So, Will married Andi a week after she graduated high school and two months before my nephew was born. Will moved into her parents’ basement to help change diapers, and he rode to work every morning with his boss/father-in-law, Kenneth Coleman—owner of Coleman Inc., an environmental construction company. They handled everything from tree clearing and mulching to composting and chemical spills. Ken took over the company after his father died. He had hoped to pass the business on to his son, but he ended up with a daughter, a wife who had to have an emergency hysterectomy, and years later a hardworking nineteen-year-old who could run any piece of equipment better than guys twice his age but couldn’t manage to roll on a condom before defiling the boss’s daughter.
After Andi and Will had been married five years and added a second child, Kenneth Coleman died from a stroke at only fifty-five. Will took over running the family business (an incredibly young CEO) and offered me a job. There was no ladder to climb in the bartending profession, and at twenty-two I still hadn’t figured out what to do with my life, so I let Will train me to bid jobs and operate excavators and tree grinders.
I’d been working for Coleman a little over six months when I found myself at a sports bar around seven on a Sunday night, watching the Chiefs get slaughtered by the Packers. Will stood me up at the last minute when Andi called for backup after both kids started to run a fever.
“Cody?” A woman’s voice chimed from behind as I waited for my nachos with a half-empty glass of root beer sweating in my right hand.
A wavy-haired brunette with shimmering lips and rosy cheeks lifted her eyebrows in question as her smile swelled with caution. She didn’t look familiar, but she did give off the vibe of someone I wished I knew. A stunning woman with delicate features and that hair. So much long wavy hair for such a petite figure.
The irony … the song playing in the bar at that exact moment happened to be Rick Springfield’s “Jessie’s Girl.” I had no idea who Cody was, but I wished I had his girl.
Those eyes.
That body.
“Red hair. Gray shirt.” She nodded at my hair and shirt. “Alice said you’d be easy to spot.” She slid off her navy wool coat and set her small black purse on the bar, climbing onto the stool next to mine.
I stole another few seconds to admire her baby blue V-neck sweater that looked soft like cashmere and those jeans perfectly molded to her tiny waist and toned legs. There was no doubt I wanted Cody’s girl even if I remained clueless to Cody’s identity and Alice’s too.
However, if she thought I was Cody, that meant she hadn’t met Cody. One thing flashed through my mind. Cody, you poor bastard. I’m going to steal your girl. Rick Springfield would have been proud.
“Cat got your tongue?” Her smile was a little crooked, an irresistible imperfection.
Shaking my head a few times, I turned on the charm and initiated Project Steal Cody’s Girl. “Sorry. I wasn’t expecting you to be so beautiful.” Reaching my hand toward her, I offered it to her in a rather sly move. “Let’s start over. I’m Cody.”
Giving my hand a slight inspection, she giggled and fit her hand in mine. “Well, thank you. I’m Tatum.”
And just like that, I had her name. I could have been a successful stalker or serial killer.
“Tatum.” I grinned, giving her hand a firm shake before releasing it. “It’s a true pleasure to meet you.”
The door to the bar opened. A guy with red hair entered, eyes squinted as he surveyed the area. Cody was about to learn some basic life lessons.
You snooze, you lose.
Finders keepers.
The early bird gets the worm.
And the most basic one of all: punctuality matters.
“How do you feel about something a little nicer than bar food?” I pulled a twenty out of my wallet and tossed it on the counter.
“Oh … well … Alice said it would just be drinks. One drink actually. I’m a light weight, and I’m driving.” Her nose wrinkled, and I knew there was no way I would let her get away, even if the thought sounded a little creepy in my head.
I grabbed my root beer and took a quick swig. “I’m driving too. So…” I jerked my head toward the door “…there’s a cafe across the street. They put whipped cream on their hot chocolate. That’s a drink. Right?” My gaze flitted over her shoulder to Cody taking a seat two stools down from her. His eyes continually scanning the bar.
Tatum rubbed her lips together, mulling over my offer. “Just across the street?”
I stood, keeping a close eye on Curious Cody. “Yeah. Across the well-lit street.”