Phoenix Rising(44)

Anne nodded eagerly. Even Courtney and Georgia looked curious.

“There’s an adult store a couple of doors down. I made friends with the girl who works there and Morgan helped me put all this together.”

Courtney’s mouth fell open. “Seriously?”

Kitty chose that moment to approach, swinging her hips in an open invitation Jessa’s gut instinct told her was meant for Connor. Jessa chanced a glance at the door. Connor met her curious gaze but she couldn’t hold his black eyes. Too much fear and doubt swam inside her chest.

Now he’d seen what everybody else always did, plain old Jessa standing right next to gorgeous Courtney, Kitty, and Georgia. It was silly to hope there would be any more wild nights for her and Connor once this twilight zone evening had played out.

“There you are, Kitty.” Georgia looked relieved at the change in topic. “Where have you been?”

A knowing smile split Kitty’s pretty face. “Oh, you know, just exchanging a few comments with Connor.”

Courtney chanced another look at the door. “That is one sexy man. He makes the guys at the club look like little boys.”

Tension drew Jessa’s smile into a frown and she snapped her fingers at Alex. Without breaking his rhythm Alex slid her a bottle of cranberry juice followed by a fifth of top shelf Vodka.

Alex lifted an eyebrow. “Lime?”

“Please.”

Jessa caught several wedges of ripe lime as Alex lobbed them in her direction. Grabbing a huge glass, she upended both the juice and the vodka into it in equal measures with her recently reawakened bartending skills. Squeezing the limes into her newly discovered favorite concoction, Jessa took a long pull and tried not to hate both Connor and Kitty.

“Did he make an offer?” Georgia wanted to know.

“Oh, I’d say his intentions are obvious.”

“I want something like him to play with after hours, Kitty. You’re lucky!” Courtney purred. “Wonder if the bartender cutie has a girlfriend.”

“Jessa?” Kitty demanded. “Does he?”

Jessa smirked behind her cranberry stained lips and lifted the glass to her mouth for another long pull. Somehow, it seemed less painful to think about Kitty and her crew taking over at Phoenix Rising if she was protected by a drunken haze. “Alex likes lots of women, Courtney. I’m sure he’d accommodate you without too much trouble.”

Courtney slid her finger around the rim of her glass and shot Alex a loaded smile. “Jason’s gone this week on business. Maybe I’ll see if Alex would like a place to crash after hours.”

Jessa chuckled. “Oh I don’t think he makes house calls, Court. But if you’re feeling a little horny he’d probably be happy to bend you over a table and fuck you right here in front of everybody.”

The group went dead silent. As one, they turned to stare at Alex. He ignored their gaping stares. There were several more moments of shock before Kitty’s low laugh rippled across the room.

Jessa’s stomach clenched uneasily. She didn’t know why. But they were all laughing at her as if she’d just told them the funniest joke ever.

The truth was a double-edged blade. They didn’t believe her. And better that it stayed that way. She couldn’t be telling these tight assed bitches what went on in Phoenix Rising. A few bad eggs could ruin it for everyone.

So Jessa listened to them laugh and poured herself another drink. Alex brought her two more lime wedges, leaning over her shoulder as he did.

“Things are clearing out pretty fast. I think Connor’s going to close early. Your friends can stay if you want them to,” Alex murmured.

Jessa looked around in surprise. She’d been so preoccupied with her personal issues she’d failed to notice that there were only two guys left sitting at the bar. Wade and Tommy were more than regulars. They were a habit.

Wade caught Jessa staring. “Hey Jessa, why’re you making Alex serve us drinks. You know we’d rather see you do it.”

“Us girls have got to stick together, Wade. You know that. Besides, Alex is much better at tending bar than I am. Your seven and seven would be more like ten and four if I made it.”

Tommy and Wade erupted into uproarious laughter, pounding the bar as they swore and smacked each other on the back.

“You’ve got a way with people, Jessa. You know that?” Anne told her.

“So it seems.”

“Don’t let Kitty get to you.”

Jessa gazed at the three women knotted together sharing whispered comments while darting secretive glances about the bar. “Why do you hang out with them, Anne?”

“Because my Paul and Kitty’s Chase have been best friends since college.”