Bad Boys Do (Donovan Brothers Brewery 2)

“I can handle it,” he interrupted. “I’m not a complete imbecile.”

“Why are you so grumpy?”

“Because I’m supposed to be off until four!”

“So, what’s so important?” she asked, now as irritated as he was.

“I—” Crap. Jamie shook his head and bit back the words he’d been about to say. “Nothing. I’m just tired.”

“I don’t know. I think you’re up to something.”

Jamie snarled. “Whatever it is, it can’t be anything important, right?”

“You’ve got a chip on your shoulder. I’ll be in my office if you cheer up, all right?”

Ignoring her, he started wiping down the taps. By the time the whole bar was shined to a polish, Jamie felt slightly calmer and almost sorry he’d snapped at his sister. But really, her little Twitter jokes were getting to be too much. He had a right to be pissed.

But when Henry brought in a crate of still-steaming glasses, Jamie forced himself to give a small smile. “Thanks, Henry.”

“Hey, I can fill in for you for a couple of hours if you want. I helped Eric at that trade show a few weeks ago.”

“Naw, I’m good. But thanks.”

Henry nodded and headed back to the kitchen.

“Wait. If you want to start training, let’s set up a schedule.”

The back of the kid’s neck reddened and he nodded eagerly. “That’d be great. I think I could be good at it.”

Jamie wasn’t so sure. Henry was twenty-one, but he looked sixteen and he was still as awkward and gangly as a teenager. Still, he deserved a shot, and his eagerness was a good sign. It actually went a long way toward cheering Jamie up, and he was whistling as he grabbed the vacuum and turned it on. He’d finished half the room when he realized the growl behind him wasn’t the vacuum. He glanced over his shoulder and saw Eric standing there, arms crossed and mouth turned down in disapproval.

Goddamn it. Jamie did not need this now. He kept vacuuming.

“Jamie!”

Jamie took a deep breath and turned off the vacuum. “What?”

“I said, what are you doing here?”

“I’m filling in for Chester.” He left off, What the heck does it look like? in an effort to be civil.

“Why?”

“He couldn’t make it.”

Eric’s jaw ticced. “What the hell is wrong with your bartenders? This is the second time this week.”

“Ease up, man. Chester had to take his girlfriend to the hospital. Did you want me to say no to that?”

“And what about Tuesday?”

Jamie’s shoulders tightened to steel. “What about it?”

“New guy, right? Some friend of yours? Decided to drive to Las Vegas instead of come in to work?”

“That is not what happened. His car broke down. He—”

“I am sick and tired of these losers you keep hiring. I’m going to start sitting in on the interviews.”