The Tourist Attraction (Moose Springs, Alaska #1)(40)

She needed a moment free of these people, to swallow her anger and try not to think about the money she’d left on the table.

Money that could have made a real difference.

“Water please,” she said to the attractive but shy-seeming man working behind the bar.

The bartender gave her a wary look, which she didn’t blame him for. The people she’d arrived with had done nothing but make spectacles of themselves. Even now, she could hear them carrying on as if it meant nothing.

Fingers trembling in anger, Zoey scooped a couple of pretzels from the little bowl he silently set in front of her.

“Well. That was interesting.”

Zoey wasn’t ready for tall, scruffy, and handsome to lean against the bar next to her, so she buried her face in her hands.

“That was exactly why I don’t like to be around Lana’s friends. Or friends of friends. It always starts fine and ends up with—”

“You taking double shots of ice water? Hey, Rick, keep them coming for Zoey here.”

The bartender, Rick, snorted but played along for Graham, adding a shot glass of water next to her larger glass. When she lifted her head to murmur a thanks, Graham caught her eye. “If it helps, I can go beat up those two, no problem. But I might need some help beating up myself if I’m getting lumped in with the Neanderthals.”

Rolling her eyes at him, Zoey groaned. “I’m refraining from judgment, but only until I’ve finished my water.”

“Which means I have ten sips to redeem myself.”

“I’m sorry about them. I don’t even think they realize how they act.”

“I’m used to the type.” Shrugging off the situation, he caught her gaze again, smiling sweetly. “You won me, fair and square. Or lost and got me, technically. Now that you’re stuck with me, what are you going to do with me?”

“I can’t believe I let Lana goad me into that. I’m a female Neanderthal. A Neanderthaless.”

“You’re also a better pool player than Lana.” Graham’s eyes crinkled. “You could be buying us all a round right now.”

“He was trying to embarrass you and bully me. Screw him and his money.”

Zoey didn’t realize her hands were still shaking until Graham gently took her fingers in his larger, rougher ones. Squeezing lightly, he sat backward on the barstool next to her, body facing the room but his eyes gazing down warmly at her.

Holding her hand in front of far too many curious eyes.

“Trust me. I’d put up with his type to get to spend time with you any day of the week.” Voice softening, Graham asked again. “So, since you have me, what are you planning on doing with me?”

Zoey would never know what she would have answered, dangerously distracted by Graham’s proximity and far too focused on the feel of his thumb tracing the smallest of patterns on her wrist.

“Well, tonight’s a bust. Are we bailing? Or are we throwing them out?” A slender woman approached, her features creased in annoyance. The stone-faced mountain of a man behind her was impossible to read, but he certainly wasn’t smiling.

“Ash, Easton, this is Zoey. Zoey, welcome to the Lockett twins. They’re trouble. Keep an eye on them. Guys, Zoey’s even more trouble. You’re going to love each other.”

“Twins?”

“I know. Spitting image, huh?”

Never in her life had Zoey ever seen two people who looked less alike. They were both tall and they had the same warm brown eyes, but everything else was completely different. Easton was the tallest man she’d ever been next to, with shoulders that wouldn’t fit through most doors. Ash was slender, maybe six foot if she went on her tiptoes. Ash’s short, spiky hair was bubblegum pink with turquoise tips, and she had more piercings in her ears than Zoey could safely count without staring too long. She was easily one of the most beautiful women Zoey had ever met.

Zoey supposed somewhere beneath all that beard, Easton had a face.

“Stay if you want. I’m out.” Ash shot a disgusted look at Zoey’s companions, then headed for the door. Easton stayed, dropping down to a stool several seats away, focused on the UFC fight on the television behind the bar.

Graham turned to Zoey, lips curved with amusement. “Ash doesn’t like tourists.”

“I’m beginning to see why.” When Zoey frowned at Enzo, he caught her glaring at him and gave a cheeky smirk. Turning her back on him, Zoey focused on Graham instead.

“I didn’t win you. But I’d like to buy you a drink in apology.”

“We spend a lot of time apologizing to each other. I don’t think you have anything to apologize for.” His kindness cut through her displeasure, bringing her focus right back to him. “How about we make a deal? No apologies unless someone really deserves it.”

They shook in agreement, and when he hooked her pinkie finger and made her pinkie swear on top of it, the rest of Zoey’s upset disappeared.

“You’re doing it wrong,” she insisted. “That’s not how you pinkie swear.”

“That’s not how you pinkie swear. Alaska is more adept at these things.”

Somehow it turned into a heated discussion while simultaneously becoming a pinkie war, which Zoey lost badly because Graham might play fair, but he sure wasn’t going to take it easy on her. Pinkie muscle for pinkie muscle, he had her solidly outmatched.