Four Kicks - Stephanie Brother Page 0,40

though.

“Okay.” I take a swig from my glass, wishing I was further along in my drinking plans for the night and feeling numb to the situation.

The bar is starting to get more crowded, but Nathan, Ash, Landon, and Derek form a semicircle around me, effectively cutting off my view of anyone else. “Want to tell us what’s going on?”

“I need to quit. I’m giving notice. But I’ll stay until you have someone to replace me.”

Nathan closes his eyes and takes a deep breath, as if trying to summon patience. “We read that much. Why are you quitting?”

“Did you get another job?” Landon asks.

“No, I don’t have another job yet.”

“Then what is this about? Is it something we did?” Derek asks.

Nathan, arms folded over his chest, adds, “Does this have something to do with last weekend?”

I feel ganged-up on. Before, with these men, that had always been a good thing, when they joined forces to make my body feel good. Now their collective efforts are compelling me to tell them things I’d hoped to keep to myself.

“Let’s go outside. I don’t want to talk about this in here.”

When I reach for my wallet to settle my tab, Ash is quicker. “I got it.” He tosses some bills on the bar and the men move back, giving me room to stand.

Christine reappears behind the counter, her eyes concerned. “Everything okay, Lacy?”

I smile at her, grateful to know she has my back. “Everything’s fine. We’re just going outside to talk.”

She gives me a nod and I follow the men out. Nathan, leading the group, turns toward the side of the building and my heart sinks. This conversation will be harder still at the site of our first encounter. But, no matter what, I tell myself, there will not be a repeat performance tonight. I need to stay strong, with my head in command.

I consider stopping Nathan, but I don’t exactly want to be seen having an emotional discussion with four men as locals flow into Rusty’s for the night – I know very well what the island gossip mill is like – so I let him lead us to the private picnic table. Ash and Landon take a seat on the bench, but the rest of us stay standing.

I decide that my best bet is just to get this over with quickly. “All right. This is going to make things awkward between us, but I guess that won’t matter since I won’t be working with you much longer.”

Nathan’s jaw is tight. “We’ll see about that. Why do you want to quit?”

“I appreciate you hiring me, I really do. You’ve enabled me to help my family, and I’m very grateful. But I can’t be around you anymore.”

Nathan and Landon frown. The other two men have open expressions, waiting for me to continue.

“I know we were just messing around and having fun together. I know it wasn’t meant to be anything more, and I know it didn’t mean anything more to you. I understand that the four of you don’t want any kind of commitments, and I understand that I’m just one of many women.”

Their frowns deepen, and maybe I am feeling the alcohol more than I think, because I keep rambling.

“I know I’m just another conquest. Another notch on your bedpost, and another set of panties in your drawer.”

Nathan’s brows raise. “What did you say?”

“Your collection of women’s underwear. I saw it today. I didn’t mean to snoop. I was looking for the paperwork you needed and I saw them.”

“My collection?” His emphasis is on the last word. The other men are looking at him, not necessarily surprised.

“Yeah, all of the panties in your drawer. Souvenirs from your many conquests, it seems. Do the rest of you know about them?” I look around to the others, but they stay quiet.

“How many do you think you saw?” Nathan asks, one corner of his mouth turning up ever so slightly.

“A bunch. I saw mine, and I saw others. I didn’t take time to do an inventory.”

He’s full-on grinning now, though his eyes are still serious. “I have exactly two pairs of underwear in my drawer, and both are yours, Lacy.”

I want to call bullshit on him, but as my mind quickly replays memories of that desk drawer, I can’t distinctly remember seeing more than two different fabrics. I assumed there were more, and I didn’t recognize the second pair. “Mine?”

“Yours. Red lace from our night here, and a cream-colored pair I slipped off of you that