“Tell that to Charlie and River.” Brushing past her, he threw open his closet and pulled out a perfectly pressed T-shirt and flannel pajama pants.
“That’s different.”
He whirled on her and glared. “How, exactly?”
Good question. Charlie came back to Tacoma in December to care for her dad, whose leg was mashed in a car crash. She stepped in to cover for their absent head server and ended up staying. Now she and River, Bangers’ hot blond bartender, were a giddy, giggly couple, despite the occasional squabble at work.
“Here’s how.” She ticked off on her fingers. “Charlie does website design, so she doesn’t need her job at Bangers to survive. And River’s a fantastic bartender, so if they break up, any bar would be glad to have him.” Whereas she would never find another boss like Dawn, who let her schedule shifts around her search for a tattoo apprenticeship. She needed all of that—her work family, her flexibility, and the damn good tips she earned at Bangers. She couldn’t afford to screw this up.
Eddie’s chin dipped, and his voice lost its sharp edge. “You’re a fantastic server. Any bar would be glad to have you.”
This was so hard! She should’ve listened to Dawn. But she had plenty of time to kick herself later. Right now, she needed to extricate herself from Eddie’s apartment.
“Thank you, Eddie. And I’m really sorry. I acted without thinking—my specialty. I never meant to hurt you.” Or myself.
He tilted his head and regarded her like some tricky puzzle he was determined to solve. “Why did you?”
“Hook up with you?” She shrugged. “I wanted to. I was a little drunk. You’re so cute and quiet, and I wanted to see what’s behind that brick wall you carry around.”
“But you didn’t like what you found?”
Her hand twitched toward his. She forced it back down. “I did, actually. A lot. But now isn’t the time for me to be starting something with a new guy.”
“With me, you mean.”
She stomped her foot. “With anyone, Eddie!” She pointed from her chest to his. “See, this is why we could never work. You’re so closed off and suspicious. I’m telling you the truth, okay? I like you, just—”
“Just not enough.” He raised both palms. “Okay. If that’s how you feel, I won’t bother you anymore.” His voice rasped like a rusty hinge.
Tears blurred her vision. “I’m so sorry, Eddie.”
He squared his shoulders and flashed a wry half-grin. “Don’t be. Last night was more fun than I’ve had in a long time. But I really do have brunch with my parents, so let’s end this.” He lifted his chin and thrust out his hand. “Friends?”
A hot tear dribbled down her cheek. “Friends.” She clasped his hand tight, knowing if he pulled her in for a comforting hug, she’d lose it. She’d take back everything she said and dive in with both feet.
But he just walked her to the door, pecked her cheek, and let her go.
****
Rather than watch Rosie walk out his door, Eddie turned his back and started washing their dirty glasses. The front door clicked open, then she squeaked like a dog’s chew toy. He whirled. “Rosie? You okay?”
She’d frozen in the door frame, clutching her coat to her chest. On the landing stood his grandmother holding a tray.
“Babka!” He rushed to the doorway and stepped in front of Rosie. “What are you—”
“Surprise, lapochka!” With her ample hip, she nudged him aside and strode through the door, a woman on a mission. “You missed the big family party in Seattle last night, so Dedka and I came down to toast the new year with you.” She set the tray on his kitchen counter and pinched his cheek. “My hard-working boy.” Leaning past him, she winked at Rosie. “Always working, this one. But I guess you know that, Miss…?”
Rosie croaked as if she’d swallowed her tongue.
Babka poked his ribs with her sharp elbow. “Why didn’t you tell us about your new girlfriend?” In his grandparents’ old-school world, overnight guest equaled serious relationship, not one-shot misadventure. What a freakin’ disaster.
“Babka, this is Rosie Chu, my friend from work.” A truthful statement, sort of. Hopefully, he and Rosie could get back to being friends someday, once they moved past this awkwardness—maybe in a few months, when the memories of their dead-end passion faded.
Right, like that’s gonna happen.
Beaming, Babka flung her arms around Rosie’s middle and squeezed tight. “Such a gorgeous girl. Welcome to the family, sweetheart.”
Rosie’s mouth opened and closed like a startled goldfish. “I, er…” Her wide-eyed gaze met his over the top of Babka’s snow-white head.
“Please,” he silently mouthed, then raised his voice. “Rosie was just leaving. She has a family thing.”
Babka grabbed Rosie’s hand and patted it. “Family is so important, especially on the holidays. You’re what, Korean? How does your family celebrate the new year, darling?”
Great. Let the interrogation begin.
“I’m half Chinese,” Rosie said, “but we just have a normal American brunch—eggs, hash browns…”
Babka gave a conspiratorial wink. “To tell you the truth, not many of us Volkovs even speak Russian anymore. But we still like our Russian traditions. I made pelmenyi—little meat dumplings. Chinese people love dumplings, right? Come try one before you go.”
“Babka—”
With a dismissive wave, she trotted to the door. “Oh, I almost forgot.” She pulled his little moleskin notebook from her skirt pocket. “Found this on the landing.”
Relief duked it out with panic as he tucked the notebook into his pocket. If his sharp-eyed grandmother looked between the covers, she’d have questions about his lists of bar equipment, cocktail recipes, sketches of floor plans…
“Both of you, downstairs. Everyone’s waiting.” Babka flashed a grin over her shoulder. “Hurry before Dedka gobbles all the herring.” The door closed behind her
