jealousy spiked in me as I watched him shamelessly flirt with Boobs McGee.
“Well, why’s that?” If possible, she made herself get a little closer to the bar. I half wondered if her attempts to get closer were going to allow her to suddenly pass through solid objects.
“It’s my bar.” He responded with a wink.
“Oh, so you’re going to take my drink order, sweet cheeks?” She fluttered her fake-lashes at him and I couldn’t help but roll my eyes. Karly thrust her hands onto her hips; at least I wasn’t the only one irritated by this exchange. Even if we were irritated for different reasons.
“I’m off duty tonight, but this’ll hold you over until they can help you.” With that he flipped over another shot glass and filled it with the same liquid that occupied ours.
“Thanks honey.” She winked at him and Corey—finally—turned his attention back to us. After pushing the shot glasses in front of us, we clinked them together and shot them back.
“Okay, since you took forever to get them for us, you need to make another one.” Karly demanded, pushing our glasses back at him. The clipped tone in her voice seemed strange, but when I felt her give a reassuring squeeze on my wrist, I understood. She already saw Corey as mine and was exasperated at her brother for flirting with another woman in front of me. I’d be lying if I said it didn’t get under my skin—more than I thought possible—but the simple fact was—he wasn’t mine.
Corey rolled his eyes at her. “A simple please would have sufficed.”
“Hurry.” She snapped back.
Boobs McGee shot an annoyed glare at Karly, before pressing herself back onto the bar. “You know honey; you don’t have to put up with that. I know how to treat a man—make him happy.”
Karly looked about ready to take this girl’s head off—I wasn’t sure if I would have stopped her or not—but Corey’s boisterous laughter turned the glaring eyes to his direction.
“That’s my sister, darling.” Corey looked up from the bar and locked eyes with me. “That one’s mine.” With a wink he went back to refilling our shots.
The commitment-phob side of me wanted to immediately clarify that I was not his, but I couldn’t. Because tonight the title was welcome and not just to be used as a weapon against Boobs McGee. It was hard to explain or comprehend but it just felt…right. A smile tugged at the corners of my lips at the comforting thought.
“Yeah bitch, so why don’t you and your fake ass titties go find someone else to bother.” Karly faced Boobs McGee and when she took a step closer; Jake quickly reached around me to grab his fiancée’s shoulder. That did nothing to make Karly back down. Trying-too-hard-Barbie cupped her hands over her boobs and shook them around.
“These are all real, bitch.”
“Puhlease.” The girl’s face turned flush red with rage but before she could speak, Corey jumped back over the bar and stepped between them. He had a shot glass in his hand and held it out to the girl.
“Take this as a truce and please excuse my sister.” We watched as the girl cast a glare around Corey’s shoulder then shot back the second free shot he gave her. Her fingers reached into the top of her shirt as she pulled out a five dollar bill and tucked it into the front pocket of Corey’s jeans. She was only a few steps away when Karly raised her voice.
“Yuck, Core! You better not take that shit; you have no idea where those things have been!” Boobs McGee cast another glare back at Karly, as her friend scurried after her.
Corey whipped around and narrowed his eyes at Karly. “What the hell are you trying to do here? This is my fuckin’ job you can’t come in here trying to start bar brawls!” I had to give Karly props; Corey’s voice and gaze were menacing but she didn’t even falter before retorting.
“I wouldn’t have to start bar brawls, if you weren’t flirting with other chicks in front of your girl!” His jaw dropped down in astonishment at her words.
“I wasn’t flirting with her.” Corey’s eyes flipped up to catch my eye, he looked apologetic—understanding what had really set his sister off.
“Then what the fuck was that!?” I felt pathetic that Karly fought a battle for me, one that wasn’t even necessary.
“That was me, doing my job. I’m a bartender that would be out of work if I didn’t have customers.