Page 47 of The Last Second Chance
“Funny.” Joey pulled her hand back faster than if she’d touched hot coals. “Nice to see you, Anthony,” she called over her shoulder as she headed to the bathroom.
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“How’s the newspaper biz, Anthony?” Jax asked, willing the blood to return to his head.
Anthony’s head bobbed. “Not bad. Not bad. How’s the farm?”
“Good all around. What brings you out to Shorty’s on this frigid night?”
“Just doing a little digging,” Anthony slid his phone in front of Jax.
On the screen was a picture of him and Joey sitting side by side at the bar someone had posted to the Blue Moon Facebook group four minutes ago.
“Do you live upstairs or something? That’s a faster response time than the fire department.”
“I go where the stories take me,” Anthony said.
Jax drummed his fingers on the bar, debated for a second. “Anthony, I’m going to lay this on the line. I’m after Joey. I intend to marry that girl, but if she gets a hint that the Beautification Committee is sniffing around us, she’s going to head for the hills on principle. And if that happens and you’re the reason behind it, I’m going to hunt you down and fill your apartment and your newspaper office with all kinds of shit. Pig, horse, goat, dog. I have access to an unlimited supply. Now, on the other hand, if you find yourself somehow useful to my cause, I’d be happy to give you an exclusive on whatever you deem fit after Joey marries me.”
Anthony swallowed hard. “Uh-huh. I see.”
“Can I get you something, Anthony?” Ed asked, dropping Jax and Joey’s plates on the bar.
“Uh. Yeah. Can I get a diet?” He glanced at Jax. “To go, please.”
Jax clapped him on the shoulder. “Glad we’re on the same page.”
The slim man paused, holding his soda. “Oh, yeah. Just so you know, you might want to have the same conversation with Ellery.” He pointed in the direction of the ladies’ room as a woman dressed for a death metal concert pushed through the door.
“Shit.”
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Joey grabbeda fistful of paper towels out of the dispenser in the ladies’ room and dried her hands. She had faith that Jax could get rid of Anthony…if he wanted to. There was, of course, the possibility that he’d want Anthony to print a bunch of fake crap about them getting back together in hopes that it would convince her to give him a second chance.
And if he did that, Jax knew nothing about her, she realized.
The door swung open and Ellery, Beckett’s paralegal, strolled in, her chunky Frankenstein boots squeaking on the tile floor.
“Hey, Joey,” she said, cheerfully. “I’d ask what’s new, but I already know. So I’ll just say congratulations.”
Freaking Blue Moon and its freaking big mouth.“Thanks,” Joey grimaced. “And before you say it, no, I’mnoton a date with Jax. I didn’t even know he was coming here. So don’t you get any nosey BC ideas.”
Ellery leaned into the mirror to tug at her long spider leg lashes. Her hair was in braided pigtails and she was wearing the reddest lipstick Joey had ever seen. “Got it!” she said triumphantly. She held a single lash on her fingertip. “God, that thing’s been driving me nuts since I glued these on.”
She dunked her hands under the faucet. “Anyway, what were you saying? Oh, yeah, you and Jax.” She laughed.
Joey frowned. “What’s so funny?”
“Oh, it’s nothing personal. It’s just the idea of you and Jax dating. I know you probably get all kinds of pressure about it since you used to be all hot and heavy way back in high school, but I’m with you. You and Jax would be a huge mistake. I think you’re smart to keep your distance.”
“You expect me to believe you and your prying little group aren’t plotting right now to march me down the aisle with Jax?”
Ellery’s eyes widened until Joey couldn’t see her charcoal gray eye shadow. “Absolutely not. We take our matchmaking very seriously,” she laid a hand on her heart, her black fingernails glittering under the fluorescent lights. “And part of that is recognizing who does and doesn’t have potential for a long-lasting, happy relationship.”
“And you’re saying that Jax and I don’t have that potential?”
“Exactly. And it’s not like I’m saying anything you haven’t already said a hundred thousand times. You’re just too different. Besides, who knows how long Jax will decide to stick around this time? You’re being smart protecting yourself and just staying friends.”
