already decided she hated the woman. Her gaze wandered for a brief moment, and like a magnet, was instantly drawn to Blake’s. His eyes on her felt like the sweetest of warm caresses, and his presence would give her the strength she needed to make it through the rest of the night. Even if she couldn’t have the man, there was no law that said she couldn’t enjoy his company.
“Do I have my booth?” Her father pressed, still glaring at her as if daring her to answer in any way he didn’t see fit.
Skyla met his glare, a direct challenge to his threatening tone. “You do.”
