An Endless Summer(61)

I walked up to stand beside him.

“Play Kenny Rogers?” I asked innocently.

He broke into a brilliant smile, not once taking his gaze from the folders that flipped before his eyes. “Not a chance.”

“Don’t be like that – ‘Ruby’ is a classic.” I reached for the glasses on top of the jukebox and accidentally brushed against him.

“Off to the Point then?” I asked.

“Well, there isn’t anything else going on.” He pushed his song selection in before looking down at me.

Curving my brow, I teased, “What, no damsels in a short dress to escort home tonight?”

I was beginning to loosen up and feel like my normal self for what felt like the first time tonight.

Bob Seger’s ‘Night Moves’ flooded the speakers as Sean cocked his hip against the machine and folded his arms. He looked at me for a long moment. “That’s the unfortunate thing.”

“What’s that?” I asked with a frown.

“I can’t exactly walk the publican’s daughter home,” he said with a glint of amusement in his eye.

Maybe it was the knowing look, or the fact that last drinks had been called and the night was over, or maybe it was the term ‘publican’s daughter’ that had me thinking about what Ellie and Adam had implied. That I was just the same little Amy as when I was fourteen.

A surge of defiance surfaced in me and, as Sean’s last words hung in the air between us, I took the chance, the one moment I might never have the courage to act on ever again. I did my best seductive look – I bit my lip and slowly moved forward. I reached for the empty pot glass Sean held, deliberately sliding my fingers over his, slowly, softly, as I pulled the glass from his hand. I quirked my mouth and looked into his eyes. I leaned closer still, speaking so no one else could overhear, and shrugged one shoulder.

“You can always walk me to my bedroom.”





Chapter Twenty-Nine



I had aimed for a moment of blissful silence, so when his response was that of catatonic shock I began to worry.

All amusement fell from Sean’s face as his eyes flicked rapidly over mine, as if he was looking at a stranger.

Yes! Victory! I had rendered him speechless.

When he swallowed deeply and seemed incapable of responding, I smiled my best sultry vixen smirk and walked away, with my head held high. Okay, I might have put a little bit more thought into swaying my hips than usual.

As I rounded the corner out of sight, I broke into a winning grin. I wanted to fist pump the sky and do a little dance at the satisfaction of wiping that smug look from Sean’s face.

Chris jumped the bar. “So you sure you’re right to lock up?”

“Yep!” I saluted, still running high as I kept picturing the priceless look on Sean’s face.

Chris cast me a doubtful look. “You all right?”

“Yeah, why wouldn’t I be?” I scoffed at him.

“Because you look different. I don’t know, you look … happy?” Chris had said every word as if he was deeply troubled by the possibility of me being in a good mood. I didn’t know how I felt about that – surely I wasn’t such a grouch, was I?

Toby walked into the front bar, guiding Tess by the hand. He looked at Chris. “Ready?”

“Yep! What are the others doing?” Chris asked.

“They said they’ll follow us up there.”

Chris nodded and turned back to me. “I’ll move them out. You lock up behind?”

“What, you’re not coming, Amy?” asked Tess.

I smiled. “Not tonight, I’m pretty beat.” I followed them to the door as Chris worked on rounding up the poolroom patrons, making sure all the pool cues, billiard balls, and glasses were accounted for before everyone left. Drunks had a habit of pinching anything that wasn’t nailed down.

Ellie shouldered her bag and made for the door. I wanted to catch her eye on her way out to give her a cheeky thumbs up, knowing she would know exactly what it meant. I didn’t need to as she made a beeline for me, grabbing my arm, and pulling me aside, her serious eyes zeroing in on me.

My smile vanished. “Ellie, what’s wrong?”

Ellie seemed really highly strung. “Whatever you do, don’t go flirting with Sean, all right?”

My stomach plummeted and my mouth ran dry. “W-why?”

“Adam must have overheard us talking about him.”

I relaxed a little. “Yeah, bloody big ears. It’s all right, I already know.”

However, Ellie didn’t look any less worried as she shook her head.

“He let it slip, Amy.”

“What?”

“After you left Sean at the jukebox, Adam, who I might add has had waaaay too much to drink …”