Page 52 of Unexpected Shot
He shakes his head as he takes a drink of his beer. “Don’t flatter yourself, Belle. I got in a cab, asked the driver to take me to a bar off the beaten path. He dropped me off here.”
“Oh! Was it Jimmy? Or was it Ernie? Both are good guys.” We both look up at Frank, who has a proud look on his face. “What? I have an arrangement with a few cab drivers. If anyone asks for a bar recommendation, they bring them out here.”
“I thought you liked that no one knew about thisplace,” I say.
“I do, but I gotta keep the lights on,” he says. “You two good?”
Beau nods, but I fish cash out of my crossbody. “I’ll pay up.”
“You’re leaving already? I just got here.”
I nod as I grab two twenties. “Yeah. I should get back to the hotel. Sober up before the morning.”
Beau’s hand comes out in front of me, essentially blocking me from handing Frank the cash. His knuckles are flaming red. What the hell? Did he get into a fight?
“Can you give us a second, Frank?”
Frank gives me a look to make sure I’m okay. I don’t know what look I give him, but apparently it was a green light. I’d say yellow at best.
“What are you doing?” I ask Beau, just wanting to get out of here and away from him.
“Currently? Making it so you don’t leave. Before this? Drinking. Before that? Trying to figure out why you were mad at me today. Beforebeforethat? I?—”
“Oh my God, just stop!” I cry out. “You are the most infuriating man on the planet.”
“Which is interesting, since you’re the most stubborn woman I’ve ever met.”
“At least I’m not a stalker.”
Beau shakes his head a little. “How the hell do I stalk you?”
“Here! You’re here! In my bar!” I throw my hands up and wave them around, like I actually own everything here. “No way a random cab driver just happened to drop you off here.”
“Hey! Be nice to Jimmy!” Frank chimes in.
“You’re unbelievable,” Beau hisses. “Believe it or not, after I realized you blocked me so I couldn’t check on you, I wanted to be as far away from you tonight as possible. So tell me. How could I stalk you to this random-ass bar?”
“Hey! Watch it, fella!”
“Sorry, Frank…”
My head is bouncing back and forth like I’m watching atennis match when I realize what he said. “How do you know I blocked you?”
“Because I tried to call you. Make sure you were okay. Disconnected immediately. I know what that means. Which is why I didn’t want anything to do with you tonight. You clearly wanted nothing to do with me.”
My mouth drops a little. “You’ve known I’ve blocked you in the past?”
He nods and throws back the shot of whiskey. “I’ve known every time, Belle. Every. Damn. Time.”
The silence and tension are so thick, I don’t even know if a machete could cut through it. I don’t know what to say. Which is why I’m glad Beau speaks up first.
“Aren’t you tired of this?”
“Tired of what?” I have a feeling I know what he’s saying, but I don’t want to assume.
When he turns to me, I’m not looking into the annoyed eyes from a few seconds ago. These eyes are sad.
“Fighting. Aren’t you tired of the fighting?”
