Page 3 of Reckless

“You are the manager?” I asked, thinking about those uniforms the waitresses wore. It didn’t make any sense. Tyler wasn’t the type of man, or should I say pig, to make women expose themselves like that.

“Yes,” he crossed his arms over his chest. “I doubt you came here to ask me about my professional life. So? Care to share?”

He wants to get rid of you. Just tell him and leave.

“Clem wants to talk to you and you’re ignoring her.”

“I’ve been busy.”

“She thinks you might be dead.” That one was a huge stretch and the look on his face told me he was well aware of that. I opted for another tactic. “You’re hiding.” My audacity made him arch a brow and I added. “Busy or not, you can take a phone call.”

“That’s not for you to decide, little Spencer.”

“Yeah, but now I know where you work. And so will your sister. You’re not unreachable anymore.”

Tyler’s face went from patronizing to annoyed in a blink of an eye.

“How did you find me?”

“I have my ways,” I reached for my glass, hoping he wouldn’t pressure me for a real answer. His eyes followed my movement. I took a sip from my scotch, a drink I actually hated, and forced myself not to wince from the awful taste that deprived me of all my other senses for a few seconds there. Lowering my glass to the counter, I discreetly took a few deep breaths.

Inhale.

So what if he found out you are here on pure luck? He doesn’t matter.

Exhale.

You are here to help your best friend. That’s all.

Inhale.

You are not betraying Nick in any way.

Exhale.

You just haven’t had the chance to tell him about Tyler.

“So you walked in here thinking you would tell me what to do and I would obey.” I couldn’t miss the mockery in his voice. “What exactly made you think that?”

My face started burning, it had reddened for sure. What was I thinking really? That I would waltz in here after five years and make him call his family? Something that they hadn’t manage to do themselves.

“Well, no. I thought you might do it for Clem. She really is worried. I wouldn’t be here if she wasn’t.”

We both knew that much was true. I would never come seek him out for anything or anyone else. We starred at each other for a few seconds. Then Chloe, the waitress he asked to move the bachelorette party to a table, appeared next to me and recited orders. Tyler prepared the drinks, and she spent her time eyeing me.

And what the hell was her problem?

“Are you going to call her?” I asked the moment Chloe turned her back on us. I wanted to get this over with and leave.

“Good to see you, little Spencer,” Tyler knocked on the counter with his knuckles. “The drink is on the house.” He turned around and went to talk to a man sitting five stools away from me.

Well, that was a disaster.

I poured the drink in my mouth, immediately regretting my impulsive decision to appear tough, and left cash next to my empty glass. I almost bumped into Chloe on my way out while I mumbled profanity about her boss. Consumed by my anger, I didn’t even bother to apologize.

“Tyler is not a bastard,” she shouted at my back referring to what she heard from my rambling. I turned to face her. “He does everything for the people he loves.”

“His family would disagree.”

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