Five Weeks (Seven Series #3)(20)

Crap. My small world was getting infinitely smaller.
“Has Denver mentioned me?”
April tilted her head and tucked a strand of her straight blond hair behind her ear, showing off the graceful curve of her neck. “Why would he? Are you two seeing each other?”
I touched her shoulder. “No, you don’t have to worry about that.” I slid off the stool and sighed. “I need to take some orders. Those guys look thirsty,” I said, pointing to a table nearby. “Your boyfriend is the one with the bike, right?”
“Yes. What was all that about the other day at Walgreens? Holy smokes! I saw your car speed off and Reno had shot the guy, but he didn’t tell me what happened.”
I sighed and straightened out my shirt. “Just some idiot messing with me. I’d like to talk to Reno and thank him if you don’t mind. Please don’t leave without letting me do that. If it gets busy in here, just grab me off the floor before you head out. It gets crazy in here this time of night, and I might lose track of you.”
“Will do.”
“And April?”
“Yes?”
“I want you guys to pick out whatever you want on the menu. I’m buying. It’s the least I can do to show Reno my gratitude for helping me out the other day. You’re a lucky woman.”
Her smile gradually spread, and it became apparent she didn’t need to be told by someone else how lucky she was. I’d seen that look on a woman in love.
Sigh. I had no idea how it felt, but I sure loved admiring it. I don’t know what had compelled me to show my face in Jake’s bar after what happened with Handlebars, but I realized it wasn’t just about the paycheck. I refused to let Jericho run me off again. I was tired of running.
Except in that very moment, I wanted to run.
Jericho swaggered through the door as a song by Audioslave cranked on the speakers. My heart galloped against my chest and I swallowed thickly, deciding I had no choice but to avoid him if I wanted to keep my job. I approached my table with a gracious smile. My shaky hand pressed the tip of my ink pen against the notepad.
“What can I get for you men?”
I hated calling the opposite sex “boys.” Shifters didn’t care much for that kind of talk, and yet I’d heard it too often in human bars.
The older one with the scruffy beard and black bandana wrapped over his head leaned forward and licked his lower lip. “How much for a shake?” he said with a dark chuckle.
“That comes free when I go to the bar and collect your drinks. So what’ll it be?”
A man with hairy arms chortled. “She’s a firecracker.”
The guy with the bandana leaned back in his chair, hooking one arm over the back. “It’s them green eyes. Those green-eyed girls are dragons.”
I smiled and cocked my hip. “I only breathe fire when I serve men who don’t know how to tip a lady. But I’m sure that won’t be a problem with any of you.”
Effortlessly, I laid down the challenge. The other three men looked amongst one another, as if silently agreeing they had no plan to look like cheapskates.
“How about I start you off with a round of beers? Then you can decide what you’re up for. I’m also going to bring out a plate of hot onion rings, because if you don’t get them now while they’re fresh and delicious, you’ll regret it later. Be right back,” I said with a coy smile, batting my eyelashes.#p#分页标题#e#
As I turned away, I rolled my eyes. I had a feeling they were going to be my difficult table for the evening.
My shoulders were killing me, and I knew it was because of nerves. I had a bad habit of hunching them when feeling tense. I sent the order for onion rings to the back.
“A round of beers,” I shouted at Denver.
He ignored me while salting the rim of a large glass. I rubbed my bare shoulder and worked my arm around in a circle. The sleeveless shirts were actually nice. At the last place I’d worked, the owner made us wear cutoff shirts that revealed our midriffs. I felt a little classier in my new work attire, albeit the shorts were a little snug, but it made a difference not to have my breasts hanging out of a low-cut blouse. Especially since mine weren’t as voluptuous as some. I had a soft, feminine curve that suited my slim physique.
“Denver, table twelve needs a round. Four beers, please.”
A pretty brunette was occupying his time, but she seemed disinterested in his advances. Denver was a handsome man who could easily be a male model. But some women preferred the rough-looking Shifters who gave off an air of authority. They equated that with men who had protective animals.
I tipped an empty glass over and spilled backwash onto the bar. It caught his attention and he cannibalized me with a hostile glare. He held up a finger at the brunette and breezed over with a clean rag.