Sporting (Unleashed Romance #3) - Kylie Gilmore Page 0,35

the hell you put me and Evie through?

Mom glances at Eli before turning back to me. “We should talk. I’ll call you.”

I hold up a palm. “I have to go.” I tug Eli’s hand, turning us back the way we came, and walk away at a brisk pace. “Forget dancing,” I tell him. “I’m heading for the bar.”

“That was weird,” he says.

“Ya think? My parents are dating. Not what you want to see after a hellish divorce.”

As soon as we get inside Happy Endings, I make a beeline for the bar. The bartender, a laidback-looking guy in his thirties with tousled brown hair and a scruffy jaw, wearing a flannel shirt with jeans, gives me a smile. “What can I get you?”

I plop down on a barstool. “Two tequilas and keep ’em coming.”

Eli joins me. “Are you okay?”

“I can’t believe this. After they destroyed my childhood, tore apart my family, gave away my dog…” My voice chokes. No wonder I’m so screwed up when it comes to relationships.

Eli tucks an arm around my shoulders and pulls me close. I’m too mad to cry, but I let him hold me for a moment before pulling away.

My drinks arrive, and I down the first shot and reach for the second. Eli grabs it out of my hand.

“This one has my name on it,” he says, tossing it back.

“Hey, Josh, can we get two more beers?” a handsome dark-haired guy with olive skin and a charming smile asks from the other end of the bar. He’s sitting with a guy with sandy brown hair and a T-shirt that says Elegant Land Designs.

“Coming up, Rico.” Josh gets to work on their beers, but I really think my tequila takes precedence.

“When you’re done with their order, can we get a couple more shots, please?” I ask Josh.

“Just water for me,” Eli tells him. He turns to me. “I’m driving.”

Josh inclines his head. “Sure thing.”

He hands over their beer and returns to us, taking our empty shot glasses and tucking them under the bar.

“Daddy!” a little girl squeals, running toward the bar. She looks about five with honey brown hair that falls over her shoulders, wearing pink and white polka-dotted pajamas with sneakers.

Josh’s face lights up. “Mackenzie, my girl.” He comes around the bar to lift her in the air, saying over her shoulder, “Cooper the Super! Hailey, my warrior princess. What’re you all doing here at bedtime?”

“They wanted Daddy before story time,” the warrior princess mom says. She’s a stunning blonde woman, holding a boy on her hip with the same honey brown hair as his sister. He’s in Superman pajamas complete with a cape. Probably around three years old. The mom doesn’t dress like a typical suburban mom. She looks like she just stepped off the runway in a fitted navy sheath dress with knee-high black leather boots.

“Me, me,” Cooper says.

Josh puts Mackenzie down and scoops up Cooper, flying him under one arm in a fast circle. The boy beams as he flies around. Josh sets him down and smiles at his wife, murmuring something in a low tone.

Hailey smiles, stepping close to speak to him softly.

My throat tightens watching this happy family. Now Josh has a kid hanging off each arm as he listens to his wife. Was my family ever that happy?

More people approach the bar.

Josh glances back toward the bar. “Hailey, I got to…”

Hailey nods once. “I’ll let you go back to work. Tell Daddy goodnight.”

“Goodnight, Daddy!” Cooper shouts.

“Inside voice, Coop,” Hailey says.

“Goodnight, Daddy,” Cooper whispers and then shouts, “Bye!” He tears through the back of the restaurant, heading through the double doors that lead to the kitchen. His mom runs after him.

Eli whispers in my ear, “That boy reminds me of me.”

I grin. “I was thinking the same thing.”

Mackenzie rolls her eyes, parking a hand on her hip. “He always runs off, Daddy. We need to put a leash on him like Rose and Max.”

“Your brother is not a dog,” Josh says with a chuckle, ruffling her hair. “Wait for Mommy to come back with him.”

A moment later, Hailey walks in, hair disheveled, her dress slightly askew, Cooper securely gripped on her hip. “He was climbing the kitchen counter because he wanted to help make salad.”

“Mommy likes salad,” Cooper says as though it’s obvious why he had to climb the counter.

Josh shakes his head. “Coop, you stay out of the restaurant kitchen unless Mommy or Daddy is with you.”

Cooper looks solemn. “Okay.”

“Bye, Daddy,” Mackenzie says.

“Bye, munchkin,” Josh says.

Mackenzie skips over