Any Day Now - Lani Lynn Vale Page 0,28

Dillard’s. It’s called Black,” the girl continued.

“Umm.” Amelia licked her lips. “A colon is the thing in your body that helps you shit. I’m fairly sure that you don’t mean colon.”

The girl’s lips opened in an O.

I rolled my eyes, and Amelia reluctantly walked my way.

She looked as if she’d rather lick the bar top than talk to me.

She crossed her arms defensively over her chest and said, “What can I get you?”

A topless chick walked up with some billowy pants on, but I never took my eyes away from my target.

“A beer to start.” I paused, rethinking that. “Actually, maybe just a water.”

She walked forward and grabbed a glass, bringing it to the gun that was next to her hand and filling it with water. Seconds later she handed it to me.

“You didn’t call.” She sounded cute all angry.

I leaned both of my elbows onto the bar top in front of me and grinned.

“I don’t have your number,” I pointed out. “How would I have called you?”

She opened her mouth, then snapped it right back shut.

“Oh.”

I grinned. “I had food poisoning also. I would’ve come sooner but I couldn’t be that far from my toilet for a while.”

She started snickering. “Where did you eat that gave you food poisoning?”

I grimaced.

“My partner on shift that day wanted Taco Hell.” I paused. “I’ll never, not ever, go there again. I don’t care if I’m starving. It’s not ever happening.”

She slowly turned her head, her face filled with amusement.

But before she could say anything more, another woman—this one fully clothed like Amelia—entered behind the counter and walked up to Amelia. “I’m here. Sorry I’m late. What did I miss?”

Her eyes raked over me, and Amelia stepped into the path of the woman’s gaze. “You’re not just late. You’re over two hours late, and I’m leaving shortly. I’m out of here tomorrow, Tomi. I can’t teach you anything if you don’t get here to learn.”

Tomi didn’t look like she cared. “I know how to bartend.”

“You don’t know how to bartend here, though,” Amelia said. “Lynn won’t keep you if you can’t do what he wants, trust me on that.”

“Then maybe you should just stay.” She paused. “Oh, wait. You can’t. Because you punched a customer, and now everyone has to work double-time to protect your ass from unruly fans that want to scratch your face off.”

Tomi sounded like a real bitch.

I hated her already, and I didn’t know her past seeing her for the last minute and a half.

But I knew without a doubt that she’d never get back in my good graces after what she’d said.

Funny enough, before Tomi could say anything more than what she already had, a big guy wearing an earphone, who was obviously security, came walking up to a bar from a back room.

He looked from me to Amelia, then to Tomi before saying, “Tomi, boss man wants to see you.”

Tomi grinned.

“Oh yeah, Berd?” Tomi purred as she walked up to the large man who didn’t look as if he was as receptive at seeing her as she was at seeing him. “What about?”

The man, Berd, shrugged a beefy shoulder. “Got no clue. Only follow what I’m told.”

Tomi went to place her hand on Berd’s shoulder, but before she could get any touching in, he pulled away and put some distance between them.

Another customer sidled up to the bar on my left, drawing Amelia’s attention.

The man ordered eight beers with the lids on then turned to survey the shit going on up on stage.

I glanced in the direction and looked away just as fast.

There was a woman on stage that was in the process of running a feather boa through her splayed thighs.

Something that I might’ve found interesting a few weeks ago.

Now? After meeting Amelia? Things didn’t turn me on like they used to.

But goddamn, if I smelled anything fucking vanilla, I’d instantly get a hard-on because that’s what Amelia’s hair smelled like.

Kind of like why I haven’t washed my sheets since she left, and I kept using the goddamn pillow she’d slept on.

When I looked back toward the bar and Amelia, it was to find her staring at me with surprise etched on her face.

“What?” I asked curiously.

She gestured toward the stage with her chin.

“Not to your liking?” she asked.

I shrugged, my eyes going heated as I slid my gaze down the length of her body. “Just liking something a whole lot more lately.”

Her cheeks pinked. “That’s sweet.”

“Truthful,” I said. “What’s your number?”

She was about to rattle