Page 20 of Chasing Wildflowers
Lane’s shoulders stiffens, her eyes flashing with a mix of apprehension and annoyance. “I told you not to call me that, Luke.”
He slides onto a stool a few seats down, his buddy beside him. “Come on, Lane, don't be like that,” he purrs, giving her a cocky grin. “I miss you. When are you going to let me take you out again?”
So they dated. Interesting.
She tosses the rag down and stalks to the cooler, pulling out twoCoors Lights.She sets them on the bar with more force than necessary, causing liquid to spurt up from the top, punctuating her annoyance. “Luke, I’m working. Just enjoy your beer and let me do my job,” she says sharply, before walking away, not waiting for his reply.
“When are you going to give up?” Luke’s friend asks.
My ears perk up, and I watch them out of the corner of my eye, bringing my glass to my lips.
“She’s just playing hard to get,” Luke replies, taking a pull from his beer.
Seriously,Coors Light? What self-respecting man drinks beer-flavored water?
His buddy chuckles. “If you say so.”
Luke drains the rest of his beer. “Watch this.”
I grind my molars together, fighting against the urge to throw this asshole out. I don’t want to cause a scene at Lane's job.
Luke holds his empty bottle in the air and hollers across the bar. Displaying typical douchebag behavior. “Hey Lane, I need another beer.”
Lane’s head snaps up from where she’s chatting with a couple in their early fifties. Her smile drops and she stalks over, stopping right in front of Luke. “I told you not to wave your bottle in the air like that. It’s rude.”
He holds the empty bottle out to Lane, an apologetic smile on his lips. “I’m sorry.”
She grabs the bottle, but he doesn’t let go. “Come on, Lane,” he murmurs, voice full of cocky charm. “When are you going to drop this whole ‘I’m an independent woman, I don’t need a man’ act? I know you miss me. You’re just afraid of needing someone, so you pushed me away. But it’s okay, I forgive you. I’m willing to forgive you for the last few months.”
Lane’s eyes harden, and she rips the bottle free, hurling it in the trash, the glass shattering.
The bar quiets, voices lowering to a whisper, tension hanging heavy in the air.
She crosses her arms, spine straight, looking like she’s ready to go to war. “Luke, I’ve tried to be nice about this. But for some reason, you refuse to understand what I’m telling you and insist on harassing me at my job. Putting my personal business out there for everyone to hear. So let me make this clear in front of everyone,” she announces, arms wide, gesturing around the bar, her voice rising even as a flush works its way up her neck.
“What you and I had is done. It’s been done.” She leans forward slightly, voice dropping. “You knew what it was, going into it. And now it's over. Stop harassing and stop asking me out, or I’ll have you banned.”
His face twists with anger. “Do you know how many girls in this town wish they could have a shot at me? You’re lucky I’m even willing to give you another chance.”
She adjusts her stance, fists clenched at her sides. “Then take one of them out, Luke,” she snaps. “I told you it’s done, and I’m not changing my mind.”
Despite wanting to drive my fist into this assholes face, I’m impressed as hell. She isn’t afraid to stick up for herself. She holds her ground and doesn’t take any shit.
It’s sexy as fuck.
Luke leans in, voice raised loud enough to grab the attention of anyone who isn’t already zeroed in on them. “You can’t be a whore forever,” he snarls. “Eventually, those perky tits and tight ass are going to sag, and nobody is going to want you. You will be wishing you hadn't blown your chance with me.”
Her head snaps back like she’s been physically slapped and her eyes glaze over momentarily. Like she’s hearing that voice from a different mouth, in a different time. She blinks hard, anchoring herself back to the present.
And that’s my cue.
I turn my head in his direction, my voice calm and controlled. “She said she’s not interested and you’re making yourself look pathetic in front of the entire bar.” I stand, taking a menacing step toward him, the only sound coming from the jukebox. “And if you call her a whore again, you will be eating your teeth.” Another step. “Now, apologize to Lane and see yourself out.”
I said Ididn’twant to cause a scene at Lane’s job, not that Iwouldn’t.
Luke scrambles up from his seat, eyes blazing. “And who the fuck are you?” He charges toward me, stopping a few inches from my face. Clearly, he has some alcohol induced balls.
“You don’t want to do this,” I say evenly, but I can already see it, he’s going to swing.
