Page 20 of Her Filthy Grump
The bar is packed at ten o’clock. From the parking lot I can hear the screeching of guitar notes. When I open the door, the music and customer chatter bellows out into the night. It’s like stepping into a kaleidoscope of colors, movement, and sounds. One thing they do big in Meadow Bay is Friday night.
On the dance floor, bodies jump and shake as the DJ switches to another song. I was going to meet Cole for a drink, but he ditched me at the last minute. I’d debated staying home, but the twelve hundred square foot house was starting to close in on me. And I need a drink.
All the tables and booths are full, so I weave my way through the crowd to the bar. When I’m a couple of feet from an open stool, I stop. Auburn hair cascades down the back of a woman as she laughs at something the female sitting next to her says.
The curve of Layla’s cheek when she smiles causes my heart to clench.Fuck.I grab my chest and inhale a sharp breath.
Don’t die of a heart attack.I shake my head.You’re not fucking dying. Stop being dramatic.
The two women jerk their heads around and gawk. Layla’s eyes are soft as her gaze darts over me while her friend pokes her in the ribs with her elbow and gives me a leering once over.
“Hey, Kameron.” Layla’s face reddens to match her hair.
A man with dark hair and a bushy beard takes the open spot I’d been eyeing.
“Layla.” My voice is gruffer than I expected, so I clear my throat.
“Hello, handsome.” The other woman stands and offers her hand. “You must be the gorgeous new fireman Layla was telling me about.”
“Shit.” Layla’s eyes shrink into little slits as she shoots imaginary daggers at her friend.
“I’m Harbor Slater. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” She licks her red painted lips and leans closer. “Take my seat. I have to go to the ladies’ room, and this place is packed tonight.”
“I can stand.”
“Take my fucking seat.” Her jaw clenches as her eyes turn into miniscule slits.
“Ah, sure.”Lord, she’s a feisty one.
Once she leaves, I glance at Layla out of the corner of my eye. “Your friend is….”
She arches an eyebrow. “Bossier than you?”
“Yeah.” Layla and Harbor seem to be night and day different. Layla’s soft and gentle, and Harbor’s the kind of girl who grabs life by the balls. Those kind of women are too abrasive for my taste. While Layla is….
Stop thinking about how perfect she is. You aren’t staying for the long haul, and you know that no one’s that good.
“Take a seat.” The corner of her mouth tilts upward. “I don’t bite.”
“Fine.” I slip into the open space and wave the bartender over. Seconds later, he plops the draft beer in front of me. The head of foam is deep and thick.
“Harbor’s the middle child with two older brothers and two younger brothers. She doesn’t take shit from anyone.”
“Ah.” I nod. “That explains it. I’m the oldest, and I only have one sister. She’s second to the youngest. She’s tough as nails herself.”
“Do you miss them?” She adjusts her top to de-emphasize her assets. She doesn’t seem the type to operate in the ‘look at me’ category of women.
I shrug. “Sure.”
Before I can say any more, the DJ switches to a louder song, and I lean closer. Big mistake. My nose fills with her scent, and my brain goes haywire along with the rest of my body. Ignore it. You’ve been around attractive women before.
She cocks her head, and her eyebrows raise. “Why did you move here?” Her voice is hard to hear over the music.
Does she want to know, or is she killing time? “Bad breakup.” I’m not here to tell her my sob story. I take a large drink of beer and let the cold liquid drain down my throat.
“I’m sorry.” She places her delicate hand on my forearm, and it feels like a raging inferno branding me.
“It’s fine. We weren’t meant to be.”She wasn’t who I thought she was.I cringe. Who did I think she was when I started dating her?