Page 22 of A Favor Owed

I was a goner as soon as he touched me. His fingers on my shoulder, his eyes looking down at me from his height, the way his shoulders and arms and chest looked in his T-shirt. Why does he have to look so good in T-shirts? They’re T-shirts, for fuck’s sake. And yet there I was, salivating over his body and making plans to see him after work.

This is not okay, Angela, I tell myself.He’s a distraction. A distraction from New York, of all places.Eighty-five percent of the students at this school are from California, another 10 percent are from other western states, and I have to find theone guyfrom New York.

I’m not sure how I’m going to fumble my way through work tonight with Brady on my mind like this. Fortunately, it’s Saturday night and Finnegan’s is busy. The time flies, no one manhandles me, and I make great tips. Still, not particularly soothing thoughts of Brady swirl in my mind as I take orders and drop off drinks and food.

He’s going to forget to pick me up.

He’s funny and sweet.

He’s drunk and passed out.

He’s so hot.

He’s met a girl at his party.

You’re going to see what he looks like with barely any clothes on.

When two o’clock rolls around and the bar starts to empty without any sign of Brady, I resolve to ask Cliff for a ride home. For the next hour, I help clean up, stacking the chairs, clearing the table, and wiping everything down with rags. Finally, I take my last tray of dirty dishes to the kitchen and unload them into the sink.

“Hey, Cliff,” I call from the kitchen, my heart feeling like it’s been wrung out and left to dry. “Do you think you could drop me at home tonight? I don’t have my bike.”

“Pretty sure your ride is sitting right here at the bar,” he calls back.

What?!I feel my face turn red and my heart rate pick up. I smooth my hair and T-shirt and take off my apron, more as a means of calming myself than actually trying to look good. I poke my head out of the kitchen—

And my eyes land right on Brady’s.

He smirks at me.

I duck back inside, close my eyes briefly, clear my throat, and stand up to my full height. I enter the bar area with as much confidence as I can muster.

“Hey, Brady,” I say casually, grabbing the first rag I can find and wiping down the bar.

“Trying to sneak out on me, Pines?”

“No, of course not,” I say. “I just forgot you were coming.”

“Forgot, huh?”

“Yep. Totally slipped my mind.”

“Uh-huh.” He smiles and winks at Cliff. My face turns red again when I see Cliff wink back. “Mind if I borrow your girl Angie here, Cliff?”

“Take her off my hands, man,” says Cliff. “I’d pour you a Guinness first if you weren’t driving.”

“Next time,” says Brady.

They shake hands like old buddies, and I shake my head, put the rag down, and wash my hands.

“See you tomorrow, Cliff,” I say, ducking under the bar and joining Brady on the other side.

“Have a good night, you two.”

Brady and I walk out to the parking lot.

“How was work?” he asks.

“It was good. How was your party?”

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