huge smile, and I was just about to tell her that wouldn’t be possible when Shane spoke up. I hadn’t heard him return.
“That’ll be cool.”
I wanted to tell him no, that I wanted to drag him back to my place tonight after work and finish what we started today. But one look in his gray eyes—I saw conflict there. I wanted to ask him why, what, anything, but I couldn’t. Not right now.
“Great, it’s settled!” Trinity jumped up and down. “We’ll stick around tonight, and then maybe, if you’re cool with it, we can crash at your place?”
“Or a hotel,” Ziggy added quickly. “We’re not intruding on his space and…” Ziggy turned to where Shane was doing a piss-poor job of appearing busy. “Whatever life he has here in Haven Hart.”
“Oh,” Trinity said. “I’m sure it’s okay, right, Ledger?”
I didn’t know what to say. Why was it so hard to tell them no? Any other time I’d be like, “Hell, yeah. Let’s hang and mix.” But that was before. Before Shane.
“Uh.”
“How ’bout this?” Ziggy stepped in, likely to make the choice for me. “See how you’re feeling after work. We can crash anywhere, don’t you—”
“No,” I interrupted. “You’ll never get a good hotel at that hour. It’s fine. One night isn’t a big deal.”
Shane didn’t make any indication it bothered him, but I had a feeling it did. He was more fickle than I thought. Maybe insecure. I wasn’t sure. But I was going to find out.
Chapter Nine
Shane
I kept myself busy stocking the bar, cutting limes, filling cherries—basically, anything to keep my mind occupied. Behind me on the stage, I could hear Trinity and Ziggy talking to Ledger about his lineup for the night, and every time Trinity laughed, it was like nails on a chalkboard. I tried to tell myself it was an irrational annoyance.
“What exactly is it about her you don’t like?” Toby asked as he sat on a barstool directly across from me.
“Am I that obvious?” Toby smiled and nodded. “I don’t think she’s genuine. And I think she just wants in Ledger’s pant—”
“Pants you want in; I get it, go on.”
I chuckled at Toby. “No, I mean yes, but…ever just meet someone, and right off the bat you know there’s something not right about them? Like everything they do has some motive to benefit themselves?”
Toby laughed. “We live in Haven Hart. Yes, I’ve met a few of those kinds of people.”
“Right. But I don’t know her game. I knew Vick’s, and I usually can tell someone’s, but not her. Is it his body she wants? Maybe the fact that he has a pretty good rep?”
Toby reached across the bar and gripped my hand. “I think you seriously need to talk to Ledger, and tell him how you’re feeling about her.”
“Ziggy said he wasn’t into her, and I know he isn’t but—”
“People can get manipulated. I understand, Shane.”
Just then Ciro walked up. “Hey, Toby, I’m opening up in fifteen minutes.” He jerked his head toward the stage. “They stayin’ up there?”
“No, just tell Ledger; he’ll get them to leave the stage.”
Ciro nodded. “Yeah, the idiot didn’t charge his earpiece again.”
Toby rolled his eyes and hopped off the stool. “I have a spare. I’ll get it for him and put his on the charger.” When he left, I saw Ciro about to go but stopped him.
“Ciro?” He turned. “Did Ledger talk to you about anything?”
He lifted one brow. “Can you be more specific?”
“About the flowers he got or anyone weird around him?”
Ciro’s solid expression turned to a scowl. “No, why, is he getting harassed?”
“I don’t know, but I know he was going to mention it to you.”
Ciro huffed. “I’ll make sure to talk to him before we close.” He didn’t wait for a reply and walked outside.
Fortunately, I was busy all night, and when Max told me to work on the other side of the bar, I was grateful. Trinity was schmoozing it up with Max and telling stories about Ledger I wasn’t so sure he’d want known. Ziggy was dancing, and often times I heard someone walk up to the bar, saying how delicious the silver-haired hottie was. No question it was Ziggy.
“Malibu bay breeze, my sweet.” I smiled at the sound of Sparkles’s voice. There he sat on a stool, chin in hand, pink hair as bright as ever, and makeup applied perfectly. He was Max’s boyfriend and as spicy as they came.
“I’m surprised you didn’t ask Max,” I grabbed the mixer and started on his