Page 26 of Filthy Player

I’d thought I loved him and he’d stomped all over it. And while I was over him, knew I had moved on from him, it didn’t mean his rejection and the subsequent ones hadn’t left their scars.

“Who’s Spencer?”

I jumped at the sound of Beaux’s voice and spun on my feet. He was there, standing behind me wearing jeans and a Nike T-shirt, and a hat pulled down low on his head.

Blond wisps of his hair stuck out from beneath the hat and that, along with the surprise of seeing him and the scowl on his face, sent my heart racing.

He was so damn sexy. “Hey,” I said, my voice breathy. “What are you doing here?”

He slid his hands into the pockets of his jeans. “You had to cancel and I wanted to see you. Was hoping I could talk you into hanging out for awhile after your shift.”

He what? I stared at him. Next to me, Hannah sighed. She nudged me with her elbow and snapped me back to the fact that Beaux had wanted to see me so he made a way to see me.

If swooning was still a thing, I would have done it.

“Wow. Well, that’s nice of you.”

He flashed me a lopsided grin. “I told you. I’m a nice guy.”

He had. He’d also proved it. My cheeks ached from the smile splitting my face. “I’d like that. But it’s another hour until I’m off.”

“I know. I figured I’d grab some dinner and a couple drinks while I wait.” He walked toward me, rested his hand on my hip and before I’d adjusted to his presence so close to me, he pressed his lips to my temple. “It’s good to see you. And maybe later, you’ll clue me in on Spencer?”

He pulled back and gazed down at me. Blond brows arched on his head beneath a frayed and faded red ball cap, there was a question in his eyes.

“An ex,” I said, waving him off. “Not a big deal.”

“Sounded like it.”

Damn it. Of all the things I wanted to discuss with Beaux, Spencer was definitely not one of them. I also knew he was determined, and because of that, he wouldn’t let up until I told him.

“Later,” I said. “We’ll talk later.”

“Good. Now get to work. I have a surprise for you when you’re done.”

He turned and walked away. I was still so shocked by his presence and his sweetness, and the fact he’d wanted to see me so badly he’d come to hang out where I worked, it was moments before I remembered Hannah was still standing next to me. Like me, she was watching Beaux walk away, but there wasn’t the sweet goofy expression in her eyes she usually had. Her body was pulled tight, her chin jutted out, and a frown wrinkled her brow.

“Hannah?”

“Hmm?” She turned to me. “What?”

“You okay?”

“Yeah.” She nodded once and her playfulness returned. “Of course I am. Told you Beaux was a nice guy.”

I followed her out of the hallway and was stopped by Ray who told me I had a new four top to take waters to.

***

I wiped off the last drink tray and placed it on the stack, tossing my cloth back into the wash bucket behind the bar.

My feet ached, my arches were killing me, but my apron was weighed down in tips as well as the count I’d taken from the credit card receipts. Hannah had been right. After Beaux showed up, I couldn’t stop smiling. My tips increased exponentially.

I would have been able to do all the tasks required of me before clocking out, but when I took my trays over to where Beaux was still sitting at the bar, only a glass of ice water in front of him, we started talking while I worked.

“I think I’m done,” I said, untying my apron and tossing it onto the bar.

“What do you need to do to leave?” He pushed his glass toward the edge of the bar and Joey grabbed it from him with a thanks.

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