Page 3 of Missing Pieces (Men of Manhattan 3)

"Hails, can you grab Nathan another scotch?" said some lady who had just walked behind the bar. She was balancing a tray of empty glasses on one hand.

"Yeah, I've got it, Anna," she said. She tapped the bar in front of me. "Make a right out of the parking lot and drive about a mile down the road. The gas station will be on your left. Even though the lights aren't on, you can still pump the gas. Just let me know if you need a refill."

"Hails as in Hails' Bar?" I asked.

"That's me," she said over her shoulder.

I watched her pour a scotch. It looked like she had done it a million times. She was awfully young to own a bar. I started to wonder how old she was. I watched her as she gracefully walked over to Nathan. She laughed at something he said and touched his shoulder. She was definitely good at getting tips. I turned back to my beer.

I was twelve hours away from New York. So why did it feel like I was still there? Maybe when I got to California I'd finally feel the distance between Penny and me. I was doing my best to pretend I never knew her, hoping that it would make it easier to forget. But it wasn't working. I took another sip of the beer, suddenly wishing it was something stronger. Three years. I had been hung up on Penny for almost three years. What the fuck was wrong with me? I downed the rest of my beer.

Chapter 3

Hailey

Friday

I glanced back over at the stranger as I wiped up a spill on the counter. For some reason, I wanted to know his story. I wasn't sure if it was because of the odd way he had answered my questions or because of his baby blue eyes. Maybe I didn't feel anything when I looked at Jack, but I felt something when I looked at him. I was currently holding his phone hostage, so it wasn't like he could just walk away into the night. Plus he had just downed a whole beer. He wouldn't be going anywhere for a while. I smiled. He needed a refill. I walked back over to him. "Need a refill?"

"No, I'm okay."

Crap. "Are you sure?"

He looked up at me. There was something else in his blue eyes I hadn't seen before. He looked sad. He gave me a small smile. "Yeah, I'm sure. I need to go find that gas station."

Now all I wanted to do was comfort him. I leaned on the counter and tried to hide my smile when I caught him steal a glance at my cleavage. Growing up working at this bar had taught me how to flirt at an early age. I was almost positive I could lighten his mood. "I really have always wanted to go on a road trip across the country. Are you taking any hitchhikers?"

He laughed.

I leaned slightly toward the sound. I had known he wasn't from around here as soon as I laid eyes on him. He was dressed a little more sleek than the men from town. I wasn't at all surprised that he had said he was from NYC. And I couldn't deny that he was handsome. Even though I didn't actually want to hitchhike with him, a little flirting never hurt anyone. "Is that a yes?"

"I'm pretty sure hitchhiking is illegal."

"Not one to break t

he rules?"

He smiled out of the corner of his mouth. "I didn't say that."

I laughed. "Well it wouldn't be hitchhiking if we knew each other." I stuck my hand out for him. "I'm Hailey."

He stared at my hand for a second before grabbing it. "Tyler."

"Nice to meet you, Tyler. So, why exactly are you going to California?"

He scratched the back of his neck. For some reason I found it incredibly sexy. "I just needed a change," he said.

"How mysterious."

He smiled again.

"Do you have a bunch of stops planned? I've always wanted to see the Grand Canyon."

"Not really. I'm just...driving." He shrugged his shoulders.

I could tell he was running from something. He didn't need to say it.

"But if you're coming along, I guess I could make a stop there."

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