Page 56 of Falling for You

Strange thing is, itfeelsnormal. Nothing about spending time with her, going to a pumpkin patch like the family we met there, feels out of the ordinary.

“You didn’t have to work tonight?”

Oh shit. I did. Laughing, I look over at Miss Distraction and give her a sheepish smile. “Actually, I was supposed to be there about thirty minutes ago.”

“Rex! Oh my gosh!”

“It’s your fault, you know.”

“Oh don’t even. It is not!”

I’m laughing when I release her hand and dig my phone out of my pocket, surprised that there aren’t several missed calls or texts from Ethan. Maybe I didn’t have to work today, after all.

“’Bout time you called,” Ethan says when he picks up.

“Sorry, man. Was I scheduled today?”

“Ha! Yes. It’s okay, though. Liv told me she stopped by to see you today so I didn’t expect you to come in. She said you had hearts in your eyes and fully expected you to be going over to your girl’s house after she left.”

I chance a look at Chloe out of the corner of my eye. “Yeah,” is all I say, hung up on the fact that he called Chloe my girl. It’s not lost on me that not very long ago, I was giving him shit about how hung up on Liv he was, or the fact that I was adamant that it wouldn’t be me… ever.

“It’s fine. We’re slow. It’s a Tuesday, not like people are rushing out to get their drink on.”

“Seriously, I’m sorry. I’m not even in town right now or I’d come right over.”

“Forget it. I owe you so many favors, the least I can do is fill in a night when you’re scheduled… That’ll be twelve fifty. Thanks, man. Enjoy.”

As soon as I hear that he’s done with his customer, I ask, “Sure?”

“Uh, yes? I wouldn’t offer if I wasn’t. Stop acting like a girl and worrying. Hey, listen. I gotta go, alright?”

“Yeah, okay.”

“And Rex? Take some of the advice you doled out for me when I was all twisted up over Liv.”

“What advice is that?”

A few seconds goes by before he cuts through the silence with, “Actually, I don’t remember, I honestly just hoped you did.”

I chuckle. “Damn you’re such an idiot.”

I can picture him grinning. “I’m sure it was excellent, so just imagine what you’d say to someone else in your shoes, and do it.”

My smile is no doubt smug as I look over at Chloe. “So you’re saying my advice is excellent?” She graces me with a large eye roll for that comment.

“Fuck me, but you’re a cocky son of a bitch,” he groans, “just don’t fuck it up, how’s that?”

“You sound like your wife.”

“Why, thank you.”

I roll my eyes and can see Chloe grinning next to me. She can probably hear everything he’s saying because he’s such a loud talker on the phone. Part of that is he has to because of the bar background. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Sounds good.” He doesn’t wait any longer before he hangs up.

“Guess I’m off the hook for tonight.”

“Oh yeah? Lots of plans?”

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