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Shane stood behind the bar, and for the first time since he came to Morgan’s Bay, he felt like he didn’t belong. Between the complete blow up with his family then the fight with Olivia, he was feeling out of sorts. He’d be out of here soon; he just didn’t want to leave Connor shorthanded.
Connor smacked him on the back. “You certainly know how to make an impression.”
“About that…” Shane started, but Connor held his hand up.
“No need to apologize. If you ask me, I think you held yourself back. I would have been furious. So, don’t sweat it. Honestly.”
Connor was kind to say so, but guilt still tugged at Shane’s gut. “I came here because I wanted a family. Instead, I singlehandedly destroyed one.”
“No,” Connor said. “You can’t destroy something that was already falling apart. This family has been holding itself together with tape for so long. We all knew it wouldn’t hold forever. That’s not on you, so don’t think it is.”
“It’s hard not to.”
“If you ask me, you’ve done this family a favor. It’s about time we stop hiding behind false pretenses and face reality. Especially Grandfather. You’re the first person to stand up to him the way you did, and trust me, we’re all grateful for it.”
“How’s Mimi?” Shane still felt awful for being the one to drop the bomb that her husband had been keeping a secret from her for years.
“Mimi is resilient. You don’t have to worry about her.”
The door opened, sun shining in from outside and surrounding Olivia as she made her way in. She looked like a damn angel, and Shane had to look away before he was blinded by her light.
“Hey, Liv!” Connor called out. He patted Shane’s shoulder. “I’ll leave you two alone.”
Shane dropped his head and turned toward the condiment tray, grabbing a jar of cherries.
“Uh oh. Trouble in paradise?” Connor asked.
“I don’t want to talk about it.”
“Word of cousinly advice… Last night was the perfect example of what happens when you don’t talk. Talking is sometimes the most important thing we have.” Connor left for the kitchen, leaving his words to run through Shane’s mind.
Shane filled the rest of the tray and looked up. Olivia had put her bag down and tied her apron to her waist. She was in sneakers, a pair of shorts that showed off her sculpted legs, and a t-shirt that clung to her chest. Her brown hair was tousled and reminded him of how it looked fanned around her on his bed.
She was so damn beautiful it hurt. But what hurt even more was that he missed her. He missed her voice, her laugh, her touch, everything about her. Waking up without her beside him was the worst reality check of his life. He almost hoped it had all been a bad dream.
Afternoon slipped into night, and Olivia had uttered only two words to him.Pinot, regarding him asking what white her customer wanted, andlemon, when he forgot to put a wedge in a diet soda.
This was exactly what he wanted, but now that he had it, he wasn’t so sure. His eyes lingered on her as she went from one table to the next. She bent over, picking up a napkin she dropped, and he nearly lost his mind.
He excused himself to the bathroom before he couldn’t resist jumping over the bar and crashing his mouth to hers. Inside the bathroom, he threw cold water on his face. He looked up, catching his reflection. The light that he felt spark whenever he was with Olivia was gone, leaving his eyes lifeless and dull.
With a deep breath, he opened the door and went to head out when a hand slammed into his chest and forced him into the single bathroom. Olivia had fire in her eyes and determination in her stance.
“What are you doing?” he asked, resisting the urge to bend down and kiss her.
“I don’t know,” she admitted. “I had this vision that I would push you in here, and we’d reach for each other, stripping our clothes off. I guess I was wrong.”
His cock throbbed at the visual she created. He stood his ground, trying to be strong, but her fruity floral scent floated around him, drowning him in the mouth-watering aroma.
She shifted from one foot to the other, the lack of confidence in her demeanor showing in the way she fidgeted with her hands. He wanted to assure her that everything would be okay, but he couldn’t do that. It was the uncertainty that killed him. Dating him was like a game of Russian roulette, and the chance was too great for him to let her take.
She pinned him with her deep brown gaze. “I just don’t understand, and that’s what hurts the most. I thought what we had was special. Something to fight for.”
“It was special.” It was so special, and he would remember every second of their time together. “But you and I both know that I was your rebound.” If he could convince her, maybe he’d believe it himself.
She shook her head. “You were so much more than that.”
“You think I was, but in a few months, you’ll realize I was just the guy who helped you get over your ex. And I’m okay with that.”
