Chapter Fourteen
Jaxson
What the hell was she doing at the bar? It wasn’t bad enough that Ariella had shown up for drinks, but now Emma joined her. Were they seriously friends?
I wanted to go outside and shoot something.
“Jaxson!” Emma’s voice echoed across the bar, but I ignored her. Was there any chance she’d just go away?
I could see her waving to me, leaning across the bar, trying to get my attention. I exhaled a heavy breath. I couldn’t ignore her forever, even if I wanted to. It wasn’t bad enough dealing with Ariella, but now I had to face the mother of my child, the woman who had stomped on my heart and given up Izzie. I’d already confronted her and hoped that she’d have gone back to California, but it seemed I wasn’t that lucky.
Swallowing the bile rising in my throat, I put on a fake smile, all cheer.
“Isn’t he great?” Emma said with a thousand-watt grin. She was putting on all the charm. Two could play at that game.
“Yeah,” Ariella said. She nursed her shot glass but had barely touched it. She shifted on the stool, looking mighty uncomfortable. Was it from the anus burner or the fact she wasn’t expecting to see me? I wasn’t too pleased to run into her either.
“What do you want, Emma?”
Emma batted her eyelashes, smiling up at me with a smug grin. “Aside from you?”
“That’s not part of the menu,” I said, trying to keep it professional. Did Ariella know Emma was Isabella’s mother? They’d both been hired by Blue Sky Resort. Were they now friends? I didn’t want to ask because I wasn’t prepared for the answer.
Ariella sipped her drink and grimaced.
“You’re going to swallow it all down, every last drop,” I said, staring at Ariella. God, I was turned on right now, watching her fingers stroke the rim of the shot glass. How long had it been since I’d been with a woman? The fact I couldn’t remember meant it was too damned long.
She lifted the glass to her lips, mouth parted, and drank the disgusting concoction that I’d had the displeasure of trying many years ago, thanks to my military buddies. Ariella’s eyes slammed shut and winced as she swallowed the drink, slamming the empty shot glass against the wooden bar top. “I want a screwdriver,” Ariella said, matter of fact.
Emma glanced from Ariella to me, her brow furrowed. “Make me a sex on the beach.”
“You’ll get what I give you,” I said. We weren’t done by any stretch. I grabbed a shaker and mixed ice, vodka, orange juice, lemon juice, and triple sec. Then I strained it over ice and topped it with ginger ale. I handed the drink to Emma.
“Well, at least it’s not what you had,” Emma said to Ariella.
“Enjoy your golden shower.” I grabbed another glass from beneath the bar to make Ariella a drink.
Emma stared at the liquor, a look of disgust on her face. “Why do you have to be such an ass?”
“That’s what I said,” Ariella chimed in. “Well, I don’t remember if I said it aloud, but I thought it,” she muttered.
“Don’t worry, your drink is next,” I said. “I didn’t forget you.” As much as I despised Emma, Ariella frustrated me, but I didn’t hate her. Not really. I’d had a month to sit on the news that she lied and didn’t tell me who she was hurt, but we weren’t together. She didn’t owe me anything. I didn’t want to point out that I’d been harsh, and I sure as shit would not apologize, but I had to do something.
“I’m not sure I’m thirsty,” Ariella said, glancing at Emma’s drink.
I grabbed another shaker and mixed it with ice, vodka, peach schnapps, orange juice, and cranberry juice. I’d had this concoction and had rather enjoyed it, even with its name. I served her drink over ice, sliding the glass to Ariella. “Enjoy your tight snatch,” I said, staring at her, refusing to back down.
“Why couldn’t you have made me that?” Emma said, reaching for Ariella’s drink.
Ariella whisked it out of Emma’s reach and brought the glass to her lips, a faint smile on her face. “You know just what I like.”
Was she trying to flirt with me? I’d been an ass to her tonight and was she trying to reconnect with me? Was it the alcohol talking? I’d cut her off with the second drink. I didn’t need her getting into an accident on her way home tonight.
“Hey ladies,” Declan said, coming over to the bar. He put one arm around Ariella and the other around Emma.
“Declan!” Emma squealed, her eyes widened. “Can you please tell this grump to make me a drink that I’d like?”
Declan snorted and pointed at the yellow-tinged drink. “What’d he make you?” he asked.