Page 1 of Bar Down

PROLOGUE

Eight Months Ago

Ash

I findmyself on my best friend’s doorstep even though I’m not supposed to be here until tomorrow for the New Year’s Eve party. A very irritated Robbie opens the door and scowls at me.

“What the hell are you doing here?” he all but growls, but I know it’s just his playful side coming out. When I got traded to the Manticores a few years ago, Robbie was the one who immediately took me under his wing. Not only is he our team captain, but he’s one of my best friends.

“Nice to see you too, grandpa,” I quip, bringing up the nickname I know annoys him. I give him a wink as I walk inside his ranch-style home on the outskirts of Grand Marquee like I own the place. Messing with Robbie is one of my favorite pastimes. He’s the fucking best, but his reactions are so predictable, making it easy to get a rise out of him. Sometimes I wonder why he lets me stick around with all the crap I give him. Any other guy would get annoyed and cut me out of his life,but not Robbie, he’s the male equivalent of a mother hen.He’s a father hen.

“Where’s my favorite girl?” I say to him with a smirk and move out the way when he attempts to punch my shoulder.

“Stop hitting on my girlfriend, you dipshit,” he says halfheartedly. Robbie knows I’d never actually make a move on Olivia. I’m not stupid, or blind. That girl is so gone for him. I’d tease her endlessly if we were closer, but since I don’t know her on a deeper level like I do Robbie, I keep my remarks to myself.

Walking into his large, open kitchen, I say, “Never, you need some healthy competition.”

“Ash, you’re here?” Olivia greets me from the massive island where she’s currently arranging appetizers on a charcuterie board. Robbie’s entire kitchen space is currently taken up by chips, dips, drinks, meats, cheeses, veggies, and other pans filled with appetizers that still need to go in the oven. The man really knows how to throw a party.

“I can’t believe he’s making you work,” I scoff. “You know he can afford to hire someone to do all this, right?”

Robbie swats at me with a towel before placing it on his shoulder. Wannabe Jamie Oliver over here walks up to Olivia and gives her a kiss on the cheek before saying, “I’m notmakingher do anything. Food is our shared love language, so we like cooking together.” Olivia blushes and gives Robbie a look that saysyou’re totally getting some later.

I fake a gag and take a seat on one of the leather bar stools at the kitchen island. I place a few slices of cheese on a platter just to stop looking at the two of them. They’re cute as hell together, but their love is kind of making me sick. I didn’t think I’d ever be jealous of one of my friends being in a relationship, but here I am, moping. Since when do I mope?

“Is there something on your mind, Ash? You seem a bit quiet,” Olivia says, looking up from the board she just finished arranging.

“I don’t have a date to the party,” I say, sounding like a teenage girl not having a date to prom. Robbie laughs and we both look over at him with questioning looks on our faces.

“What?” I prod.

“Come on, man. There’s gonna be plenty of people here. I’m sure you’re gonna find someone to hook up with.” He doesn’t say it with malice, but his words hit me like a brick just the same. Is that what I’ve always done? Hooked up and given everyone the impression that I don’t want more? Maybe I didn’t before, but lately I’ve found that I do want it—lovey dovey bullshit and all.

“But I don’t want to hook up,” I whine, like the petulant child that I am.

“Then what do you want?” Robbie asks, exasperated.

“A date. Like, someone to date. For longer than a few hours.” And I know exactly who I want—pale blue eyes and light blond hair, built like a viking—but I can never admit to it out loud.

“And you thought waiting until the day before to find that was a good idea?” he deadpans. Olivia sighs and elbows him, which makes me smile. This little firecracker has got my back. A small smile makes its way to my face, but it quickly drops when Olivia questions me.

“Ash, did you have someone particular in mind?” she asks gently, and for a second I almost want to tell her everything.

I think I have a huge crush on one of my best friends and I don’t know what to do about it.

Need advice, please and thank you.

But I can’t tell her that, so I pout instead and rest my chin in the palm of my hand. The next moment, Olivia is by my side, giving me a hug. I turn so I can hug her back tightly and look upto see Robbie staring at us. I can’t help but tease him again, so I smirk over her shoulder at him.

There’s a stark contrast between Robbie and Olivia; he’s more blunt with me and knows when to call me out on my bullshit, while Olivia is gentler with her advice. It’s no surprise they work so well together.

She pulls back and puts her hands on my shoulders, giving me a stern look. “Ash, I think you need to tell whoever you’re pining over how you feel about them. I know it’s not easy to open up to someone like that, but if you just hang on to those feelings and don’t vocalize them you’ll just regret it later.”

I sigh and bite the inside of my cheek as I look down at the floor. “But what if they don’t feel the same way?”

“Then it’s their loss, because you’re amazing and you’re going to do great things. But also, you deal with it. It won’t be easy, but in time you’ll move on.” I take a moment to appreciate her sage advice then muster up the resemblance of a smile and bring her in for a hug again. I do my best to blink back the tears that threaten to spill, but when Robbie throws down his towel and joins in on the group hug, a traitorous one escapes anyway.

“If you need a wingman, you know I got you, man,” Robbie says lightheartedly.

---