“What the hell is going on with you? You can’t just abandon the club.” She had her hands on her hips and fronted up to me so that I had to move back. Not that I’m scared of a woman but Carlie wasn’t like other women. She could pack a punch and wasn’t afraid to strike out. I’d seen the damage she could do. More than that, the anger in her voice made me back away. Because I knew I deserved that anger.
“I can abandon the club. It’s a choice. I’m a customer and I’ll take my custom where I want.”
I sat back down at the table and looked out the window, hoping Carlie would take the hint. Little chance of that.
“You are not. You aren’t just a customer. You’re family. What else have you got in your life, Jackson? Some lonely, desperate drinking at home? That’s really pathetic.”
I raised my glass to her.
“Seriously, come back. Sort things out with Gina and —”
“That is not going to happen.”
“She likes you.”
I nodded. “I know but that means nothing. She’s young, she’ll get over it.”
Carlie sighed and leaned on the table.
“No matter what, don’t be a cry-baby and run away. Deal with things like a man.”
“Have you dealt with your things?” I asked. She’d been in a bad state when she’d left.
A creepy smile came over her face. It looked like happiness and mushy shit. Mushy shit had no place on Carlie’s face. That glassy-eyed smile just made her look strange.
“Yeah, I have actually. Holden and I have gotten back together. If you were at the club, you’d have known that.”
Damn, there went that defense. I never expected her to say that. The last thing I’d heard was that Alex had given her time off to get her act together. I didn’t even know she’d been with Holden while she was away. Hell, there is nothing worse than someone newly-in-love. They get all sappy and emotional. They think love can overcome anything. I never expected Carlie to be like that but she’d fallen like the rest of them.
“Come on, Jackson. Who’s going to help me tell Alex he’s a tool if you aren’t there? Who’s going to stick up for Drew when I pick on him? It’s no fun picking on him if he just gets sulky and acts all hurt. That whole dynamic gets off-center if it’s just Drew and me there. Oh, and hey, Mark’s getting the sack because Alex realized what a dipshit he is. How awesome is that? You missed out on all that because you are here being a big cry-baby.”
I didn’t look up at her because I knew she was doing that face that she thought would get her what she wanted. Then she poked me in the ribs!
“You know you want to. No matter what, you miss the place. I bet you’ve been sitting here brooding, wondering about all the fun you are missing out on.”
“Has anyone ever told you how annoying you are?”
“Yeah, all the time. Mostly you. But really it’s one of my most charming points. You know you miss me being annoying.” She leaned over and grabbed my book. “You know you’ve read this book like fifty times. Why don’t you read something new? There are too many books in the world to keep reading the same one.”
She flicked through the pages then turned her gaze back to me. She stared and I stared back. Then she got up and paced my room, poking into things. I needed to get her out of my space. She’d not leave without me. I knew that.
I stood up and grabbed my jacket. If I didn’t go with her then she’d be here all night, going through my things and talking at me. At least if I went to the bar, I’d get some peace and quiet.
“God, Jackson, don’t you think you should smarten yourself up a bit? You look like you’ve been sleeping in those clothes.”
Which wasn’t far from the truth but I had no intention of getting changed with Carlie watching over me like a hawk. There was nowhere to hide in this room. I ran a comb through my hair and left it at that. It wasn’t like there was anyone I needed to impress.
“Be damn thankful I listen to you at all,” I told her, following her out the door. “How the hell did you find out where I live anyway?”
Carlie started down the stairs but turned back to me. “I have my ways. I’m a barmaid. I know everything.”
Chapter 4 Gina
HE SAT AT THE BAR, so close yet with a distance I couldn’t bridge between us.
“What happened between you?” Carlie asked.
I couldn’t tell her. It was too raw, too personal. I think she got the general idea anyway. She’d been to Jackson’s house and had dragged him back to the bar. I’m not sure if he told her anything but it wasn’t exactly rocket science.