on it. “I keep it open in case some of my friends pass by.”
“Thanks, man.”
“Sure, no problem,” he said, glancing at Ace one last time. “I’ll send a waitress over to take your order.”
“What the hell was that about?” Reese asked Ace once they were seated. “I was just waiting for the pissing contest.”
“Tenley’s brother is Stacey’s ex,” Rowan explained. “Tenley said it wasn’t serious, but I don’t think Walker likes the idea of Stacey hooking up with our boy here.” Rowan grinned as he slapped Ace on the back.
“I don’t give a shit whether he likes it or not.” Ace glared at Walker’s back as he faced the bar, talking to his sister. “He’s going to have to get used to it.”
“You’re really into this chick, huh?” Reese asked, scrolling through the updates on his phone.
Ace chuckled. “You’ve seen her. Can you blame me?”
Stacey was hot, but Walker was right. She was a sweetheart too. Rowan hoped his best friend realized that and wasn’t treating her like just another groupie.
“Don’t make the same mistake Walker did,” Rowan warned his friend. “Taking her for granted. A woman will only put up with that for so long.”
Before Ace could respond, Maura passed by to take their drink order, flirting with all of them in turn before she put a little swing in her hips as she walked away. Probably wasn’t sure who’d be covering the bill tonight and wanted to hedge her bets by coming on to all of them to ensure a good tip.
“She’s definitely the hottest girlfriend you’ve ever had,” Reese said, watching Tenley pass out drinks while laughing and chatting up her patrons. “I know you’ve dated models and actresses and shit like that, but this one’s the real deal. You can tell there’s nothing fake about her.”
“Except she’s not Rowan’s girlfriend yet,” Ace said, grinning at his friend.
“You think that leaves the door open for me?” Reese asked Ace as though Rowan wasn’t even there.
His brother was just messing with him, but Rowan wasn’t in the mood. Especially since he had to watch that loser from the dealership trying to get her attention while she tried to do her job. “Unless you want to go to work with a black eye tomorrow, I’d keep my mouth shut, little brother.”
“Oh, okay, tough guy,” he said, rolling his eyes with a laugh as the waitress returned with their beers.
“I’m just gonna hit the washroom,” Rowan said, standing. “Be right back.”
Ace grabbed Rowan’s arm. “Don’t do anything stupid. You just got her talking to you again. Let’s keep it that way.”
“Don’t worry. I’ve got this.” Of course Rowan had to make a pit stop at the bar just to let her friend know he had his eye on him. “Hey, beautiful,” he said, winking at her.
To his surprise, she leaned over the bar to kiss his cheek. “This is a nice surprise. You guys had nothing better to do tonight?”
“It occurred to me you hadn’t officially met my brother yet.” Rowan hooked his thumb over his shoulder. “It’s not like you’re missing much, but still, pass by if you get a minute.”
“I definitely will,” she said, smiling. “Uh, Andrew, you remember my friend Rowan, don’t you?”
Friend. Ugh. There was that goddamn word again. But since she probably would have used more colorful language to describe him a few days ago, Rowan wasn’t going to complain.
“Hey,” Rowan said, nodding at him.
Normally when he sized up his competition, he was on the mound getting ready to do battle. In that case, he knew if he lost, he’d walk away with hurt pride, but at least he’d get another chance to make it right. If he lost Tenley to this guy, he had a feeling the loss would be immeasurable.
“Hey,” Andrew said, reaching for his drink. “I’ll be back, Tenley. Gotta make a call.”
She was trying to keep a straight face as she wiped down the bar with a damp rag. “I’m impressed, Row. You really have learned your
“Thanks, man.”
“Sure, no problem,” he said, glancing at Ace one last time. “I’ll send a waitress over to take your order.”
“What the hell was that about?” Reese asked Ace once they were seated. “I was just waiting for the pissing contest.”
“Tenley’s brother is Stacey’s ex,” Rowan explained. “Tenley said it wasn’t serious, but I don’t think Walker likes the idea of Stacey hooking up with our boy here.” Rowan grinned as he slapped Ace on the back.
“I don’t give a shit whether he likes it or not.” Ace glared at Walker’s back as he faced the bar, talking to his sister. “He’s going to have to get used to it.”
“You’re really into this chick, huh?” Reese asked, scrolling through the updates on his phone.
Ace chuckled. “You’ve seen her. Can you blame me?”
Stacey was hot, but Walker was right. She was a sweetheart too. Rowan hoped his best friend realized that and wasn’t treating her like just another groupie.
“Don’t make the same mistake Walker did,” Rowan warned his friend. “Taking her for granted. A woman will only put up with that for so long.”
Before Ace could respond, Maura passed by to take their drink order, flirting with all of them in turn before she put a little swing in her hips as she walked away. Probably wasn’t sure who’d be covering the bill tonight and wanted to hedge her bets by coming on to all of them to ensure a good tip.
“She’s definitely the hottest girlfriend you’ve ever had,” Reese said, watching Tenley pass out drinks while laughing and chatting up her patrons. “I know you’ve dated models and actresses and shit like that, but this one’s the real deal. You can tell there’s nothing fake about her.”
“Except she’s not Rowan’s girlfriend yet,” Ace said, grinning at his friend.
“You think that leaves the door open for me?” Reese asked Ace as though Rowan wasn’t even there.
His brother was just messing with him, but Rowan wasn’t in the mood. Especially since he had to watch that loser from the dealership trying to get her attention while she tried to do her job. “Unless you want to go to work with a black eye tomorrow, I’d keep my mouth shut, little brother.”
“Oh, okay, tough guy,” he said, rolling his eyes with a laugh as the waitress returned with their beers.
“I’m just gonna hit the washroom,” Rowan said, standing. “Be right back.”
Ace grabbed Rowan’s arm. “Don’t do anything stupid. You just got her talking to you again. Let’s keep it that way.”
“Don’t worry. I’ve got this.” Of course Rowan had to make a pit stop at the bar just to let her friend know he had his eye on him. “Hey, beautiful,” he said, winking at her.
To his surprise, she leaned over the bar to kiss his cheek. “This is a nice surprise. You guys had nothing better to do tonight?”
“It occurred to me you hadn’t officially met my brother yet.” Rowan hooked his thumb over his shoulder. “It’s not like you’re missing much, but still, pass by if you get a minute.”
“I definitely will,” she said, smiling. “Uh, Andrew, you remember my friend Rowan, don’t you?”
Friend. Ugh. There was that goddamn word again. But since she probably would have used more colorful language to describe him a few days ago, Rowan wasn’t going to complain.
“Hey,” Rowan said, nodding at him.
Normally when he sized up his competition, he was on the mound getting ready to do battle. In that case, he knew if he lost, he’d walk away with hurt pride, but at least he’d get another chance to make it right. If he lost Tenley to this guy, he had a feeling the loss would be immeasurable.
“Hey,” Andrew said, reaching for his drink. “I’ll be back, Tenley. Gotta make a call.”
She was trying to keep a straight face as she wiped down the bar with a damp rag. “I’m impressed, Row. You really have learned your
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