Page 44 of Bad Boy for Hire
“A sober bartender?” Griffin chuffed. “That’s ridiculous.”
“I’m not going to be a bartender forever. This gig has an expiration date, and I feel like it’s soon. Be right back with another round.”
“That was ominous,” Griffin said once Xavier had gone. When he returned with everyone’s drinks, Griffin picked up where he’d left off. “You selling Salty Dog?”
He’d asked with a note of interest, as if considering which of his wealthy clients would be interested in investing in the Cove’s favorite bar.
“No. But I’d like to spend less time here. May and I were talking about me creating another app.” He turned to her and lowered his voice. “Did you talk to Jewell?”
“Not yet,” May said. “But last week we had an intense deadline, and this week—” She had spent most of this week worrying that pregnancy was the punishment for breaking her no-hot-men rule. “This week was a catch-up week for me, so I stayed really busy.”
“A new app.” Griffin snapped his fingers and pointed at Xavier. “That’s what you should do. You made millions once. Do it again. And again. Then you can lie around on your Adirondack chair and drink margaritas all day. Excuse me, nonalcoholic margaritas.”
“I get why you don’t like him,” Xavier said to Lisa, who laughed.
Lisa could be intense, and despite Griffin’s easy jokes, there was a sharpness about him too. Tonight, despite her keeping a wall up, Lisa seemed almost…relaxed. As relaxed as May had seen her around Griffin. It was like Lisa had accepted her plight to sit next to Mr. Tall, Dark, and Handsome for a few hours.
Poor thing. May smothered a smile at the rim of her glass.
Maybe they were too much alike. Completely compatible in bed—at least from Lisa’s recollection, and far too similar by the light of day to have anything lasting.
“I’m good with Sober September and Harvest Fest,” May said.
“And by the time October rolls around, you can drink with reckless abandon,” Lisa put in.
“There’s always Sober October,” Griffin offered.
“And No-Drink November,” Lisa said, one-upping her damn sex recipient.
“Drought December. Dry January,” Griffin countered with a twofer.
“Free February. Monk March!” Lisa countered, and then she and Griffin shared a rare moment of harmony.
“Abstinent April,” Xavier offered.
Everyone at the table stopped smiling.
“No fucking way,” Griffin said, serious.
“What, like you can’t live without it.” Lisa rolled her eyes.
“Like you can? I vividly recall you being the one who?—”
Lisa slapped her hand over his mouth. They locked eyes. Tension crackled in the air between them. May could feel it from her seat on the opposite side of the table.
After a beat of silence, Lisa abruptly removed her hand.
“I’d never ask anyone to give that up,” Xavier said, darting a look from Lisa to Griff to May. Silence hung in the air for a truncated moment before Lisa stood from her chair.
“I forgot my laptop at the office. I need it this weekend. I’m going to go.” She gathered her purse. “Xavier, thank you so much for the free drinks and snacks. And yes, before you ask, I’m good to drive.”
“You’re welcome.”
“I’ll walk with you.” Griffin stood as well. “I’m heading home anyway. Xav, perfect fall cocktail.”
“You good on the bike?” Xavier asked.
“Always.” Griffin canted one eyebrow in a devil-may-care way that reminded May of every good-idea bad-boy in the Cove. He ate up the distance to the front door on long legs, easily catching Lisa, who had practically sprinted for the door.
