AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Hale crowded me on my other side, a hand propped on the bar. “Looking good there, Hebert.” He checked out my cleavage, which was revealed quite a bit by the low V-neck blouse I was wearing. “Let me get you another one of those fruity drinks.”
“Ease up, Broussard,” said Jonah. “Hands and eyes off my sister.”
Hale laughed, but I caught his gaze on Reed, not on my brother. That’s when I was finally brave enough to let myself look at Reed. He had both hands in his pockets, his jaw clenched and his scowl deadly fierce on Hale.
Margot set two more lemon drop martinis in front of me and Emma, which caught Hale’s attention. Of course, every pretty girl caught Hale’s attention.
“What can I get you guys?” she asked Jonah. My brother was a regular here.
“Heineken?” he asked, glancing over his shoulder.
Reed shrugged, still looking murderous.
“Three Heinekens. Thanks, Margot.”
“Who’s she?” asked Hale, still crowding me on my right.
“Margot,” said Jonah with sarcasm.
“No shit. I meant, where’s she been? I’ve never seen her.”
“She’s been working here a while,” my brother answered. “Maybe you should get out more.”
“Some of us actually work for a living,” Hale shot back.
Jonah laughed, never caring what anyone thought of his current employment status. He’d finished his General Studies degree years ago and then worked for a pipeline company who made pipes for offshore oil rigs for five years. Until last year at Christmas dinner when he promptly announced that he’d quit his job and was writing his first novel.
Dad had asked how he’d pay bills, but he’d apparently saved quite a bit from the oil field company. When we’d asked what he was writing, he said he’d tell us when he was done. Since then, he’d rented a small duplex in town and was apparently writing a novel.
I was one of the few who didn’t hassle him about his unconventional decision to quit a good-paying job and throw caution to the wind. I knew what it felt like when people squashed your dreams. Or tried to.
When Margot delivered their beers, Hale caught her attention and asked her something I couldn’t hear.
“Pretty dress, Emma,” said my not-so-subtle brother, easing closer to her after taking a sip of his beer. “You going to dance with me tonight?”
“Would you stop hitting on my best friend, Jonah?” I complained.
But Emma gave him a flirty smile, which she nevereverdid, then winked at me. “Hell, yeah, Hebert. Let’s go.” She hopped down off the stool, grabbed his hand, and hauled him off to the small dancefloor.
She was playing wingman—or wing-woman rather—but that only had my nerves spiking even more. Reed hadn’t moved, simply stood there, fuming and drinking his beer.
Margot headed back to help customers, so Hale turned sideways to me, standing really close. I was still facing away from the bar on my stool.
“So,” Hale tugged on my ponytail, “how about you finally give me a dance, Anna Banana?”
I was trying to figure out a way to put him down nicely when Reed made a rude growling noise and shoved Hale backward a step before he planted his hands on my waist and lifted me off the stool onto my feet.
“Not on your fucking life,” he grumbled to one of his best friends who happened to be his boss.
Hale barked out a laugh and winked at me just like Emma had before gulping his beer. Like they were all in on the same joke. Reed grabbed my hand and tugged me through the crowded bar, maneuvering us to the opposite side of the dancefloor of Jonah and Emma.
He pulled me aggressively into his arms, one hand on my hip, the other on the small of my back, keeping me close. I didn’t even know this slow country song, but my body was all for it even though my heart was throwing up red flags.
My hands on his shoulders, I glanced up to find him still wearing that deep frown. “Why are you so mad?”
“I don’t like Hale flirting with you.”
Rolling my eyes, I snort-laughed. “You’ve been scowling like a grumpy bear since you walked in, and Hale is always flirty. He has no other setting.”
