“Wise words.”
She reached out and swept a lock of hair away from my face. “How’s your head? Did you shift?”
“I’ve been told I’m hardheaded.”
I licked my finger and watched one of the servers bend over for a napkin. Some girls were inexperienced servers, while others were masterful at earning tips outside the club with unmated males. They would target the wealthy alphas because they had a healthy sexual appetite and didn’t mind the attention lavished on them. As long as it didn’t drive the customer away, most managers turned a blind eye.
“I don’t want to get off on the wrong foot, Rosie. I have a past with Jericho, and I don’t want to talk about it.” I took a sip of my lemon-water, the condensation from the glass dripping onto the table. “Denver. I should have known they were related.”
“Brothers,” she said, turning a ruby stone on her finger. “That’s the only reason the band is giving Jake a chance. A dive like this compared to what they could be earning in the upscale bars and other events?”
I had to laugh. Jericho wasn’t about fancy bars. He used to love outdoor events and small clubs, but I kept that to myself.
“I’d forgotten his brothers were all named after different cities. I don’t want there to be any weirdness with Denver. He seems to like you, so do you mind helping me get on his good side? I don’t need to be best friends with him, but it’s going to be tough if he’s slinging low blows and riling me up while I’m working.”
“I’ll talk to him, but I can’t promise anything.” Rosie shined up her lips with gloss. She often wore a lighter shade of lipstick or tinted gloss than her lip liner.
I parted my wavy hair to the right side and brushed my fingers through it, thinking quietly. Of all the places to settle down, why did it have to be the city Jericho lived in? And on top of that, the same bar!
“You look like a girl who just lost her man.”
When my eyes flashed up, she smiled knowingly.
“I’ve seen that look before,” she said with a shrug. “A girl like you will find another Shifter in no time. A girl like me? Not so much.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. You’re a knockout.”
“I’m also mated.”
A laugh burst out, and she giggled along with me. “Very funny, Rosie.”
“Well, when you’ve found the one, there’s no need for another man to come along.”
“He’s that good, huh?”
She nodded before answering. “The best. He treats me like a queen, stays out of my business, knows how to be a man and not let me run over him, and he sure knows how to smooth out all the rough edges,” she said with a purr. “He has a bubble bath and a glass of red wine waiting for me every morning when I get home.”
“Sounds like heaven.”
It was getting busier, so I quickly finished my sandwich and stood up. “I need to get back on the floor.”
I did a little hip shake on the way to the bar when I saw a new group of men walk through the main door. Regulars chose their section based on their favorite server. I didn’t care if they had a regular waitress; my plan was to lure them over to the Izzy side. The girls who took it personally were usually the catty ones I stayed away from anyway. Unseated men were fair game, and all the girls knew it. Once they sat down, the rules changed and everyone respected each other’s stations.
Denver’s shift hadn’t started yet, so I chatted with the bartender about house specials until he got busy with customers. A burst of noise came from the front of the bar, and I smiled at a familiar face.
“Hey, April!”
She had on a cute pair of black Capri pants and a blue top that slid off one shoulder. Her nail polish matched her blouse perfectly. I couldn’t help but admire how stylish she was in an offbeat way.
“Hi,” she said shyly. “You recognized me.”
“And you recognized me.”
She hopped onto the barstool and faced the open room. “How can anyone not recognize hair like yours?”
“What are you doing here? This doesn’t seem like your scene.”
“It’s not,” she admitted, looking at me over her left shoulder. “But I try to get out once in a while and put on my social-butterfly wings. My guy likes having a few beers and showing me off. He’s always bragging to people about how I’m a store manager. Plus my best friend, Trevor, is always dragging me up here. I think he gets discounts on the drinks, but don’t tell Jake.”
I smiled and leaned in. “How does he get discounts?”
“Denver is in our pack and doesn’t charge him full price.”