Four Letter Word (Love Logic #2) - K.M. Neuhold Page 0,43
the next one. But after the first six months or so, I started getting really bored. It was too easy to lock myself away from the world when I didn’t have somewhere I had to go most days. I started to get depressed, and then the words got stuck, and I couldn’t write a damn thing. I was feeling a bit sorry for myself, so I went out to get some fresh air and clear my head. I ended up wandering into a bar and saw a now hiring sign, so I applied. My creativity came roaring back, and I decided that even if I don’t need another job, my brain works a lot better if I have one. I’ve been bouncing around different cities and states and bars for the past few years, working and writing.”
A wistful look softens Hudson’s expression. “Fuck, that sounds nice.”
“It’s pretty great,” I admit. I’m not sure why I told him all of that. Not that it’s a secret or anything, but not something I generally volunteer. “It’s still pretty lonely sometimes though,” I confess, because apparently that’s what I’m doing right now for some reason.
He gives a jerky nod, dropping his gaze from mine and looking down at the bar. “I bet.”
My heart gives a sympathetic twinge. I have no idea what the situation is between him and Bishop, but clearly, they’re both struggling with it.
“Listen, I’m off work in an hour, and I’m starving. You wouldn’t want to grab a bite to eat, would you?” I offer.
His eyes light up. “That would be fucking awesome,” he says before clearing his throat and reining himself in. “I mean, yeah sure.”
I laugh and shake my head. “It’s fine. You don’t have to play it cool; I’m pretty awesome. I get it.” I shoot him a playful wink, and he grins again.
“No way. I’m totally chill about the fact that my favorite author of all time just invited me to get something to eat and is low-key flirting with me.”
I sputter. “I am not flirting.”
“You totally are, just a little bit,” he insists, the lonely man from a few seconds ago vanishing behind a cocky grin. It’s not difficult to understand what Bishop sees in him. But this is also a bit of a murky area that I’ll need to talk to him about before anything more than flirting can happen.
“Maybe just a little,” I agree with a smirk, holding my thumb and forefinger an inch apart to show what a small amount of flirting I’m doing. “You want a drink while you wait for my shift to end?”
“A beer is fine. Whatever’s on tap.”
“Coming right up.” I rap my knuckles on the bar and turn to get his drink, trying not to let myself feel too smug when I turn around and catch him checking out my ass.
Hudson
After a long, boring day at work, and way too much time to think about how much I don’t want to lose Bishop, I decided to march down to Twisted Cherry and tell Riot that there are plenty of single guys in this city and that he can’t keep Bishop from me. I had a whole speech planned, and I don’t think it was half bad.
Then, I saw him again. Really saw him without the haze of booze or the distraction of Bishop being nearby, and I realized why he looked so familiar to me before. I’ve seen his face on the back of the book jacket every time I’ve picked up my favorite tattered book. My entire jealous speech vanished from my brain, and of course, I fanboyed all over him.
Fuck.
It would be so easy to hate the guy who’s stealing Bishop right out from under my nose, but god damn, he’s making it more difficult than I thought he would.
He sets a beer in front of me and then hurries away to help another customer who just sat down. I sip my drink slowly, watching him work for the next hour, constantly stopping to run his hands through his hair, offering a friendly smile to every customer, even if not all of them reach his eyes. He’s a big guy, tall and broad, but not necessarily muscular.
Dammit, I can totally see why Bishop is attracted to him. My gut clenches with guilt. I should not be checking out the guy Bishop is seeing, and I definitely shouldn’t be flirting with him. I need to reel it in.
The hour passes quickly, another bartender showing up to