Tyler's Undoing (Gloves Off #1)(11)

“Would you like another gin and tonic while you wait on your client?” I asked him.

“That’d be great. He must be running a little late.” Pulling out his phone, he looked down at it and sighed. “Never mind, he just sent a text saying he’s not going to make it. His flight got cancelled.”

“Oh no,” I replied. “I hate that you’ve sat here this whole time for nothing.” After I finished making his drink, I slid it to him.

“I wouldn’t say it was for nothing. At least I got to sit here and talk to you.” He held out his hand. “My name’s Liam, Liam Harris.”

Taking his hand, I shook it and smiled. “I’m Kacey. It’s nice to meet you.”

“Likewise.”

Bree noticed the interaction and grinned from ear to ear. When a trio of girls came up to the bar, she winked and waved me off, nodding toward Liam. By the look in Liam’s eyes and the smirk on his face, he’d cracked her code.

“She’s not very subtle is she?” he asked.

Chuckling, I shook my head. “Not at all. She’s just happy I’m actually talking to someone of the opposite sex.”

That caught his attention. “Do you usually not? I’d think a woman like you would be surrounded by men, especially in a place like this.”

“Oh, she is,” Bree cut in. “She just doesn’t give them the time of day.”

Liam laughed. “Well, then I guess I should feel privileged she’s talking to me.”

My face blushed bright crimson and I could feel the heat flooding to my cheeks. Turning around, I faced the register and ran Liam’s card. “Thanks, Bree,” I grumbled, glaring over at her.

When I faced him again, he finished his drink and signed off on the receipt, leaving me a three figure tip. Holy shit! I closed my eyes and looked at it again . . . yep, three figures.

“So I guess this means you’re not seeing anyone?” Liam asked, getting to his feet.

I closed my gaping mouth and cleared my throat.

Bree was the one who replied, “No, she’s not seeing anyone.”

Liam’s brows lifted, waiting on my answer.

“I’m single,” I said.

Pulling out his wallet, he grabbed the pen off the counter and wrote his number down on the back of one of his cards. “I’m going to leave you my cell number. If you’re not busy Saturday night, I’d love to take you out to dinner.”

Bree nudged me in the side when all I did was stand there like an idiot. “Answer him,” she mumbled under her breath.

“Yes,” I blurted out. “Dinner would be nice. I’ll give you my number as well.” Grabbing a napkin from the bar, I scribbled my phone number on it and handed it to him before taking his card.

“Feel free to call me anytime, Kacey.”

Looking down at the card, I nodded then looked back up at him. “I will . . . thanks. Have a good night.”

“You do the same.” Turning on his heel, he made his way out, looking back once before disappearing out the door.

“I must say, you sure do know how to snag the good looking ones,” Bree teased. “At least he’s not gay.”

His card only had his name on it and a phone number which must’ve been the one for his work. There was no description of who he was or what he did as far as business. He was a mystery.

“Or so you think,” I chuckled, putting his card in my pocket. “He could be gay and just want to pick my brain on the newest fashions.”

Bree snorted. “I don’t think so, babe. Not with the way he was checking you out all evening.”

Rolling my eyes, I peered up at the clock and breathed a sigh of relief. We only had fifteen minutes left until the end of our shift.

“Are you going to call him?” she asked.

Shrugging my shoulders, I pulled out his card again and bit my lip. “I don’t know. He could be a complete ass for all I know.”

“True, but he could also be pretty cool too.” Her phone buzzed in her pocket. Pulling it out, she tapped away, smiling from ear to ear. It had to be Cole.

“I’m assuming that’s Cole. Are you two going out tonight?”

Finishing up her text, she nodded and put her phone in her back pocket. “Yeah, he wants to see me later. For a guy, he’s actually been taking it kind of slow. I never thought he’d be like that, given the reputation some of the fighters have.”

“Which is exactly why I stay away from them,” I remarked dryly. “The last thing I want is to be just another fling for a day.”

“That’s not how Cole is, Kacey. Tyler might be a little different, but he’s still a good guy. I think you need to give him a chance, or better yet, just be friends with him. He’s actually pretty cool to hang around with and he’s funny as hell. It’d be great to have us all go out together some time.”

Clasping her hands in front of her, Bree pouted her lips and whimpered pleadingly. She was the only friend I had and I would do anything for her because I knew she would do the same for me.

“Okay, let me think about it, Bree. Just because I’m considering it doesn’t mean I want to have anything to do with Tyler. I can tolerate just about anyone, but if he gets in my space, it’s not going to be pretty.”