Page 28 of Love Is Ale You Need

“See. It was just a coincidence. Nothing to worry about.” He rests his hand on my shoulder and gives it a squeeze.

Something about the whole situation still seems off, but it was one time, and it could very well be a coincidence. “You’re probably right.” I push all those thoughts aside and finish stocking the cooler.

Several hours later, the traffic inside Porter’s picks up. I’m serving customers on one side of the bar while Lach’s on the other. Jake is floating and serving customers as needed. Dessa strides in and gives us a head nod. A few steps behind her is Chad. Ignoring our presence, he walks by with his hood pulled tightly over his head. Ever since Jake demoted him, he’s been coming into work like a calm bomb. Everyone tiptoes around him because we don’t know when he’ll detonate.

A sliver of outside light from the door catches my eye and I glance up. Immediately, I’m met with a very familiar face smiling at me. He stalks toward the bar. Since he can’t find a seat, he squeezes himself between customers.

He rests an elbow on the bar and leans in. “Go on a date with me?”

“Wow. Right to the point.” I finish pouring a beer and passing it to a customer next to him. Then I give Trey my undivided attention. “I don’t think so.”

Dessa strolls behind me and sing songs, “Just do it.”

I swing around and glare at her, but she only smirks.

“See, you’re the only one fighting this.” He lifts an eyebrow. “Alright, how about this? You can have another ride on the Continental Trey Express. I’ll even let you pick your seat, but there are only two options.” He points to his mouth then to his lap, an irresistibly sexy smile on his lips.

“Yeah. I got it.” I roll my eyes. “I’d rather take the date.”

“Perfect!” He slaps his hand on the bar top, startling me and the guy next to him. “I’ll pick you up tomorrow at seven.”

“Wait. I never said—”

“Oh yes. I do believe you said, and I quote, ‘I’d rather take the date.’”

“Of course you’d take that at face value.”

“If I’ve learned anything in life, it’s to take any opportunity given to you. I saw it and I took it. But I’ll give you an out. Just say the word. Two letters.”

Take any opportunity given to you. His words flash through my mind like a marquee. It’s only a date. I can spare a date. Plus, I’m a teeny tiny bit curious about what a date with Trey would be like. I peel my gaze off his as I grab a cardboard coaster and flip it over. I scribble my address and phone number on it and slide it across the bar. He flips it over. A sexy smirk pulls at his lips as he scans what I wrote. Then he tucks the cardboard into the inside pocket of his suit jacket.

“But I can’t do tomorrow.”

“Next Friday?”

“I can’t do Friday, either. How about Saturday?” My heart thunders in my chest and I can’t explain why. Am I nervous he won’t be able to do Saturday?

“Saturday it is. I will text you the details.”

A wide smile covers his face. It’s not the ‘I want to take your clothes off’ smile that I’ve seen so many times, but instead is a boyish grin. Like I’ve made his entire year. I won’t lie, it’s a smile that makes me regret not saying yes sooner. “Also, just so we’re clear, this is only a friends type date.”

“The friendliest.” He winks before strolling away.

I can’t help but admire how his slacks mold perfectly to his backside. He abruptly stops and I glance up. A woman with honey hair halts his progress with a hand on his arm. Her red stained lips move as she speaks while batting her long, dark lashes.

“I’ve never actually seen someone crush a glass bottle with their hands. Today could be my day.”

I glance at Dessa to my left and she nods at the bottle of rum in my hand.

I loosen my grip and the color floods back into my hand. “Who does that? Take one girl’s number and address, then turns around and flirts with another girl.”

“If you ask me, Trey isn’t doing the flirting.”

I roll my eyes, mostly because I know she’s right. In fact, Trey has completely ignored every single one of her advances.

A knowing smirk covers her face. “Are you jealous?”

“Yes. No. I don’t know. I have no right to be. We’re not a couple.”

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