Forever Blake (Once Upon a Player Book 3) by Elena Matthews (free books to read .TXT) 📗

on his feet until he sees what’s been keeping my attention all evening.

“Ah, say no more,” he says with a light chuckle under his breath as he turns back to me. “She’s hot, but she’s not your usual type.”

I know this, yet here I am, unable to take my eyes off her. I usually go for tall, brunette, model-type chicks, and the mysterious bartender is the opposite of that with her blonde locks in a ponytail, her casual girl-next-door bar uniform, and her perfect, pale complexion with rosy-pink cheeks. She is also feisty as shit, which I love.

“I think that’s why I like her. My usual type is getting boring. I could do with a new challenge, to be honest,” I tell my brother with a shit-eating grin, keeping my usual arrogant swag in place so he doesn’t see through to my vulnerability.

“Okay, I’ll let you get your flirt on. Will I see you on Sunday for dinner at Mom and Dad’s?”

I nod as I slide out of my seat and stand to my full height. “Hell yes. Mom’s doing her signature barbeque ribs on the grill. Nothing could ever get in the way of ribs.”

He smiles. “Her ribs are the reason I’m going to starve myself until Sunday. I’ll see you then.”

He holds his hand out, and I grip it before pulling him in for a brotherly hug, smacking him on the back as I do.

“Love you, man,” he tells me as we pull apart.

“Love you, too, bro,” I reply before he turns and heads for the exit.

My eyes instinctively fall on mystery chick, and I smile when I see she’s finally on her own behind the bar. Grabbing my empty glass, I make my way over to the bar. She doesn’t seem to notice me at first as she focuses on wiping down the bar, but as I set my glass down in front of her while getting comfortable on a stool, her eyes flash up to mine, and I don’t miss the way her blues softly widen, smiling a smile that literally gives me goose bumps.

“Hey,” I greet with a smile.

“Hi. I thought you had left.”

“No. Unlike everyone else, I can hold my liquor.”

She laughs a little at that. “Maybe if you hadn’t bought two bottles of champagne, they might not have staggered out like they did.”

I nod in agreement. “The champagne was definitely a bad idea.”

“It sounded like you guys were celebrating something special, especially when the jukebox karaoke started.”

I cock my head to the side, chuckling. “You heard that, huh?”

“It was impossible not to. I thought my ears were about to bleed.”

“Mine were,” I admit, and we both start laughing. “If you thought that was bad, you should hear us at Christmas.”

She winces as she grabs hold of my glass. “I think I heard enough.” Her eyes sparkle with a humor that I find sexy as hell. “Do you want another drink?”

“Yes, but under one condition.”

“And what’s that?” she asks, resting her hand on her hip.

“If you join me.”

She pulls her lips into a smirk. “You don’t waste any time, do you?”

I decide to go philosophical on her ass. “Well, we only have one life, and wasting time isn’t something I like doing.” It’s why I’m a lawyer—we get shit done and get it done fast. I’ve never been one to let life slip through my fingers.

She smiles fondly. “I like the philosophy, but why should I join you for a drink?”

“I would like to get to know the woman who’s going to be serving my drinks for the foreseeable future.”

“You don’t even know my name.”

“I don’t care. I’ve only had two conversations with you, and I know I want to have more.”

Her eyes trace over my face for a few long seconds, as she’s obviously deliberating on what she should do. I paste on my most charming smile—you know, in hopes that it sways her decision—and I pray she says yes.

“Well, you’ve definitely made my first Friday shift a little more bearable than I anticipated, so yeah, I’ll have a drink with you. But not right now. I still have an hour until I clock off for the night, and I don’t want to get fired for drinking on the job.”

Just as she says this, Jason, the manager, returns to the bar with a crate full of bottled beer. “Every bartender drinks on the job, darling. How do you think we’re able to handle assholes like this one?” He throws me a pointed look, his lips curved with a smile.

She laughs, amused with our banter.

“You know, I can always stop coming here and start drinking at The Hideout down the block,” I threaten.

Jason just barks out with laughter. “Oh yeah, I’d love to see how long you lasted with their bottom-of-the-barrel beer and honky-tonk crap.”

“Honky-tonk?” the mysterious bartender asks with horror marring her face.

Damn. I really need to get her name.

I roll my eyes. “It isn’t really,” I tell her. “It’s just a standard, run-of-the-mill bar. Jason just hates them because they’re his competition.”

Jason snarls, as if the mention of the bar raises his blood pressure. Then, I decide to take advantage of his hatred.

“If I promise to keep coming here, will you let your new bartender finish early for the night?”

“Blackmail?” she spits out with a chuckle.

Never underestimate a lawyer.

“And what if I say no?” Jason asks.

“You know what happens if you say no, and I know you’d do just about anything not to lose another customer to The Hideout crew.”

He lets out an irritated huff, eyes piercing into mine with mock anger. “Fine, you win.” Then, he turns his attention to her. “Go on. I’ll finish up here.”

“Are you sure?” she asks.

“Yeah. You did good tonight. Go, have fun. Plus, I’ve never seen him like this with a woman before…and let me tell you, there have been a lot of women. I mean, a lot.”

I clear my throat, staring daggers at him. He holds his hands up in defeat, smiling wickedly. My