Page 7 of Snagged By Hook

“It was nice to meet you too. Can I get you anything else?”

Squatch shook his head.

Hook piped up with, “I’ll take your number if you’re offering.”

She just couldn’t with that guy. His girlfriend was barely out of earshot.

“I wasn’t,” she said firmly but cheerily and strode back toward the bar.

Un-fucking-believable.

She could deal with the douchey dude-bro men who hit on her and the drunken proclamations of love, but Hook disturbed her on too many levels to process. Not least of all, she worked for his club. If she set him down too hard, would it jeopardize her job? She couldn’t risk it. Maybe she should just give him her number. It wasn’t like her phone would be in service for much longer anyway.

Both Dale and Croon assured her the bar didn’t cater to the club. Members were only around when certain bands were playing. So maybe by the next time she saw Hook, she would have an imaginary boyfriend all planned out. Let him down and not put her job at risk. With the problem solved, in theory at least, Nova just had to avoid him for a few more hours, and it would be smooth sailing.

Anytime her gaze drifted toward the back of the bar, Hook shot her his best panty-melting smile. Nova was jerking her head away so much she was going to have whiplash by the end of the night. Devin needed to usher her man out of there, and soon.

After a while, every time she glanced their way and Hook didn’t smile at her, he was frowning at Devin. If she thought Hook was the violent type, she would’ve intervened. As much asNova got thehit on every womanvibe from him, she did not get thehit any womanvibe from him.

Nova was tired of constantly being aware of where she was looking. She needed the night to end already so she could get June from Mrs. Griffith’s and snuggle her daughter until the world felt right.

Vengynce announced their last song of the night, and Nova released the breath she felt like she’d been holding all night. Well, the thousand breaths she’d held in rapid succession was more like it.

HOOK

“Idon’t know what you said to Nova, but she seems to hate me more now than when we walked in,” Hook groused at Devin. It wasn’t really her fault his night sucked, but he did wonder what she’d said.

Vengynce played an encore, and Hook hadn’t a chance to do more than order a beer from Dale at the bar. Each time he approached, Nova became super busy. He wasn’t dense, and he took the hint. As much as he would love to get to know the curvy bartender, she just wasn’t interested.

It stung the fuck out of his pride, but it was what it was. Besides, it was probably for the best. You don’t shit where you eat, so to speak. If he did mix it up with her, and she turned out to be a stage five clinger, shit would get weird when he came in with another woman or met one there.

Yep, probably for the best, but that wouldn’t stop him from giving Devin shit about blowing it for him.

“I promise, I told her in no uncertain terms that we were not, are not, and never would be a couple. I told her how awesome you were. If you couldn’t close the deal, that’s on you.” Devin tried to stand but wobbled. “I’ll go talk to her again.”

“Sit down, Dev. Any more help from you and she might just kick me in the nuts for good measure. Some wingman you turned out to be.”

“Hey.”

Devin was a little tipsy, and Hook didn’t think the back of a bike was the best place for her.

He was about to fire off a text to see who brought the cage when Outlaw approached, sans cut.

“Hey, Dev, you ready? I’ll be your Uber driver this evening. I expect five stars and a big tip. That goes for all you lovely ladies.”

He cast a glance back as Devin stood. Heidi was leaning on Zombie, and Dale’s sister Joanie was leaning on Wall Street. Those two had become fast friends since Heidi and Zombie got together.

The bar was devoid of other patrons, and Outlaw took the ladies to the cage. Nova and Dale locked up behind Outlaw, leaving the rest of the brothers to hang around for another drink or two.

Since Zombie had gotten leg shackled, he didn’t join them as freely for drinking at the clubhouse as he used to. Not that anyone blamed him. Shit had gotten a little dicey between his ol’ lady and one of the girls. That was an understatement, as Sherry had lied about being knocked up to come between them. She would’ve been gone if it wasn’t for Heidi. She’d been the only one to want Sherry to stay, but not from the goodness of her heart. That situation had been what she needed to establish her place as his ol’ lady.

There was a betting pool on how long Sherry would stay. One he’d already lost because he’d put his money on under forty-five days.

Croon had disappeared in the back office, then emerged with a smile on his face. He poured a round of shots and slid them across the bar.

“To a record night.” They raised their glasses, tapped them on the bartop, then downed them in sync.

“Vengynce is officially our top draw. More than doubled our previous record holder.” Making money was a reason to cheer.

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