Hunter
I’ve been in a bad mood for the past two weeks. Pete likes to point out the fact in case I’m not aware.
‘Something happen with Bridget?’ he asks me one afternoon.
Fairly sure he thinks we’re dating even though I’ve told him multiple times that we’re just friends. ‘Nope. We’re good.’ And that’s true. I don’t blame her for looking out for her sister.
‘This about your dad?’ Pete asks.
I shake my head.
‘What, then?’
‘I don’t want to talk about it.’
He chuckles. ‘I don’t particularly want to hear about it, but I’m sick of you slamming gates and kicking dirt.’
I release a long breath and give in to his badgering. ‘Bridget has a sister, Annie.’
‘There’s a plot twist I didn’t see coming. She up this way too?’
I nod. ‘She moved up here last month.’
‘Ah. She the one from back home? The reason you kicked Carly from your bed a few weeks back?’
I look away, giving him his answer.
‘You two have a fight?’
‘One of many.’ And I haven’t heard from her since.
‘So call her.’
I give him a tired look. ‘You think I haven’t tried?’ Every time I phone, she’s either working or out somewhere.
‘Then go see her,’ Pete says. ‘Clear the air in person. Kicking fence posts around this joint isn’t going to fix anything.’ He waves me off. ‘I can finish up here.’
It’s not the worst idea in the world. I’m fairly sure she doesn’t work Sundays, so I take him up on the offer. ‘Thanks.’
After a quick shower, I drive into the city to have another go at this.
‘James took her out for lunch and sightseeing,’ Bridget says to me when she opens the door. ‘He wanted to thank her for working sixty hours last week.’
That guy is begging for a smack in the face. ‘What’s he got her working sixty hours for? Eighty percent of his patrons are in bed by eight thirty.’
She gestures for me to come in, and we take a seat on the sofa.
‘And he can’t leave her alone after hours?’ I say.
Bridget draws her legs up and tucks them beneath her. ‘Careful. You sound jealous.’
‘I just don’t like seeing people get taken advantage of, and she’s buying into his bullshit.’
She regards me. ‘So you’re the only one allowed to take advantage of her. Is that it?’
It seems Annie has told her something of our history. ‘I’ve never taken advantage of her.’
She looks somewhat amused. ‘I’m sorry for throwing you under the bus the other day.’