Page 13 of Dealing Dirty
Sasha worked as a detective for the Mackville PD for years, but she couldn’t resist the draw of the big city. When she was offered a position three-and-a-half-hours west, she moved off to sharpen her skills and figure out which direction she wanted to take her career.
But as it goes, the daily grind of inner-city life wore her down, and she decided that moving home and getting her old job back would give her some of the comfort she’s been missing. Apparently, the police chief was more than happy to have one of his best detectives back on board, and I can’t lie, having her in Mackville is a major relief. I’ve done nothing but worry about her since she moved.
I’d lost my best friend. We’ve been inseparable since birth, and not having her around has been like living with a tiny hole in my heart. Mom nicknamed us ‘The Dynamic Duo,’ and after all this time, not much has changed.
“Yeah, I got her all squared away. She starts back at the station on Monday, and she’s going to be staying with me for a little while until we can find her a place.”
Sasha’s kept a lot of her things at my place, including her old Honda I once let Cassidy borrow, and some other big furniture items. It gave her the leeway to afford a smaller place, but a move that far with even half her things was still a giant pain in the ass.
Shouts draw our attention to the far corner of the room as a set of big-bellied twins lift one of our regulars up onto the table. They’re about to dump a pitcher of beer over the older man’s head when Jack slams his hand over the bartop, whistling over his fingers. “Jimmy, get your ass down from there before I get Cassidy out here to deal with you!”
Jimmy sways, spilling a glop of foamy beer onto the table as he swats a hand in Jack’s direction. The guys drag his scrawny body off the table and place him on the floor.
Micah chuckles. “I’m glad she’s back. You need a woman keepin’ your ass in check.” The force behind those boulders he calls biceps moves me off-kilter. “You know if you ever need anything, all you have to do is call.”
My lip quirks as I slap his shoulder. “Yeah, yeah. I know your tricks, barback. She’s off-limits.”
He tosses his hands up, his laughter making him appear ten years younger. Micah’s still fairly new around here, but he’s learning the trade quickly. And best of all, he fits right into our strange little family.
“Derrick!” Cassidy hollers from back by the kitchen.
I trot my way past the main bar and poke my head around the corner. “What’s up?”
She’s got a cluster of soapsuds in her hair, and her arms are covered in smudged black streaks. “The stupid dishwasher is bubbling up again! I’m working with the kitchen guys back here to fix it, but would you mind helping Jules get set up on the computer?”
My heart skips three beats when I see Juliana’s head peeking out from behind Cass. She hardens her gaze, breezing past me without so much as a backward glance. A stubborn scowl scrunches my face as I follow her.
Do not look at that sweet ass, D. Don’t you fucking do it.
She bounds up to the POS system attached to the far end of the bar, swaying those sexy hourglass hips to the song that’s playing while I input her information into the system.
“There. All set up.”
“Thank you,” she clips, annoyance pinching her pretty face.
Yeah,I’mthe annoying one.
Her pert little nose wrinkles under my perusal. How can our night together have meant so little to her? Maybe I’m a complete idiot, but I thought it was pretty great. Hell,shewas great.
There’s probably a gentle and pleasant way for me to get to the bottom of this ‘disaster’ she’s remembering, but given the attitude she insists on throwing my way, I think I’ll keep her guessing for a while.
Stepping around her small frame, I trudge back to the main bar. It was nice to get some much-needed time off, but I know Cassidy and the guys have been putting in overtime. I’m not crazy about Juliana working here, but if she can lessen the workload off my family’s backs, then I’ll gladly suffer through it.
Juliana’s warm hand wraps around my forearm, stopping me. “Derrick, I…” Her words die on her lips—lips that have done wicked things to torture and taunt me in every fantasy I’ve had of her.
My mouth forms a tight line. “It’s all right, Jules.”
She visibly cringes, releasing me. I’ve been enjoying provoking her with little nicknames that paint her cheeks pink, but if she’s drawing a hard line at being friends, then that’s exactly what we’ll be—boners and wet dreams be damned.
The group of bodies gathered in front of the counter part as I approach. With a wink, I hoist my body up and over the bar, and true to her stubborn form, she grinds her jaw and spins on a heel away from me.
“Hey, man. Glad you’re back,” Jack says as he claps a hand over my shoulder. A sheen of sweat marks his brow, and I effortlessly jump into the fray. For me, bartending is like riding a bike; it’s taken years of practice and training, but it’s a skill I’ll likely never forget.
“Yeah, me too. It was nice to clear my head a bit and spend some time with Sash.”
He dries a DOF glass with a thin towel before placing it inside the cabinet above our heads. The woman sitting across from me slides a twenty-dollar bill my way and orders three shots of vodka, and like a dance, Jack pulls the bottle from the back bar and flips it—end over end—in my direction with ease.
I pour the woman her shots, grinning when she blows me a kiss.
