Don flicks his head at me. “Last chance, doll.” He flicks his room key at me, hitting me in the chest.
Zack manages to get between Cole and Don in a flash. “Easy, Logan,” he says calmly then turns to Don.
“I’m going to give you exactly one minute to leave this bar before the Green Beret behind me bends you small enough to fit inside your scotch glass.” Don looks up at Cole. “I’ve heard you’ve been making trouble for my staff, and I’ve let it go because they’ve been handling it, but what you just did there was crossing the line. Get out, and don’t show your face in here again.”
“Are you kidding me? Do you have any idea how much money I spend here?” Don grumbles, grabbing his jacket. I hand him his card and his bill to sign.
“I don’t care. Don’t need your money,” Zack says, pointing to the door. “Leave.”
Don looks over at me and grabs his crotch, making a total ass out of himself. “Your loss, doll. Could’ve been epic.”
Cole starts to move, but Zack grabs Don by the jacket, yanking him toward the door.
“Always exciting since you started working here, Savi.” Jake laughs, trying to bring the tension level down a little. “Here.” He sets my things down on the bar top. “Graham is waiting for me. I’ll call you tomorrow.” He gives me a quick hug, says bye to Cole, and heads out front.
“You done?” Cole asks, shrugging on his jacket. I can feel the anger pouring off him. I want to kick Don’s ass for putting him in this mood. I switch my shoes, tug on my jacket, and grab my bag, coming around to meet him on the other side of the bar. “Come here.” He pulls me over, wrapping his arms around me. “I love you.” He kisses my head and lets out a long sigh. “More than anything.”
“I love you too,” I whisper.
Back at my apartment, I snuggle deeper under my blanket on the couch. Cole is next to me while we watchZero Dark Thirty.I ask a few questions about how real certain parts are. Kind of neat asking someone who really knows the truth. “Are you upset you’re not there?” I ask guiltily.
He shifts from behind me. “A little, yes. I get a high from the hunt.” His hand slides over my stomach. “But I’d be craving to be right here the whole time, and that would endanger the team.” My hand covers his. “I know you’re scared, baby, and we have some things that need to be dealt with before we can move forward, but we’ll do it together, all right?”
I turn, loving his words. I reach up and run my fingers over his stubble. “All right.”
“All right?” he asks as if he’d been waiting for a fight.
I nod with a smile. “I won’t lie. I am scared, but if I know I have you with me, then I’ll be all right.”
He leans down, capturing my lips and giving me one hell of a kiss. I have to push him away when my phone goes off and won’t stop ringing.
“Hello?”
“Hey, honey.”
I mouth ‘it’s your mother’ to Cole. He nods and looks back at the movie.
“Sorry for calling so late. I was wondering if you’re free tomorrow. I was hoping we could all have dinner at the house. What with you working then having the flu, I thought since you’re feeling better now, we could get together.”
“Sure. I’d love that. I could trade shifts with someone. I could do the morning instead—”
“Actually…” She pauses, then there’s a strange noise.
“You have the night off, Savi,” Zack says into the phone. “Go spend time with your family.” I laugh and glance up at Cole, who looks at me oddly.
“Thanks, Zack, I appreciate it.”
“Sure thing.”
“Hope that was all right,” Sue says, feeling me out. “Daniel and I just ran into him.”
I smile. “Of course. I’m looking forward to tomorrow.”
“Wonderful. Me too. Either Mike or I will come pick you up whenever you’re ready.”
“Okay, thanks. Bye, Sue.”
I slide my phone on the table and snuggle back into my warm spot. My apartment can be so cold sometimes. Cole’s hand immediately lands on my belly. I sigh, thinking how lovely it feels.