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"Let Chaz work the bar for a bit. It's slow. It'll be good for him."
Chaz, their new bartender, looked alarmed. "What?"
"You've got it." Aiden slapped the bar. "Let's go, Declan. My office. Now."
Declan shoved the beer at the jerk who'd just called him something that would have gotten the guy arrested if Declan had been in his cop uniform, then strode after Aiden. He followed Aiden into his office, standing restlessly while Aiden sat down at his desk. "Close the door and have a seat, Declan."
Declan closed the door but remained standing.
Aiden leaned forward. "What the hell's going on with you tonight?"
Declan frowned at him. "What do you mean?"
"Part of the reason this bar is so successful is because my bartender is coveted by every customer who's attracted to men, plus half of the ones who aren't. Everyone else wants to be you, or at least be your friend. But tonight, you've got no charm. I need the charm. Where's the charm?"
Declan blinked. "I'm not charming."
Aiden grinned. "No, you're not. You're the crankiest bartender I've ever had, actually, but you've got this edge to you that attracts people. And the last few days, you've been a hell of a lot more fun. Until tonight. What's going on? Trouble with the fake fiancée?"
Damn. Declan let out a breath. "I'm fucked," he admitted.
Aiden leaned back and clasped his hands behind his head. "What's going on?"
Wearily, Declan sank into the chair beside Aiden's desk. "Truth?"
"Hell, yeah. I'm selling less alcohol every minute that you're back here, but I'm afraid you're going to start crying into the beer and that's not going to help my sales, so lay it on me. Let's clear it."
Declan laughed softly. "You're super dramatic for a guy."
"I'm a bartender. I can turn on whatever mode I need to deal with whoever's drinking at my counter. Or crying, as the case may be, like with you. So, what's going on?"
"I'm not crying."
"I know. I'm giving you shit because I'm fun like that. But you still have to tell me what's going on, or I'll fire you. And then it'll get awkward between us, which is a sucky way to end a decades-long friendship. So, don't make me fire you. Talk to me."
Declan laughed softly. "You've fired me a bunch of times already."
"Yeah, but I never meant it. Tonight I will. It's a 'nineteenstrikes and you're out' deal. This is nineteen." He leaned in. "All kidding aside, what the fuck is going on with you tonight? You can't shake it, and that's not like you." He paused. "Your interview is tomorrow. Is that it?"
Declan blinked. "Hell. I forgot about that."
"Then what is it?"
Declan ground his jaw. He'd been friends with Aiden for a long time, and they'd seen each other at their most raw. And helped each other through it. He met his friend's gaze. "It's Piper," he admitted. The minute he said it, his insides seemed to settle, as if they no longer had to shout to be heard.
Aiden raised his brows. "Things are going badly with her?"
"No, hell, no. It's fantastic. But…" He started laughing. "Ironically, Piper wants empty sex and a fake engagement. Just fun times and lies. She gave me a speech about it."
Aiden narrowed his eyes thoughtfully. "You believe her?"
"She meant it." Fuck. He knew she did.
"But is she telling herself the truth? Because you keep telling yourself that you want to go back to being a cop, and you're lying to yourself. People do that."
Declan scowled at Aiden. "I don't need that shit from you."
Aiden sat back. "I've known you for a long time, right?"
