Page 23 of Begin Again
I thought birthdays were supposed to be fun. This is anything but fun…Tonight has been dragging. Every time I glance at the clock behind the bar, it’s only been another five minutes. How long am I supposed to sit here? I might combust if I have to sit here for another two or three hours. I can think of a million other things I’d rather do, but I remind myself that I’m doing this for Joseph. And, I guess, for Charlie, too. It is her thirtieth birthday, after all.
So far, there have been no signs of Cooper.
Thank God. If it stays that way, I can report to Joseph that nothing happened, and he won’t ask me to tag along with Charlie and her friends next time.
“This is so exhilarating, ain’t it?” the guy I nicknamed “Cowboy” says, sidling up next to me at the high-top table. I think Charlie said his real name is Jackson, and he’s dating Blonde #4. “You’re Xavier, right? The guy who doesn’t know who he is.”
I nod.
“I’m Jackson.” He sticks his hand out toward me. So, I was right…His name is Jackson. At least I know my short-term memory still works. “I belong to Katy, the one sitting across from Charlie over there.”
Jackson points to the high top a few tables down where Charlie sits with five other girls, all blonde except one. Why does she have so many blonde friends?
“Nice to meet you,” I say, shaking his hand.
“I didn’t know you and Charlie were a thing.”
My brow cocks. “We’re not.”
Why would he say that?
“Oh.” Jackson hesitates, looking between me and the girls’ table. “I guess I thought you were because you’re here tonight. I mean…You’ve been living up at the ranch and Charlie has told Katy all about—”
“Jackson!” A shrill scream comes from the other side of the room. We both turn to see Katy flagging down her boyfriend with wide eyes. She and Charlie practically sprint to our table. “Honey, it’s our turn to play darts. Come on!”
“But I was—”
“Now!” Katy heaves Jackson off the barstool and back across the room to the darts area.
“Should we play some pool?” Charlie asks, cutting me off when I try to ask her what in the hell just happened. Shegnaws on the corner of her mouth, glancing toward the darts game where Katy has already begun to scold Jackson for almost spilling the beans. “One of the tables finally opened up.”
A smirk tugs on my lips. She knows that she’s been caught. Jackson was one second from spilling the beans earlier, and with how squeamish the thought seemed to make her, I wanted to push the subject further. “Lead the way.”
Charlie swims her way through the crowd that has started to gather inside Layne’s, and I stay one step behind. She sets up the rack when we reach the billiards table.
“How ’bout we make things interesting,” I say, downing the rest of my beer.
“How so?” she asks without looking up from her task.
“For every ball I pocket,youhave to tell me a secret.”
“I don’t have any secrets.”
“No?” My brow raises. “Then it won’t matter if I win.”
“And what do I get if I pocket a ball?” Charlie asks, looking up at me, bent over the side of the table. If I were any other man, I’d probably enjoy the view. Hell, who am I kidding? Seeing her bent over the edge with her perky ass in the air is a sight, but I can’t let it distract me from the task at hand.
“I’ll remove a piece of clothing.”
That stops her dead in her tracks, fumbling with the rack in her hands.
“We…I…Xavier, we’re in a public bar!”
“And?”
Charlie glances around the room, leaning in to speak a little softer. “I’m really good at pool. You’ll be naked in front of the whole town!”
She’s right. I’m not wearing much, but I’m not worried. At least, I don’t think I am. I hope I know what I’m doing.
