Logan’s laughter only confirms it.
“Good-bye, Logan.”
“Bye, Kelsey, see you at work tonight.”
Poor Logan. He has it bad for Sara and is so worked up over her absence. I turn for the stairs and pause mid-step when I hear a loud banging noise from outside. I open the front door and poke my head out. Ethan is inside his garage, standing over a motorcycle, shaking his head. His hands are on his hips and he spins to kick the tire and then yells at the bike. He must sense someone is watching him because he snaps his head right in my direction. I close the door quickly, but there’s no doubt he saw me.
As much as I don’t want to do anything nice for him, an idea comes to mind. Maybe if I can find someone to fix his bike, he’ll be in a good mood for my shift tonight. I send a quick text to Logan, telling him what I saw, and then run up the stairs to work on my paper for that column contest before I have to get ready for work.
Someone’s going to knock some sense into Ethan. If it’s not Logan, it’s going to be me. And there is no time like tonight to start.
Ethan
This stupid piece of shit bike still won’t start. I’ve been working on it for hours, trying to let off some steam. My dad is being a dick. You’re not trying hard enough, Ethan. Do better, Ethan. Don’t make me replace you with your brother, Ethan. Just hearing my father say my name makes me want to hit someone or something. I am so sick and tired of not being good enough in his eyes.
Sara hasn’t been gone that long. What does he expect me to find? It’s not like I could be snooping around while Sara was still in town. It was bad enough when Kelsey opened her mouth about my living arrangements. I know Sara thinks I’m buying the house. My cousin drilled me with questions until I gave in and told her I am thinking about staying here permanently.
I don’t even care about hurting anyone’s feelings anymore. I just want Max Connelly to tell me I did something right or maybe even that he’s proud of me. Or I could just tell him to fuck off and be done with it. I’m starting to like that idea more and more.
I was really hoping to get this bike to start so I can go for a long ride where no one can bother me. Take some time for myself. But that’s not going to happen. This piece of junk refuses to start.
A reflection off the front of the bike catches my eye and I follow it. Kelsey is standing in her doorway, watching me. She jumps back and closes the door, but my eyes remain glued to that spot for a while. She doesn’t appear again.
I rub my fingers over my eyes. My neighbor is another problem for me. Things would be so much easier if I drop everything my dad wants and do what I want, which is to get to know her better. But I can’t, not without hurting her. Maybe I don’t know what I want and that’s why I haven’t done anything. No, that’s a lie. I know exactly what I want. I just don’t know how to get it without letting someone down.
I step out of the garage toward Kelsey’s house, but a black Ford on lifts pulls up in front of my driveway. Logan waves at me through the window and jumps out.
“Hey, man,” he says, walking over to me with his hands in front pockets and taking a look around. “I heard you were having a little bike trouble. Mind if I take a look?”
“Kelsey called you, didn’t she?”
He nods. “Yeah.”
I step back toward my bike. “It won’t start. I’ve been out here most of the day and I can’t figure out why.” I tell him.
Logan walks around the bike slowly and stops in front of the toolbox. “Is this cool?” he asks, pointing at it.
“Be my guest. I’ll go grab us some waters,” I say before heading inside. I’ll have to remember to thank Kelsey. She didn’t have to send anyone to help me, but I’m glad she did. I open the fridge and pull out a couple bottles. The sound of a motorcycle roaring to life comes from the garage.
“No way,” I say, stepping outside and handing Logan a bottle.
“It was an easy fix,” he says as I grab my helmet, ready to take it for a spin. “So what’s the deal with you and Kels? I’m going to be honest. You’ve been a dick to everyone since the day Sara left, and somehow Kelsey feels enough kindness to help you out.”
I shrug and look away from him. “I can’t tell you. But I’ll be sure to thank her later, and thanks for fixing my bike.”
Chapter Fifteen
Ethan
I hate the way everyone is walking around the bar, pretending like I have a disease. They’re all going out of their way to stay away from me. At first I thought it was weird that I hadn’t spoken to anyone since I got here, but it isn’t until I come out of the office and watch Beth and Abby scatter like the building is on fire that I figure it out. All in different directions, too, and any direction that doesn’t include toward me.
I head straight for the end of the bar where Abby is working. The moment I get to the end, she turns around and walks to the other, all without even a glance in my direction. I study each girl and can’t find a single clue to what’s going on.
“Hey, Ethan, is something wrong?” Logan gestures toward Beth with a bar glass. “Or did she do something wrong?”
“No, I just can’t figure out why my employees are avoiding me. I haven’t done anything new lately that would piss them off.” I pull up a seat in front of him.
“Yeah, women are like that. I’ll probably go half my life not knowing why Sara or Kelsey is mad 70 percent of the time they are around me. It’s just how they work—one minute they’re calm and couldn’t care less. The next minute… ”
He clears his throat.
“The next minute, you never know what they’re going to do.” He chuckles then walks away.
I spin on the seat to see what caught his attention. My eyes about pop out of their sockets when I find Kelsey standing in the doorway, a beaming, white smile on her face. Her hair is pinned up into a messy bun. The Black Alcove t-shirt she’s wearing is tighter than normal, showing off her every curve and she is wearing a….mother fucker, she is wearing a skirt. One that is way too short for the public eye. If it’s getting to me this fast, it’s getting to every other man in this bar too. I take a breath and attempt to control the groan in my throat. This woman knows how to test my patience.
In two quick strides I’m at her side. “What are you wearing?” I ask in the calmest tone I can handle. My hands are clenching at my sides, and when I hear a whistle, I know it’s directed toward her. My breathing picks up as I wait for her reply and control my urge to punch the mystery fucker in the face.
Kelsey shrugs and glances down at her chest.
“Um, it’s our required uniform, Ethan.”
“That is not required.” I point to her outfit. “You should be wearing black pants and, let me guess, you shrank your shirt in the dryer?”
“No, I bought a size smaller and I didn’t feel like wearing pants today.”
“You didn’t feel like wearing pants?”
“That’s what I said.” She smiles again.
“Well,” I growl at her and point to her skirt, “that sure as fuck isn’t going to work for me.”
“Well…” She rolls her eyes and looks away. “You’re going to have to make it work. I’m not changing.”
I stand there completely dumbfounded as she walks away. Heads turn as she greets a few people on her way to the jukebox. I watch her hips sway back and forth to the music. That skirt is way too short. It reveals her delicious long legs, and when she leans over the jukebox to press a few buttons, my mind starts to wander to places it really shouldn’t go right now. I can do this. I can let a couple of rules slide for one night.
She turns back around and gives me a wicked, happy smile. Somehow she managed to learn that when it comes to me, she can get away with anything. I’m just happy she followed one rule and kept her hair pulled back. At least she listened to something I said.