Straight Up Love (Boys of Jackson Harbor 2)

“Can you get us some drinks?” Teagan asks. “I think this conversation calls for tequila.”

Wrinkling my nose, I shake my head. “Just beer for me. Do we have any of the vanilla imperial stout left?”

“Sure thing.” He turns to Teagan. “And for you?”

“Well, if you weren’t serious about the orgasms, I guess I’ll have the imperial stout too.”

“Sweet. Coming right up.” He meets my eyes and the humor falls from his face. “Just think it through before you jump into his bed,” he says softly.

“What?” I squeak. Was I stupid for thinking he wouldn’t know who we were talking about?

He shrugs. “Drinks will be out in a minute.”

“Yikes,” Teagan says as Levi walks away. “I’m sorry. I thought I was being cautious.”

I shake my head. “Don’t worry about it. It’s not a secret.” And if we do this, it won’t be.

My phone buzzes in my purse, and I pull i

t out to see a text.

Jake: Have fun with the girls tonight. I’ll come by your place Friday. I’d like to review the benefits of turkey-baster alternatives if you’re up for it.

Teagan tips my phone down so she can read the screen, and I don’t stop her.

“What should I reply?” I ask.

She smirks. “How do you spell bow-chicka-wow-wow?”

Jake

Since I offered to give Ava a baby, I’ve been keeping my distance. I need her to make this decision on her own and to have a chance to think it through. I hung out with Carter at his place until I was sure Ava would be gone, but the moment I walk into my bar, I know she’s there. I feel it.

I immediately scan the room for her. Before I can spot her, I hear her laugh. I’d know that laugh anywhere—it’s clear and unapologetic. The laugh of a confident woman who knows who she is and what matters to her.

The sound does something to me—warms me up and grounds me all at once.

She usually cuts girls’ night short on school nights, so I’m surprised she’s still here, camped out in the back booth with her friends. It looks like everyone made it tonight, and Ava is surrounded by all her favorites—Teagan, Nic, Veronica, Ellie, and even Shay. They’re all laughing over something, but when Ava spots me, the laughter falls from her face. She watches me as I cross from the front door to behind the bar.

“How’s it going, boss?” Cindy asks when I step behind the bar. She pulls a steaming rack of pint glasses from the machine under the counter.

“Great,” I answer. But I don’t feel great. I feel like a guy who just put his friendship on the line and is waiting for the other shoe to drop. “How’s it been tonight?”

“Busy night. Went real fast. Levi was a big help, but I sent him home about thirty minutes ago.”

“Great,” I say, my eyes on Ava, who’s still watching me. I wink at her and go about my business, as if having her attention isn’t screwing with my brain, as if I don’t want to pull her into the storage room, push her against the wall, and convince her with my mouth that this can work. That there’s nothing she needs to say but yes.

I pull the receipts from the register and grab the deposit bag for tomorrow morning’s bank run. Just another day.

I threw her world off balance with my proposal, but part of me wonders why it came as such a complete surprise. I told her how I felt before she married Harrison. Does she think those feelings went away over the last five years? Then again, we both pretend that conversation never happened, so maybe that’s exactly what she thinks.

Ava whispers something to Teagan, and then Teagan turns her attention to me. Judging by her grin, she knows what I offered Ava. For my sake, I fucking pray Teagan’s got my back on this.

Teagan climbs out of the booth so Ava can slide out. Fuck me dead. She’s in red heels, jeans that hug her hips, and a sleeveless black tank that slides over her hips as she walks. I should get some sort of Oscar for keeping my poker face when she comes toward me dressed like that.

I watch her carefully, almost expecting her to stumble or at least sway in those killer red heels. Her stride is even and steady, and when she props her elbows on the bar and looks at me, her eyes are clear.

“Can we talk tonight instead of Friday?” she asks.