Page 77 of The Player in New Zealand
“Darn it, I knew I should have come down to visit sooner.”
I pulled out one of the McGraves’ cocktail menus. “Why don’t you tell me what kind of drinks you like, and I’ll help you pick your new favorite?”
The ladies had wisely chosen to come in mid-afternoon, before the after-work crowd, and once I got them sorted out with drinks, I made excuses to stay nearby and listen to their chatter.
These women had even more funny stories of Tane, like how he snuck out one night as a teenager to meet up with a girl—Tane had started young!—and got caught sneaking back in when his dad thought he was breaking and entering.
The bar got busier, and I wasn’t able to pay them as much attention as I wanted. But when they got ready to leave, Emily made sure to kiss my cheek and tell me to come visit anytime.
TWENTY-EIGHT
Another week passed,and the bar was busy every night. I didn’t think I’d ever worked in a place that was this busy all the time. Even lunches were packed, with faces starting to get familiar.
Until one of those faces froze me in place.
Devon.
Devon was here, in Auckland, in my bar.
“Hey, new girl, move it” came from behind me.
Devon’s eyes caught mine and he smiled and I swear to God, everything tilted for a moment. The world was not right.
One of the other bartenders gripped my upper arms and bodily moved me out of his way.
Devon was still smiling. That patient little smile I remembered too well. TheAh, she’s not quite on the same page as I am yet, but she’ll get theresmile.
I told my feet to move. I took a step back, and then another and the rest came easier. Thankfully, I didn’t have to leave the employee area to get out of view. The bar led directly to the kitchen, and in the clanging of pots and pans and the hiss of steam and fire, I ducked and ran.
Somehow I ended up in a storage room. Thank God, I hadn’t blindly run out back; I’m sure one of these doors would have led to the rear alleyway if I wanted to, but I’d bet good money Devon would already be trying to find me that way.
I pressed my back against the wall and took huge, heaving breaths. Devon was here. Thousands of miles away from home and a restraining order and he was still here.
What could I do? I literally had no one here. Should I call the police? Would they even be able to do anything?
I had to do something. So I pulled my phone out and called the one person I knew who could calm me down.
“Hey, babe,” Tane said, “I thought you weren’t getting off till late tonight?”
I pressed the back of my hand to my forehead, telling myself to get the words out.
“Claire? Is this a butt dial?”
“Devon’s here,” I blurted.
Tane’s tone changed instantly. “Where are you?”
“I’m at work. I’m... in one of the storage rooms.”
I heard a door close through the phone, and the noises around Tane quieted. I could picture him in the office, mean face on and calculating.
“What time is your shift over?” he asked me.
“Eleven.” Three hours away.
“Can you talk to your boss?”
I hated the way my voice quavered. “She’s usually out on the floor on nights like this.”
