Cara, a waitress, is currently sitting in his lap while Leah looks absolutely heartbroken.
What a fucking idiot!
I walk over to the bar and give her a grin, trying to distract her.
"Well, if it isn't my favorite bartender."
She looks my way and instantly smiles.
"Hey, Ink."
I grin at her. "Can I have a beer, darling? And maybe a little of your time?"
She laughs and nods her head before getting my beer. I notice Gunner in the corner of my eye, still sitting in the black booth, but his eyes are now narrowing at me before flicking over to Leah as she walks back before leaning against the dark oak counter.
"How have you been Ink?"
I smile at her, "OK, busy. The shop is packed with people."
She nods. "Hawk still got jailbait hanging around?"
I snort at her question while she smirks as Gunner stands beside us. I bite my bottom lip, sucking my lip ring into my mouth to stop my laughter from coming out.
That didn't take long.
"Unfortunately, yes, but the good news is, he's finally making a play for Daisy."
Gunner grins at my words, saying, "It's about fucking time," as Leah does a little dance, making us both chuckle at her antics when a voice that goes straight through me, pulling me at my fucking heart, speaks out.
"Whatcha doing, Lee-Lee?"
Leah stops and grins while I turn to see who the angelic voice belongs to, and my heart instantly stops. She's fucking gorgeous—a pixie of a woman compared to me at maybe 5'5, but beautiful. Wavy red hair, an hourglass figure covered up by some form of scrub but still visible, is made for my hands and my hands only, and a heart-shaped face with the most beautiful deep green eyes I have ever seen. The pain in them, though, is like a punch in the fucking gut, and I instantly want to kill someone.
I swallow hard, unable to remove my eyes from her, and when her eyes connect with mine, instant electricity, and I know she's the one; she's mine.
Fuck.
She blushes and looks away from me while Gunner clears his throat, making me take my eyes off her for one second to see him with a raised brow. Still, I ignore it, looking back at the woman I know is supposed to be mine.
"Ooh, nothing, just Daisy finally getting her man."
The most beautiful thing happens after Leah speaks; the beauty in front of me grins, and it's fucking mesmerizing.
"Well, it's about damn time."
I see Leah nod in my side eye before they high-five, but again, I don't move my eyes from this woman.
Leah notices and clears her throat, "Uh, Ink, Gunner, I'd like you to meet my ride-or-die girl Sophie. We've known each other since diapers, and we're flatmates, too. We both were in Daisy's class in high school.
Gunner leans forward and shakes her hand, making me swallow a growl while he clears his throat to try and cover his chuckle. "It's nice to meet you, darling."
She smiles at him, then looks at me, and again, it's like everyone and everything fades. I hold my hand out to her, and as soon as she puts hers in mine, I instantly feel a shock of electricity. She gasps, so I know she feels it, too.
"Nice to meet you, Pixie."
She swallows hard while I hear Leah gasp as Gunner grins before murmuring, "And another one bites the dust."
She goes to move her hand from mine, but I hold it tighter before pulling her towards me a little. "Have a drink with me." It's not a question; it's an order because, fuck, my body pulls to hers, and yes, my dick is fucking hard. Sophie swallows hard before removing her hand from mine. "I, uh, I'm sorry, I can't. I just came to bring Leah the keys that she forgot; I've got to get back to work."