Total pages in book: 141
Estimated words: 141428 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 707(@200wpm)___ 566(@250wpm)___ 471(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 141428 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 707(@200wpm)___ 566(@250wpm)___ 471(@300wpm)
He’d lost her. It was his fault.
And now he had to see that pain in his eyes in the mirror. To accept it as his due.
The bartender actually winced.
“No.”
It was all he said before he got up and left the bar.
4
“You’re not Hayes.”
Oh my God. Had she really just said that? Devi winced as she stared up at the handsome guy accompanying Sondra this morning.
Hayes had left the Elk Horn Tavern last night before she’d worked up the courage to speak to him. Sitting at the bar meant that she didn’t need to serve him. But all night she’d thought up reasons to go speak to him.
However, she’d waited too long and when she’d finally worked up the courage, he’d been gone.
But she’d figured she’d see him this morning at Aaron’s Café. Such an original name. Only, this guy wasn’t Hayes.
He was younger, his dark hair wasn’t interspersed with gray and his face didn’t show his years. Maybe because he was actually smiling. He appeared far friendlier and more approachable.
But he wasn’t Mr. Tragic Eyes.
Where was he?
“I’m not.” His grinned as amusement danced through his eyes. “I’m Donovan. And you sound disappointed.”
“What? Oh, no. I’m just . . . he’s been in here every morning with Sondra. I . . . who are you?”
Now he was out-and-out smiling. “Donovan.”
“Well, yes, I know that. But are you a bodyguard as well?”
He studied her closer this time. Shoot. Should she not have asked that?
“Hayes told you that he was a bodyguard?” he asked.
Oh no. Was she going to get Hayes in trouble? Was this guy his boss? Hayes didn’t seem like the type to take orders.
“Are you his boss?”
“You’re just full of questions, aren’t you?” he asked.
“Ahh. Yeah, I’m nosey.” She shrugged unapologetically.
“Devi! Take his order. You’re getting a line,” Aaron snapped.
Oh shoot. She was. “What would you like?”
“Uh, Sondra would like⎯”
“A spiced chai latte with oat milk,” she said. “I know. She orders the same thing every morning.”
“And do you take the order every morning?”
“Uh-huh. It’s my job. What would you like, sir?” she asked in a polite voice since she could feel Aaron glaring at her.
“What does Hayes usually order?”
“An Americano. No cream, no sugar.” That’s what he’d ordered yesterday, anyway.
Donovan grimaced. “Yeah, he would. That sounds terrible. I’ll have a latte.”
“Sure thing. That’s nine dollars,” she told him.
He handed her some bills and walked off to join Sondra at her usual table. She took the orders for the next two customers. Then Aaron grabbed her arm as she walked past him carrying a plate with a muffin on it. She flinched and the muffin wobbled. Devi watched it worriedly, knowing that he’d blame her if it dropped onto the floor.
Aaron grabbed her arm right where Vega had last night. She’d woken up with it bruised this morning.
She’d always bruised easily which was a pain in the butt when people kept grabbing her.
“What are you doing?” Aaron snapped at her.
“Let me go.”
“I’m this close to firing you, Devi. So tread very carefully.” Aaron held up his thumb and forefinger so they were an inch apart.
Her heart skipped a beat. Losing this job would be a disaster. It sucked most days, but that was all due to Aaron. Devi actually liked being around all of the customers. And she couldn’t survive working just one job, unfortunately.
So Aaron had her over a barrel and the bastard knew it.
“You need to stop talking so much and do some work,” he told her.
She smiled at him tightly. “Well, I would get on with my work if you’d let me go.”
Aaron snarled and let go of her so suddenly that she nearly stumbled.
Lord. What was wrong with the men in this town? Between Vega, her father, and Aaron she felt like she was surrounded by assholes.
Thank God for Mac. He was keeping her faith in men alive.
And maybe Hayes. He seemed like a decent guy. Not that she could know that for sure.
Forcing a small smile and hoping that she didn’t look as shaken as she felt, she walked out to place the muffin in front of Mrs. Dearsley.
“Thank you, Devi. How is your father?” she asked.
“He’s all right. Thanks, Mrs. D.” She’d known the older woman for years. And she didn’t think she’d want to hear how, when she’d gotten home from the bar last night, she’d done a small dance of joy to find her father gone.
She had no idea where he’d gone and part of her wished that wished he’d never return.
Devi realized that was a terrible thing to think about her own father. But he hadn’t been her dad for a long time. He was the noose around her neck. The anchor holding her down, drowning her.
And removing him from her life would be like scraping the rot off her bones.
Gruesome, but true.