Page 52 of The Ex Next Door
“It’s not like I’m jealous or anything.”
“Are you sure?”
She squeezed Declan’s bicep. “Yes, I’m sure.”
It didn’t seem to bother Declan, but it bothered her that he believed she might still have feelings for Rob and yet bekissing and fooling around with Declan the way she’d been. If she still loved Rob, she’d be heartbroken by the news. The truth was far more complicated. Love was gone, but they’d forever be linked as parents. She was going to have to be friendly with her ex’s girlfriend. Just another item in the long list on a single mom’s duties.
“Be honest with me. I can take it.”
“Declan, I wouldn’t be making out with you, flirting and sexting if I still loved someone else.”
“Good.” He reached for and squeezed her knee. “Because I wouldn’t be, either.”
Chapter Fifteen
When they split the tips later that night, Declan had the biggest loot for the third shift in a row. The waitstaff were always happy when he had a good night. And to be fair, tonight he’d worked it, smiling, chatting, lending customers a helpful ear. Good people tended to understand that service workers weren’t earning a livable wage based on their hourly rate. All they wanted was a friendly server who took their time.
“Declan wins it again.” Debbie slapped the bar. “Face it, he’s got a gift. We’re lucky he shares.”
“It must be sodifficultfor a six-foot-two former professional athlete to hustle for tips.” Amy winked at him.
“Yeah,” Debbie elbowed Amy. “Imagine the poor wretched woman who has to settle forthisone.”
He cut the air with one hand. “Now, now, ladies. It isn’t just women. I listen to the men’s troubles. Which are usually troubles with the very women who are tipping me.”
“Did you give out your number again?” Debbie said.
Declan froze in the middle of pouring fountain soda into an iced glass for Amy. When he turned slightly to glance at her, she’d quickly averted her gaze.
“I haven’t taken anyone’s number in a while,” Declan said, correcting Debbie.
The last thing he wanted was to feed any insecurities inAmy. She’d just come off a divorce with a man who presumably fell out of love with her. It had to have crushed her, because he knew Amy, and how hard and intense she loved when she did. Honestly, he didn’t know what she wanted from him if anything. She’d been on board with some heavy-duty make-out sessions in which they’d relived their glory days. Beyond that, he feared loving Amy again would be like harnessing the wind. And as a pitcher, he’d learned early on the crosswind had a way of changing directions.
“I can see why Samantha might have been jealous,” Amy said. “Girls handing you their number?”
“Nope, sorry. She was almost certifiable,” Debbie said. “How a girl that beautiful can be so insecure baffles the mind.”
“Girls don’t always give me their phone number,” Declan protested.
“Nine times out of ten they do,” Debbie said. “Which isn’t bad for business.”
They ended the night with a new inspirational quote, all of which were mostly borrowed from his dad. This one Declan found on his own. Debbie always behaved like this was the first time she’d heard some of them, which couldn’t be true. She seemed equally blown away by tonight’s quote.
On the way home, Amy was quiet, her body turned to face her window, which set Declan’s teeth on edge. He did not want her to be jealous and after what he’d recently been through, he almost felt like he had to be proactive.
“You’re so quiet,” Declan said. “You do believe me when I say I don’t accept phone numbers anymore, don’t you?”
“Huh? Oh, sure. I believe you. Why would you lie?”
“Exactly. Why would I?” His tight grip on the column of the steering wheel loosened. “What’s got you so quiet?”
“Just thinking about the coaching talk today and what that quote means to me.”
He snorted. “Coaching talk?”
“You know. When we all sit down after our shift and talk about the night?”
“Yeah but I don’t think of it ascoaching.”
