Page 8 of Always the Matchmaker
The sharp burn of the sharp liquor loosens my tongue and lowers my voice more. I speak to Candace quietly, “Think it’s best I stay on my side of the room, mmm?”
With my head tilted down to talk to her, I inhale her scent. Candy canes never smell this good, fragrant vanilla and cinnamon dusted with fresh sweet snow...fuck, even the underlying scent of my dog on her revs my engine. It’s like she belongs in my home, my bed, my life, and like mine always. Scents I’ll never get tired of.
Candace offers me a nod, short and brief but her lips do move, her voice soft, too, “Maybe I’ll come bother you later…”
“I wouldn’t mind that one bit,” I eagerly reply, once more surprising her—and myself—with my interest. Her eyes widening.
I leave her there, not wanting to find myself saying anything too stupid or I might set off her fiery spirit. Returning to my high top table, I realize I left my beer and order a new one, keeping my back to the girls as I try to catch my breath.
Abe shakes his head at me. “You’re playing with fire. That group is T. R. O. U. B...B…” He stops to think, his lips still moving as he tries to remember how to spell the word, and not because he isn’t able, but because he’s living his life with the past in his head.
“L. E., Abe,” I offer with smile and clap a hand on his shoulder. “It’s all right man, I can’t spell for shit either.”
He gives a weak smile. Abe had multiple head injuries in high school and college football. He didn’t realize what they really did to him until too late. He still struggles from time to time remembering things. I met him through Cohen and we hit it off being bachelors and not really looking to change that.
Until now…
I can’t help but look back. That red hair, big and loud, seems both a juxtaposition and a match to her.She’s complicated, but who isn’t?
“What makes you say that though? You know them?” I ask.
“You know I seem to remember them, but you know…” He shrugs. “Cohen’s only needed me a few times for work this week at the Inn. But…” He looks around and doesn’t see the one he is looking for. “I sure wouldn’t mind knowing one better.”
“You dog,” I laugh, clapping him on the back again.
“You’re the one that pulled up with one of them,” Abe counters.
“She’s quite the spitfire that redhead,” I praise, as Abe chokes on his beer I bring my fresh cold beer bottle to my lips.
“Really?” He sputters, wiping the beer from his chin.
“Yeah man, and it was all I could do not to...dosomething.”
“The somethingyou’ve never done?” he asks me, his eyebrows high on his forehead.
I always hoped that was a detail about me Abe would forget, but apparently being a virgin in this day and age was enough to stick, even when it was a man with memory issues.
“Yes, Abe,that something. She bumped right into me in my own hallway as I was coming out of the shower. I really need to get a master suite.” I lean toward him. “She saw the whole kit and kaboodle.”
It’s a good thing Abe stopped drinking. He might’ve choked again on that.
“I’d say she saw your master suite,” he mumbles and I chuckle. “So what the hell are you waiting for? Go get laid, Ben!” I cringe and look around, no one noticing the demand of my close friend.
“Keep your voice down, jeez. It’s not a big deal.” I shake my head at him, running my hands through my hair.
It wasn’t like I didn’t like women or want to do it, I just didn’t have time for them, and if I didn’t want them badly enough there wasn’t anything a littlepersonal timecouldn’t fix. They hadn't liked my gangly tall self in in high school and I was busy working the restaurant and getting through tech school to have time for dating anyway after that.
Now with my own shop, and in a small town pickings are slim. The door for my time is maybe closing. Plus, I’m fine with just me and Bracken. At least I was…until now. Now maybe I want to stick my foot into that oening the door and keep it open, if there’s a spitfire woman on the other side.
I hear a merry laugh like a bell ring through the bar, I look over my shoulder to see Candace truly become Candy, a champagne flute in hand, head tossed back in joy and her red hair draped over her like a queen’s mantle. I suck in a deep breath and feel my cock harden at the sight.
So she can let loose…
When is that woman going to come over and bother me? Is it later? I almost can’t wait.
“Just go over there and lay it on her. Get it over with?” Abe suggests, setting his elbows on the table.
“Forget it, Abe,” I mutter.
