Tinsel (Lark Cove #4)(28)

“Ready for this?” I asked her.

She blew out a shaking breath but smiled. “So ready.”




“What a rush!” Sofia did her twirly thing around one of the tables. “I don’t think eight hours has ever gone by so fast before. That was crazy!”

I grinned as I locked up the front door. I’d announced last call an hour ago, but it had taken people a while to filter out. The clock behind the bar, which was always twenty minutes fast, read three in the morning.

“You did good tonight.”

Sofia had been more of a help than I could have ever imagined. I hadn’t needed to make sure she’d contributed. She just had.

I’d set up the champagne for her to pour, which she had, but at one point when we’d been slammed, she’d been mixing drinks nearly as fast as I could.

The two of us had kept up with the drink orders all night, and as much as I hated to admit I couldn’t run this place alone, I’d needed her. Sofia had mostly mixed drinks all night while I’d run the register and managed the other orders. But just having her fill some orders had been huge.

The entire time, she’d done it with a smile on the lips I’d kissed.

She’d been nervous at first and hesitant as people came in. For the first few hours, she’d hung out on the far end of the bar, hovering near Piper and Kaine. I think she’d just been trying to stay out of my way.

But finally, I’d whistled for her to come and mix a couple of drinks, hoping she’d loosen up.

From then on out, she’d relaxed and come into her own.

She had the same charisma as her brother. It didn’t shine through as quickly, but she’d charmed everyone in the bar tonight with her laughter and quick wit.

“Want some more champagne?” I asked as I went behind the bar. There was still half a bottle left. I’d made sure she had a glass in her hand as the crowd counted down to midnight. Since then, we’d both been sipping it on and off.

“Yes, please.” She came behind the bar, depositing the last few dirty glasses in the sink.

I filled her glass then poured myself a bit more. As much as I wanted to kiss her again, I resisted the urge, just like I’d done at midnight too. “Happy New Year.”

“Happy New Year.” We clinked glasses and I downed mine. Champagne wasn’t really my thing but the occasion called for it.

When I looked back up, she was guzzling her glass dry. She laughed as she set it down empty. “I was thirsty.”

I smiled, noticing a drop hanging on the corner of her lip.

She wiped it away, looked at me, then froze.

“What?”

“You’re smiling. You don’t smile that much. But when you do . . . it’s crazy hot.”

I chuckled. “Maybe that’s enough champagne.”

“Maybe you’re right.” She giggled. “I’ll get to work on cleaning up the confetti.”

We spent the next hour cleaning and putting things away. Busy nights like this were a high, and it was always hard to wind down. It would take hours for the exhaustion to sink in.

Sofia was riding the excitement too, cleaning as I took out the trash. When I came back from dumping six bags, I found her on the bar, ripping down the foil spirals.

“What the fuck?” I jogged down the hallway. “Careful.”

“I’m fine. See?” She rose up on her toes and did the same twirl she’d done on the floor earlier. Except this time, her footing wasn’t quite as steady or her movements as tight.

“Sofia, get down. You’re going to fall and hurt yourself.”

She ignored me as she ripped down another spiral. “It was so fun tonight.”

“Down,” I ordered only to be ignored again. So like I had earlier tonight, I followed along with her, my arms extended to make sure I’d catch her if she fell.

“I can’t remember the last time I had that much fun.” She rose up on her toes then lifted one leg in the air as her arms floated up toward the ceiling. “My feet feel great too, even if these shoes look silly.”

“Sofia,” I barked. “Both feet on the bar or get the fuck down.”

“Okay,” she drawled, putting her feet back on the bar and walking to the final spiral. “What’s your passion?”

“My passion?” What did that have to do with her getting off the bar?

“Yes, your passion. What do you love? What gets you excited?”

“Right now? Keeping you from breaking your damn neck.”

She pulled the last foil spiral from the ceiling, but instead of getting down, she paused and smirked at me. Then she rose up on her toes, kicked out a leg and spun in two fast circles. When she landed, a hand covered her laughing mouth.

“Do that shit on the floor.” I put my hands on my hips. “Get down. Now.”

She crouched. “I took ballet lessons my entire childhood, all through high school. I’m not going to fall.”

“You might.”

“And you’ll catch me if I do.”

“This is dangerous.” We both knew I wasn’t talking about her standing on the bar.

With one fast move, Sofia fell forward, her arms extended.

I caught her at the waist, helping her down to the floor.

She didn’t step away, and I didn’t let her go.