“I said, what are you doing here?” Lily repeated.
Bam Bam set our pint glasses in front of us. I paid for our drinks, ignoring Lily’s gentle insistence that she would pay for hers.
“Thanks, man,” Bam Bam said, his smooth affectation slipping when he saw the size of the tip I’d left. I heard a hint of the Midwest in his uncloaked syllables.
“It comes with a condition,” I said. “If that guy—” I pointed across the bar to where he could see Garrett standing at the edge of the interior room “—orders another drink from you, tell him you only have Pineapple Fantasy left, okay?”
“Uh, sure,” Bam Bam said uneasily, but I was already turning away.
I wasn’t surprised when Lily followed me. I’d never answered her question after all. But it would have been easier if she hadn’t. Not better. But fucking easier.
When we reached Garrett, I introduced them.
“Hi Lily,” he said, still distracted by his problem actor, who was leaning so close to another actor that they were either about to start kissing or swinging. “I’ve heard a lot about you.”
“You have?” she asked, surprised. She looked at me.
“I told him you were Halley’s friend and that you were here for a job,” I said levelly. “I’m not sure what Garrett’s definition of a lot is.”
“Not from him,” Garrett said, finally turning his full attention to us. A hint of a smirk played at the corners of his mouth. “You’ve met another friend of ours.”
Fucking Landon, of course. He’d sensed how I felt about Lily.
“Landon had a lot to say about me?” Lily said, clearly confused. “I only met him for a minute.”
“He said you made an impression.”
To anyone else, Garrett’s expression might have looked sincere. I saw the malice dancing in his eyes though. He was going to get me back for making him drink twelve ounces of monkey spit, and he was going to laugh his ass off about it later with Landon. I felt the tendons in my shoulders tighten. Maybe his client wasn’t the only one who would be throwing barstools tonight.
“I need to talk to you for a second,” I said to Garrett, trying to keep my voice level. Lily’s eyes widened again. Even Garrett looked surprised. He looked back at his actor, who at least for the moment, seemed reasonably docile.
“It’ll only take a second,” I said, baring my teeth in what I hoped Lily interpreted as a friendly grin. “It’s about a work thing.”
“Sure,” Garrett said, not fooled. “Lily, you see that guy in the orange shirt over there on the leather settee?”
She nodded.
“If he tries to pick up that settee, or any of the furniture in here, I need you to get my attention right away, okay?”
Lily looked concerned.
“It’ll only take a second,” I repeated. I led Garrett over to a corner a few feet away and dropped my nice guy act. “Don’t say another fucking word to Lily,” I ordered, my voice low and deadly.
Garrett raised his eyebrows. “Ever? That’s going to make the rest of the night pretty fucking awkward if you ask me.”
“You know what I mean.”
Over his shoulder, I saw Lily look over at us. She was mouthing something, but I couldn’t figure out what.
“I don’t know what Landon told you, but it’s not fucking true,” I continued.
“So you don’t want to—”
I cut Garrett off with a hard look. Then, behind him, I saw Lily smile reflexively as someone approached her.
“It doesn’t matter what I want. She’s Halley’s friend.”
“But you do want to.” Garrett finally finished his drink, wincing as he swallowed the dregs.