"She's on her way over for a drink, and no, she won't be working here," I said, glaring at him. He shrugged innocently. Darcy was giggling behind her hand. I shot her a look too. Her face dropped and she snuggled closer into Benj. I felt a sense of satisfaction. At least someone respected my authority.
"Okay. So tomorrow, I'll need all of you here at six. We open at eight. I have Fluid Movement playing eight until ten, and then just a deejay after that. You girls will be carrying around trays of finger food, and I'll be helping at the bar. I've got the casual staff coming in too, because I'm not exactly sure how many people to expect."
"What is the capacity of this place?" Rose asked.
Her voice hit me like a freight train. The thumping in my heart returned, leaving me feeling like a schoolboy, crushing on the pretty girl in class.
I cleared my throat. "Four hundred. Don't worry," I chuckled as her eyes widened. "Tomorrow is invitation only. We're expecting around two-fifty, I think?" She nodded, looking relieved, the color slowly returning to her pale cheeks.
I handed the bar roster to Ash. He nodded as he read over it.
"All looks fine," he murmured.
"How many hours were you wanting to work?" I asked Rose, hunched over my notepad.
She shrugged. "I'm happy to work as much as you want me to. You can have me every day if you need me."
Ash sniggered. Both Rose and I turned to glare at him.
"What are you, five?" asked Rose, raising an eyebrow. Ash blushed and mumbled an apology. God, a girl who could reduce Ash to a blubbering mess. When would this madness end?
The door clicked, and I turned to see Harmony marching toward us. She didn't look happy as her eyes latched on to Rose. I groaned inwardly. In what universe was inviting her here—to meet the girl I'd effectively hired as her replacement—a good idea? Fucking idiot, Jack!
"Who are you?" she practically sneered at Rose, ignoring the rest of us.
Chapter Five
Rose
One time when I was twelve, a boy I was in love with asked me to meet him behind the assembly hall at school. When I got there, he was making out with some other girl. I was shattered and embarrassed that I thought this boy had liked me. My life had gone from fairy tale dreamy to worthless in the space of ten seconds.
That’s kind of how I felt right now.
Not that Jack had given me any reason to believe he liked me, but after our conversation in the hospital . . . and the way he looked at me . . . I had built up our connection in my mind so much that seeing this girl hanging off him like a freaking monkey snapped something in my heart. I forced myself to smile at her when all I really wanted to do was take those little fake nails of hers and gouge her eyes out.
Extreme? Maybe, but at least I’m honest. To myself, anyway.
“I’m Rose. Jack just hired me to work here.” I stuck out my hand. She looked at it like I was contagious or something, and for the briefest moment I wondered if she knew about me, and where I’d been. I shook the thought from my head.
No. Neither Alex nor Jack would betray my trust like that.
This girl was just a bitch, and the fact that she saw me as such a threat to her “man” left me with some hope. Maybe, just maybe, our moment hadn’t been just in my head.
Realizing that she wasn’t going to shake my hand, I pulled it back. Jack looked at me apologetically.
My god, that face. Those amazing dark eyes that just drew me into him. Even with bitch-face right there, I fought the urge to curl my fingers around the nape of his neck and kiss that mouth. He looked like the type of guy who knew how to kiss a woman.
“Oh, he did?” she snarled, turning her glare to Jack.
He shrugged. “Alex found her,” he muttered, not meeting her eyes.
“And let me guess, you hired her because she’s such a hard worker?” she sneered. She turned back to me. “Keep your little hands off my fucking boyfriend, okay? Don’t look at him, don’t touch him, don’t even think about him when you’re lying alone at night in your bed, touching yourself. Okay?”
My mouth dropped open in shock. She could not be serious. Who says that?
“Who the hell do you think you are? You don’t know me, so don’t pretend you know what I’m thinking,” I spat out. She glared at Jack, as if waiting for him to defend her. He looked as shocked as everyone else in the room. My heart raced as the silence became even quieter, until Harmony stamped her foot like a two-year-old not getting her way.
“Well, don’t let me interrupt your little meeting. Baby?” she said sweetly to Jack. “I’ll be in your bed.” She walked over to the staircase. When she reached the first step, she turned back to me, her eyes narrowing. “Keep out of my way. And trust me honey, you don't want to mess with me.” She started up the stars. Before I knew it, I was responding.