Silas claps me on my back while passing me behind the bar. “Don’t make any plans tomorrow night.”
“Why?” I ask.
“We have a double date.”
“No, we don’t.”
“Yes, we do.” He throws his head back and groans. “Helena’s cousin is in town.”
“That’s a big hell no.”
“Why?”
“Helena’s cousin is annoying as fuck, and Helena is crazy as fuck. Not people I want to spend my night with. No offense to you, man.”
“Oh, come on. She liked you last time she was here.”
“Hook her up with Archer.”
He scoffs. “Archer doesn’t have the patience for her. He said, ‘Fuck no,’ before I even finished my sentence.”
“Neither do I, so fuck no. Ask Finn.”
“He’s working.”
“I’m sure you have another friend.”
“Come on,” he pleads. “One night. All you have to do is sit at the table with us, drink, laugh a few times, maybe let her kiss your dick.”
I shake my head, shuddering. “Nope.”
“What about kiss your cheek?”
“Also a no.”
“You didn’t have a problem with her before.”
“Oh, you mean, the first time I met her when she drunkenly tried to drop to her knees underneath the table here and blow me?”
He points at me with his lollipop. “See, she liked you!” He presses his hands together in a begging motion. “A few hours. That’s all I’m asking. Hell, you don’t even have to listen to her. Just nod and agree with whatever she says.”
“I don’t have a babysitter.” That’s always my get-out-of-jail card.
“Georgia and Lola already agreed to babysit.” A shit-eating smirk covers his face. “I bought them tickets to one of those ice-skating shows.”
“You already found a babysitter for me, you jackass?”
He releases a booming laugh. “I knew you’d use that excuse.”
I narrow my eyes at him.
“Do it for me, man.”
“Fine,” I grumble. “But you’re taking one of my shifts this weekend.”
He snaps his fingers and points at me. “You’re the best.”
“I know; I know.”
He turns to look at me and walks backward. “Who knows? Maybe you two will hit it off this time.”
“The odds of my dick falling off are higher.” I blow out a noisy breath. “I’m not staying out late, either.”
“Okay, old man.”
“You sure are dressed like shit for a date,” Georgia comments, falling onto the couch when she walks into the living room.
“You can’t see how excited I am?” I give her a cold stare. “Thanks for throwing me under the bus.”
“Pardon you. He asked Lola, and I’m only along for the ride.” She grins. “Who’s the lucky woman you’re dressing homeless for?”
I look at the floor as I mutter the answer, “Helena’s cousin.”
“Silas’s Helena?”
I nod.
“Ew, sorry.” She perks up when I glance back at her. “Maybe you’ll get laid.”
I dramatically fake dry-heaving. “Don’t ever talk about me getting laid again.”
“Oh, come on.” She props her feet on the coffee table. “We’re adults here. You don’t think I know how Noah was made?”
Noah comes rushing out of his bedroom, saving me from this dreaded conversation, wearing one of my hats, a T-shirt, and dinosaur socks over his jeans that hit the knees. “I’m ready!”
At least Silas was smart enough to have us “double date” at the bar.
I slipped Archer twenty bucks to come over and say he needed me to do something in the office.
That was twenty minutes ago, and his ass still hasn’t made his way over here.
The smart-ass grins he’s shooting my way confirms he’s fucking with me.
I’m giving him ten more minutes before I tell Becca to kiss his dick.
It’s not that Becca isn’t attractive.
She’s gorgeous.
Thick blond hair, nice fake breasts, and a body fit for men’s magazines.
She’s smart.
The problem is, we don’t click.
There’s no spark.
Our lives are too different.
She’s twenty-one and in the stage of her life wrapped around partying and having a good time. There’s nothing wrong with that. That was my scene before I had Noah. My priorities have changed, and even though she insists she loves kids, dating a man with a child is harder than she thinks.
The woman is always second in line.
“And that’s why I stopped drinking raspberry vodka,” Becca says, cutting me away from my thoughts and stopping my glare pinned at Archer.
I tilt my head and phony smile. “I’m not a fan, either.”
She laughs before releasing a sigh. “You weren’t listening to a word I said.”
“Sorry.” I scrub a hand over my face. “My brain is scrambled right now. I’ve had a long day.”
She takes a drink, her red lips wrapping around the straw. “I get it. This is your workplace. We should’ve gone somewhere else. Helena yelled at Silas when he came here, but I told her it was cool.” She shrugs. “It’s a fun place.” She taps my shoulder. “But get out of work mode and into fun mode.”
“I’m working on it.” I grind my teeth while Archer acts like he hasn’t noticed my signals to save me.
“Maybe tomorrow we can go to dinner?” Becca asks.
I frown. “I don’t have a babysitter tomorrow.”
She caresses my arm. “You can bring Noah. I’d love to meet him.”
“I’d love to meet him.”
I hate when chicks say that.
Noah isn’t meeting anyone until we’ve had at least five dates. I refuse to bring new women in and out of his life.
Maggie, one of our waitresses, stops at the table. “Cohen, Archer said he needs you.”
About damn time.
I slide off my stool and shoot Becca an apologetic glance. “I’ll be back.”
“Mmkay.” She grabs her drink and takes a long draw, shimmying her shoulders from side to side.
I shove Archer when I make it behind the bar. “Took you long enough, asshole.”
“What?” He smirks. “You looked like you were having a blast.”
I narrow my eyes at him.
“Not to mention, Silas outbid you. He paid me fifty to wait longer to bail you out.”
“You sneaky bastards.”
He laughs. “I would’ve done it for thirty. Now, since I bailed you out, why don’t you bring another keg up here, will ya? Might as well make yourself useful.”