lately?”
“No,” Ash said. “Tonight’s the first time I’ve seen him in a few weeks.”
“Good to know,” I said, nodding when Lacy finally caught my eye. She smiled and waved, easing the knot in my stomach as I introduced her brother to Ace and Wes.
“Ace,” Ash said, clenching his jaw, “I hear you’re dating Rachel. I hope you’re being good to her. She’s a real sweetheart.”
“Yeah, she is,” Ace said, obviously sizing up his competition. “You don’t have to worry about me. I’ll treat her right.”
Ashce looked as though he wanted to say more but returned his attention to me instead. “You guys can snag that table,” he said, pointing at one near the dance floor, with a gold reserved sign on it. “I keep it open in case some of my friends pass by.”
“Thanks, man.”
“Sure, no problem,” he said, glancing at Ace one last time. “I’ll send a waitress over to take your order.”
“What the hell was that about?” Wes asked Ace once we were seated. “I was just waiting for the pissing contest.”
“Lacy’s brother is Rachel’s ex,” I explained. “Lacy said it wasn’t serious, but I don’t think Ash likes the idea of Rachel hooking up with our boy here.” I grinned as I slapped Ace on the back.
“I don’t give a shit whether he likes it or not.” Ace glared at Ash’s back as he faced the bar, talking to his sister. “He’s going to have to get used to it.”
“You’re really into this chick, huh?” Wes asked, scrolling through the updates on his phone.
Ace chuckled. “You’ve seen her. Can you blame me?”
Rachel was hot, but Ash was right. She was a sweetheart too. I hoped my best friend realized that and wasn’t treating her like just another ring rat.
“Don’t make the same mistake Ash did,” I warned my friend. “Taking her for granted? A woman will only put up with that shit for so long.”
Before Ace could respond, Laura passed by to take our drink order, flirting with all of us in turn before she put a little swing in her hips as she walked away. Probably wasn’t sure who’d be covering the bill tonight and wanted to hedge her bets by coming on to all of us to ensure a good tip.
“She’s definitely the hottest girlfriend you’ve ever had,” Wes said, watching Lacy pass out drinks while laughing and chatting up her patrons. “I know you’ve dated models and actresses and shit like that, but this one’s the real deal. You can tell there’s nothing fake about her.”
“Except she’s not York’s girlfriend yet,” Ace said, grinning at me.
“You think that leaves the door open for me?” Wes asked Ace as though I wasn’t even there.
My brother was just messing with me, but I wasn’t in the mood. Especially since I had to watch the douche from the dealership trying to get her attention while she tried to do her job. “Unless you want to go to work with a black eye tomorrow, I’d keep my mouth shut, little brother.”
“Oh, okay, tough guy,” he said, rolling his eyes with a laugh as the waitress returned with our beers.
“I’m just gonna hit the washroom,” I said, standing. “Be right back.”
Ace grabbed my arm. “Don’t do anything stupid. You just got her talking to you again. Let’s keep it that way.”
“Don’t worry, I’ve got this.” Of course I had to make a pit stop at the bar just to let her friend know I had my eye on him. “Hey, beautiful,” I said, winking at her.
To my surprise, she leaned over the bar to kiss my cheek. “This is a nice surprise. You guys had nothing better to do tonight?”
“It occurred to me you hadn’t officially met my brother yet.” I hooked my thumb over my shoulder. “It’s not like you’re missing much, but still, pass by if you get a minute.”
“I definitely will,” she said, smiling. “Uh, Brent, you remember my friend York, don’t you?”
Friend. Ugh. There was that goddamn word again. But since she probably would have used more colorful language to
“No,” Ash said. “Tonight’s the first time I’ve seen him in a few weeks.”
“Good to know,” I said, nodding when Lacy finally caught my eye. She smiled and waved, easing the knot in my stomach as I introduced her brother to Ace and Wes.
“Ace,” Ash said, clenching his jaw, “I hear you’re dating Rachel. I hope you’re being good to her. She’s a real sweetheart.”
“Yeah, she is,” Ace said, obviously sizing up his competition. “You don’t have to worry about me. I’ll treat her right.”
Ashce looked as though he wanted to say more but returned his attention to me instead. “You guys can snag that table,” he said, pointing at one near the dance floor, with a gold reserved sign on it. “I keep it open in case some of my friends pass by.”
“Thanks, man.”
“Sure, no problem,” he said, glancing at Ace one last time. “I’ll send a waitress over to take your order.”
“What the hell was that about?” Wes asked Ace once we were seated. “I was just waiting for the pissing contest.”
“Lacy’s brother is Rachel’s ex,” I explained. “Lacy said it wasn’t serious, but I don’t think Ash likes the idea of Rachel hooking up with our boy here.” I grinned as I slapped Ace on the back.
“I don’t give a shit whether he likes it or not.” Ace glared at Ash’s back as he faced the bar, talking to his sister. “He’s going to have to get used to it.”
“You’re really into this chick, huh?” Wes asked, scrolling through the updates on his phone.
Ace chuckled. “You’ve seen her. Can you blame me?”
Rachel was hot, but Ash was right. She was a sweetheart too. I hoped my best friend realized that and wasn’t treating her like just another ring rat.
“Don’t make the same mistake Ash did,” I warned my friend. “Taking her for granted? A woman will only put up with that shit for so long.”
Before Ace could respond, Laura passed by to take our drink order, flirting with all of us in turn before she put a little swing in her hips as she walked away. Probably wasn’t sure who’d be covering the bill tonight and wanted to hedge her bets by coming on to all of us to ensure a good tip.
“She’s definitely the hottest girlfriend you’ve ever had,” Wes said, watching Lacy pass out drinks while laughing and chatting up her patrons. “I know you’ve dated models and actresses and shit like that, but this one’s the real deal. You can tell there’s nothing fake about her.”
“Except she’s not York’s girlfriend yet,” Ace said, grinning at me.
“You think that leaves the door open for me?” Wes asked Ace as though I wasn’t even there.
My brother was just messing with me, but I wasn’t in the mood. Especially since I had to watch the douche from the dealership trying to get her attention while she tried to do her job. “Unless you want to go to work with a black eye tomorrow, I’d keep my mouth shut, little brother.”
“Oh, okay, tough guy,” he said, rolling his eyes with a laugh as the waitress returned with our beers.
“I’m just gonna hit the washroom,” I said, standing. “Be right back.”
Ace grabbed my arm. “Don’t do anything stupid. You just got her talking to you again. Let’s keep it that way.”
“Don’t worry, I’ve got this.” Of course I had to make a pit stop at the bar just to let her friend know I had my eye on him. “Hey, beautiful,” I said, winking at her.
To my surprise, she leaned over the bar to kiss my cheek. “This is a nice surprise. You guys had nothing better to do tonight?”
“It occurred to me you hadn’t officially met my brother yet.” I hooked my thumb over my shoulder. “It’s not like you’re missing much, but still, pass by if you get a minute.”
“I definitely will,” she said, smiling. “Uh, Brent, you remember my friend York, don’t you?”
Friend. Ugh. There was that goddamn word again. But since she probably would have used more colorful language to
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