Something Real (Whiskey Men, #2)(14)

He turns in his seat looking around, but Tina is nowhere to be found. When he turns back to face me, I see her pop up from behind the bar, and I can’t help but laugh.

He points between the two of us. “Our waitress?”

I nod. “Yep, the pretty blonde.”

“She is pretty.” He grimaces. ‘Sorry, I’m sure I’m not supposed to say a woman is pretty when I’m on a date.”

I take another bite of my sandwich and barely swallow it before I start talking. “Nope, we’re friends. We’ve already agreed this is just two friends, hanging out. I think you and Tina should talk. You should get her number.”

He seems to think about it and shakes his head. “I can’t get a girl’s number when I’m on a date with a woman. That’s not right.”

Man, he is a good guy. I hold my hands out and shake them. “We’re friends. This is no longer a date. This is two friends hanging out. Think of me as your wingman—or wingwoman. We’re going to get you her digits before this night is over with.”

He crosses his arms and leans on the table. “I don’t know. Are you sure about this? Are you setting me up? Is this a test or something?”

I hold my hands up. “This is not a test. We’re friends, and I want to help a friend out. This is happening, Ty. We’re going to get you a date out of this.”

He shrugs his shoulders and starts eating again. I force my eyes to my plate because I know if I look across the room, I’m going to be looking into Ford’s tempting blue eyes, wondering if maybe—just maybe—he does feel something more for me.





Ford





“Is there a reason that we’re here spying on your assistant?”

I drag my gaze off Lilian and her date. “I’m not spying on Lilian.”

Austin is smiling at me as he brings the glass to his lips. He sips on the whiskey and smirks. “Okay, so you haven’t been watching her since we got here?”

I shrug. “She doesn’t know that guy. I’m just making sure she’s okay, that’s all.”

“Hello!” Austin holds his hand out to me like he wants to shake hands or something. “Hi. I’m Austin Blaze, your brother. I’ve known you literally my whole life, and if you’re not into Lilian then I’ll sign over my portion of Blaze Whiskey to the next person that comes in the door.”

I try to hold in my smirk, but it’s impossible to do around Austin. “Yeah, okay. Fine. If you’re going to tell me it’s a bad idea or I’m too old for her or something else asinine, then you can shut the fuck up.”

He chuckles. “Fuck, dude, you’re all tore up, aren’t you? Why would I do any of those things? I think it’s a great idea.”

Surprised, I look at him. “You do?”

He slaps me on the shoulder. “Hell yeah, man. She’s great with Ollie. He loves her. She makes you happy. Before she came to the company two years ago, no one could stand to be around you.”

I cut him off. “I had divorced a cheating ex and was raising a three-year-old on my own, so yeah, sorry if I wasn’t Mr. Congeniality.”

He shrugs. “You’re forgiven. I mean, you’re a little old for her, but I think she’s into it. And obviously she’s changed her rule of not dating.”

I start to nod and then ask, “How did you know about her rule?”

He shrugs, takes a drink of his whiskey, and sets the glass down. “I asked her out.”

My whole body tenses, and I can feel the vein in my neck vibrating. “You asked her out? You asked my Lilian out?”

He looks at my hands forming fists on the table between us and holds his hands up. “Uh, I didn’t know she was YOUR Lilian, first of all. But don’t worry, I do now. The point is, she said no.”

“Stay the fuck away from her,” I warn him.

He rolls his eyes and shrugs. “I do a lot of shit, but I don’t mess with my brothers’ women. I think I learned that lesson when I stole Lucas’ girlfriend in 9th grade.”

“Don’t look at her either,” I warn him.

He barks a laugh at that. “Don’t look at her. Do you hear yourself? Geez, bro, you’re all worried about me, and obviously you don’t need to be. She told me no. But she’s here… with that guy.”

He turns in his seat and looks across the room. Lilian is smiling between the waitress and her date. “The question is, what are you going to do about him?”

That’s all I’ve thought about. She says she’s dating and she wants to have fun. “She says she’s not looking for anything serious.”

Austin gives me a strange look. “For the right guy, she would be.”

“What do you know about it?”

He shrugs. “I’m just saying that she can say she just wants to have fun, but for the right guy, it could be more.”

“Where’s Ally? I haven’t seen her in a while.” I ask him about the girl that’s been his best friend for what seems like forever.

“Probably at home. Anyway, we’re not here to talk about Ally or me, for that matter. We need to talk about your woman on a date with another man.”

“Fuck!” I mutter as I slam my fist on the table. I’m usually in control, and right now, I don’t feel like I’m in control of anything.