I down the rest of my beer and set the empty bottle on the bar. I grab cash out of my wallet and set it down. The last thing I need is for Carlos to see me blushing because of the thoughts I’m having about him.
Home. That’s where I need to be. Sliding out of the barstool, I rush out the door with my name on Carlos’s lips following after me.
14
Carlos
She left.Just like that. In a middle of a conversation. The only thing I can think of is something with her son. It’s all I can think about this morning.
“Did you call her?” Eric asks from the other side of the bar.
“I text her last night, but she may have already been in bed.” Angie did me a solid and told me to leave after the lunch rush. “I plan on calling her again when I get off work. We didn’t finalize our date.”
“No offense, man,” Eric holds up one hand. The other is holding a broom. “But I’m wondering if she’s even into you. I know you like her, but is she worth all this trouble?”
“She has a lot on her mind.” We finish cleaning up the area and I flip the sign over to open. Patrick is in the kitchen, preparing his menu, and it smells delicious. “You know you don’t have to be here this morning, right? You work until close tonight.”
“It’s not like I have anything better to do. The more money I can make, the sooner I can move out of my apartment.” He leans against the bar after putting the broom away. “I need my own place.”
“Take it from someone who knows, don’t burn yourself out.”
“Okay, Dad,” he rolls his eyes, “up until a couple of days ago, you were doing the same thing.”
“Yeah, well. Maybe if I didn’t work so much, I wouldn’t have waited so long to ask Caroline out.”
“You mean, if we hadn’t pestered you?”
“Maybe,” I shrug. Grabbing the towel off one of the tables, I wipe the bar down one last time. I hear music come over the speakers, at a much lower volume than we play it at night, and I know Eric has taken care of that.
The door opens and I glance up. A part of me really hoped it would be Caroline, but it’s not. It’s the last person I want to see, and I don’t know if I can keep my cool.
Nathan enters the bar with a different girl on his arm. From what Caroline has told me, I don’t see how he can hop from girl to girl. He didn’t seem very attentive to her and I can’t imagine that’s changed much.
Eric looks to me when he realizes who it is, and his eyes widen. But he swoops in. “Can I get y’all a table?”
“For two.” He doesn’t bother looking at Eric, and continues looking at his phone. His friend tugs on his arm, and he shoves the phone in his pocket to follow Eric to a table on the opposite side of the room. But he catches sight of me and stops in his tracks. “Hey, you’re Caroline’s new boyfriend, right?”
He doesn’t deserve an answer, it’s none of his business. If he can have whatever relationships he does, she’s allowed too as well. But I nod my answer. “I am.”
“Huh. I didn’t actually believe it when she said y’all were a couple. You both looked like deer caught in headlights.” He shakes his head and finally allows his friend to pull him toward the table Eric is already standing at. “I hope you can get her to live a little.”
That comment alone makes me want to jump over the bar and regret uttering the words. I can’t, though. My name is on the company documents, and I don’t want to cause trouble for Angie. My fists clench at my sides, and I take a few deep breaths to calm myself down.
Seeing him size me up from his table, while parading different women in here, isn’t making it easy. “Hey, Boss,” Eric whispers from the front of the bar. “Are you okay?”
Releasing my fists, I nod. “Yeah. Can you handle up here? I need to go to the office before I do something I’ll regret.”
“Sure thing. Delilah should be in soon, and she can help with any other customers who come in.”
“Thanks.” With every passing day this kid works here, he’s definitely earning that assistant manager title. His ability to read situations on the fly is exactly what we need.
My steps are slow as I walk to the office. I don’t want that douche thinking I’m running away. No, I have a new plan. I’ll show Caroline that I’m nothing like that arrogant ass.
Work flew by after that little incident. I managed to stay in the office and away from Caroline’s jerk of an ex-husband until he left. Eric let me know when the coast was clear. I do feel like a coward for retreating, but it was what was best. As much of an ass as he is, he’s still the father of her child. Even if he’s not around his son, I’m not going to be that guy that puts more unnecessary strain on their already fragile relationship.
It’s already close to five, and I’m pacing my living room. Some movie is on in the background. I don’t even know what it is. I just needed a distraction so I wouldn’t be checking my phone every five seconds. She still hasn’t answered my text from last night. Deep down, I wonder if she’s always going to be a flight risk. Hell, I don’t even know what I did that would have scared her off.
My phone rings and I stop in my tracks. Turning, I pick it up from the coffee table and don’t bother seeing who it is. “Hello.”