Page 164 of Small Town, Big Storm
Or that Blossom looks like she might dump her drink—for the record, a Bitter Blossom—over Clarke’s head.
“I squeezed the blood orange juice myself,” I blurt.
She jerks, hazel eyes coming to mine.“What?”
“Don’t waste it,” I say, flicking my gaze to her hand, which is tightly clenching her drink.
She scowls at me.
Then at Clarke.
Then spins on her heel and goes to join Clem, Daisy, and Clover (and Shep).
“What’s up her ass?”Clarke mutters.
“Probably your misogyny,” I quip.
His brows lift in question.
“Tits out?”I ask.“Silently asking for your wallet?”
“Am I wrong?”
“About Paige?”I shake my head.“No.But about Blossom?Yeah.She’s not the type of girl to win over just by buying her a drink.”
“How would you suggest winning her over then?”
“That’s foryouto figure out.”
He’s the one scowling this time.
I just nod at his empty glass.“Another beer?”
“Yeah,” he mutters.
I get him a refill, make my rounds, and am just slipping back behind the bar to cash out a couple of tourists when I feel a sudden rush of air as the front door opens.
Turning, I see a beautiful redheaded woman walking into Sully’s, a surly brown-haired man trailing her.The couple looks around the busy bar floor for a minute before heading for one of the few empty tables.As they walk, the woman smiles, says something to the man, and I watch as the cool mask he’s wearing fades away in an instant, displaying a man who’s completely and utterly in love with the woman at his side.
My heart rolls over in my chest, and I’m happy she has that.
Happy thatIhave it too, I think, looking up to see Storm at the end of the hallway, carrying the heavy keg like it weighs nothing.
Thunk!
It hits the hardwood floor hard enough to have everyone inside the bar freezing and turning toward him.
Whispers start up as he just stands there, and I know the moment he processes them, processes the eyes on him.
Because he tears his gaze from the gorgeous redhead whose face has gone carefully blank.
From the man who’s moved protectively to the woman’s back.
His eyes come to mine and they don’t belong to the man I’ve fallen in love with, don’t belong to the Storm I’ve come to know.
They’re cold.
And angry.
