Living Out Loud (Austen, #3)(73)

She laughed. “Thanks, but no. I was actually about to leave, but I wanted to swing by to see you first.” Her face grew curious and sincere. “How are you?”

I drew in a breath and kept my smile fixed. “Fine.”

“Because Annie isn’t.”

“Are you sure of that? She seems like she’s doing just great.”

“Well, looks can be deceiving. She told me what happened.”

With nothing left to deny, I gave up the fight. “I don’t know, Elle. I’m not sure what to do.”

“You’re angry with her, I know, but—”

“I’m not angry. Not with her. I’m hurt, but not by her. The entire thing is my own doing.”

She frowned. “I don’t understand.”

“I don’t much either.” I sighed. “Annie didn’t do anything wrong, and it’s not her fault she’s ended up in the position she’s in. I knew better than to get close to her, but…well, I couldn’t help myself. You know, I think I knew from the very first moment I saw her that it would all end in tears,” I said with futility. “And now, she’s with him, and that’s what it is.”

Elle’s eyes were heavy with sadness that weighed down the corners of her lips in a frown. “You won’t talk to her at all?”

I shook my head. “I can’t trust I’ll keep my feelings to myself anymore. Not now that she knows. I can’t pretend anymore, Elle.”

At that, she nodded with understanding behind her eyes and reached for my hand where it rested on the bar. “I suppose that’s fair. And I hope it gets easier, Greg. For both of you.”

“So do I.”

We said our goodbyes, and with a parting squeeze of my hand, she turned and walked away.

I blew out a breath and took the next drink order, and within a couple of customers, I had compartmentalized as best I could.

Until I tossed a coaster that read All is fair in love and war and looked up to find Will in front of me.

He looked ridiculous in a fucking top hat, his smile smug and eyes cruel. And I wondered just how the hell he’d landed a girl like Annie.

I reminded myself that he was a spectacular liar—that was how—which didn’t make me feel better.

“Tall Grey Goose and water,” he instructed curtly.

I said nothing, just reached for a glass and scooped ice in.

He half-turned, looking back at Annie. “She’s beautiful, isn’t she?”

I set the glass on the bar and turned for the vodka.

“That dress was practically made for her. Maybe, if I’m lucky, I’ll see it in a heap on my floor tonight.”

Hot coals burned in my belly, the steam climbing up my throat. I poured the vodka. “Maybe, if you keep talking, I’ll see you in a heap on the sidewalk.”

Will laughed. “I told you not to get in my way. I told you not to give me a reason to twist the knife. But you didn’t listen. Can’t say I’m all that surprised.” He picked up the coaster and held it up in display. “How appropriate.”

I picked up the soda gun with a hand shaking with desire to grab him by the throat, unfulfilled with the task of topping the glass off with water.

Will Bailey was not worth losing my job over.

“She made her choice,” he said when I didn’t respond.

“Yes, she did.” I set the drink in front of him.

“Put it on my tab.” He picked up the drink before stepping back, that horrible smile of his hitting me like a spear in the breastbone.

He disappeared, and the next person moved into his place to order a drink, so I accommodated them, all while attempting to calm myself down with little luck.

What I needed was to leave, but there was nowhere to go. I was caught in a cage of mahogany and overhead lights, a spotlight on my discomfort, lighting me up for the whole world to see.

A moment later, the crowd opened up, and I saw Annie sitting at the table, her lips smiling at Will and her gloved hand around her drink.

The drink I’d just poured.

The nuclear explosion that went off between my ears was deafening.

I turned on my heel and flew out from behind the bar, weaving through the crowd toward her, stopping only once I reached the table.

Shock registered on her face when I snatched the drink from her hands and smelled it.

I turned on Will. “Are you fucking kidding me?” I growled, slamming the drink back on the table as I stepped around it and toward him.

He took a step back, the superior look on his face washed out, leaving him stupefied.

“Get out,” I said through my teeth. “Get the fuck out of my bar.”

Annie hooked her arms in one of mine and pulled, “Greg, stop!”

I whirled around, arching over her.

She shrank under the weight.

“Don’t,” I ground out from behind clenched teeth. “Do not.”

“Listen—” Will started.

I whirled back on him. “You gave a drink to an underage girl in my bar. I don’t have to listen to a goddamn word you have to say. Get the fuck out. Now!”

He jumped at the impact of the last word and glanced at Annie, reaching for her hand.

When she moved to step around me, I moved with her, keeping my body between them.