Chapter 5

The Present

"Heard you got yourself a new girl?" Greg arches an eyebrow at me, curious. "Want to tell me when that happened? Didn't realize you were capable of keeping one."

I sigh. I just got here and he's already giving me a hard time – I don't know how Jay put up with him all day, every day. "Don't be that guy. It's been a rough couple of years for me."

"That always gonna be your excuse?" he asks, point-blank. I now see why he gets along so well with Grey and Jay. All three say it like it is.

I shrug. "For however long I need it to be."

I've tried picking myself up from the ground but it's not possible. Everything I was and used to stand for is no longer. And, lately, everything hurts.

"So...Bell wasn't kidding?" he changes the subject after seeing how his words are affecting me. "You really do have a new girlfriend?"

I grin slightly at the thought. "I don't think so. The girl is nuts, like 'Aqueela nuts'," I tell him.

I've had some time to come to my senses since meeting that bag of crazy. As much as I find AJ intriguing, she doesn't even stay in Minnesota. It's a relationship that is bound to end badly and I'm not investing in it when I already know that it won't work.

Greg lets out a low whistle before chuckling. "That bad?"

I nod. "Yeah, dude, that bad."

"So, you're not gonna make a go of it?" he asks, pressing for more information.

I shake my head. "Not worth the drama. She lives in New York anyway. I don't feel like losing another Aqueela when she leaves...and she will."

"Why still so attached to Aqueela?" Greg frowns, noticing a common pattern in my thoughts. "You remember she was Jay's girl, right?"

Wouldn't dare forget it.

"You know it's not like that." I shake my head, attempting to convince him of the truth. "When I met Aqueela, I'd just lost the girl I was going to marry. After I caught my ex cheating, things just went from bad to worse. I lost my life because it revolved around one person. Because of her, I threw in the towel and stopped caring. But Aqueela gave it all back to me. She restored everything I lost. You want a real friend, you'll find it in her. You'll find it in the people around her."

"Bex, was it?" he asks while busying himself with the making of some more drinks for his customers. "She the one who you used to date?"

"How'd you know?" I don't remember telling him her name.

"You complain about her a lot when you're drunk," he answers, amused. "Which is often, by the way." He slides a shot glass my way. "Figured you could use a drink." He sees my face. "I mean, it's been a rough couple of years, right?"

I grin, not thinking twice before downing the shot. "Didn't think you listened?"

"All ears," he taps his left ear before smirking at me.

I shake my head, suppressing a grin.

"Guys," one of Greg's annoying regulars interrupts us, desperate, "how do I look?"

Like crap...and that's me putting it nicely.

"Wasted," Greg answers him bluntly.

The regular rolls his eyes at him. "I'm serious, Greg."

"So am I, Mike," Greg replies smoothly.

Mike scowls at him before frantically combing his blonde hair to the side with his fingers. He turns to me instead. "No homo, but how do I look?"

I flash him a thumbs-up, uninterested in whatever the hell is happening. I've learned that showing interest automatically involves you and I hate being involved. Don't invite me to be involved in things.

"Why so eager anyway?" Greg asks, stupidly showing interest -- he has much to learn.

"Hot brunette," the guy answers before spinning back around to face the entrance where, in fact, a hot brunette is standing. "I got dibs," he warns us, suddenly standing up straighter in a dumb attempt to intimidate us.

I scoff and turn to face Greg, avoiding her gaze. "She's following me now?" I mutter to myself, preparing to bolt faster than Usain Bolt.

"Why are you complaining?" Greg asks in disbelief, his eyes tracking AJ's every move. "Assuming that is your 'new' girl?"

"Because she doesn't catch hints," I answer, ducking my head so that she can't spot me.

Mike doesn't hear us. He's already approaching AJ. He, among the rest of the guys here, have noticed her. It's unsurprising considering she lucked out in the genes department. I used to think Bex was beautiful but she has nothing on AJ.

"Why would you send a girl, as gorgeous as that, hints? Assuming they're 'leave me alone' hints," Greg questions, confused.

"They are," I confirm. They definitely are 'leave me the hell alone' hints.

Greg merely shakes his head in response. "I've seen a lot of good-looking girls in all my years of owning this bar but that girl probably tops most of them."

I'm not blind. I know she's extremely attractive. What Greg and the others don't know is that she's two sandwiches short of a picnic.

I tap my fingers on my knee, agitated. I have to sneak out of here but I already know that Greg won't let me out the back. This is too fun for him.

As expected, it doesn't take AJ long to politely turn Mike down, seeing as she's obsessed with me, and it doesn't take Greg long to sell me out. Next thing I know, he's waving her over and gesturing to me repeatedly.

For a second, I fall into some kind of trance and watch her walk in my direction, her hips swaying.

I come to my senses and lean my forehead on the bar counter, trying to magically disappear. I don't appreciate her making me go into some lovestruck daze.

I don't miss the looks of envy crossing the other guys' eyes while she keeps her attention fixated on me.

Sensing her presence, I turn my head sideways and reluctantly stare up at her. She's wearing a denim skirt and a thin, strappy shirt that covers only half of her stomach. Her brunette waves fall over her shoulders effortlessly as her blue eyes narrow in on me. Her full, pink lips twist up into a frown at seeing me trying to escape her gaze.

Even when she's furious, she's hot.

Either she's insane or I'm insane. No sane guy would turn her down yet here I am, planning to do exactly that.

"You've been ignoring my calls," is the first sentence to leave her lips. "You've been avoiding me. Luckily, Sash told me you'd be here."

"Have I?" I question sarcastically, still wondering how she got my number. And when did she and Sash get all cozy? "I didn't realize it," I lie.

A few bystanders drop a whistle upon hearing my comment and at seeing me humiliate her.

I smirk in pride, grinning at them, just before being hit through the face -- hard!

"Oooh!" the bystanders chorus shamelessly, having nothing better to do. Can they not pick a side?!

I lift a hand to my stinging cheek in disbelief.

Did that just happen?

I underestimated her. I'm clearly in over my head here.

Greg takes one look at her before making up his mind. "Benley, I said this to Jay once and I was right, and now I'm saying it you too, she's a keeper."

I sigh, my gaze straying down to her bronze skin, her flat stomach distracting me.

She clicks her fingers in front of my face in an effort to get my focus again. "You owe me an apology for making me come in here. This place is full of sleazebags," she says to me.

"Offense taken," I retort, snapping my gaze back up to her face. I'm the exception to all these sleazebags.

"Plus," she pauses as she touches the top of the bar counter, inspecting it, "it's also filthy."

"I was wrong," Greg chimes in, now also offended, "get rid of her."

If only it were that easy...

"What do you think I've been trying to do?!" I ask him in exasperation.

AJ clearly takes offense, everyone taking offense and being offended and it makes me feel all the more American. She grabs me by the ear and begins pulling me out of the bar.

"You and I, Mister, are gonna have a talk."

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