Their women—Brooke and Iris. Though maybe more accurate would be to say that Kace and Brent were their men. Because those men no longer held their own hearts. They’d trusted them into Brooke and Iris’s safekeeping.
It was great. I was happy for them.
But also . . . it wasn’t for me.
I wasn’t looking for a happy ending. I just wanted a safe place. I wanted to make a living and not rely on anyone else. I wanted to control my temper so I didn’t dump a Cosmopolitan on the lap of a handsy customer and instead carefully dissuaded him from being an asshole.
Okay, that last one was a lie.
I definitely didn’t mind dumping cocktails on handsy fucking customers, especially when those customers had an open tab I could charge said cocktail to.
I kind of liked being an asshole.
Just slightly less than I liked the crew inside. So, I wasn’t looking for an exit, an escape from the love and the happily ever afters inside. Rather, I’d offered to go in and meet the alcohol delivery at Bobby’s the next morning, to save the lovebirds from an early morning.
Which meant it was time for me to go.
I fumbled with the knob, shifting the containers to grab it then failing, then lifting a foot and trying to use that to close the door.
Newsflash. I wasn’t a member of Cirque de Soleil and so it didn’t work.
Sighing, I bent to place the containers down, something I should have just done in the first place.
Always trying to take the easy way out, Anna. Sometimes it’s better to just take the hard one from the beginning.
“Thanks, Mom,” I muttered under my breath.
Ten years gone and still chastising me from the wrong side of the grave.
Still never failed to make me smile.
She would like my friends.
“Don’t.”
I stopped mid-bend at the male voice.
“I’ve got it.”
Tall. Really tall. Dark hair with a reddish tint. Olive skin. Bright blue eyes. And, oh NBD, maybe also the most handsome man I’d ever met.
I swallowed hard then frowned when he reached past me to close the door.
Then frowned harder when he rang the doorbell.
“Um,” I began, wanting to ask him what in the ever-loving-fuck he was doing. But the doorbell had been rung and footsteps approached, and the wooden panel swung back open to reveal Brooke standing on the threshold, smile wide. “Did you forget something, An . . . a . . . belle?”
The smile faded from Brooke’s face.
Her olive skin went pale.
Her eyes widened. Her eyes . . . that were the same shape as those of the man towering over me on the porch.
Kace came up behind her. “Everything okay—”
Brooke didn’t answer him, just reached a hand out as though she expected to encounter a ghost, her voice shaking when she spoke.
“Hayden?”
On The Rocks
On The Rocks is coming September 27th, 2020. Preorder your copy at www.books2read.com/OnTheRocksEF
Love After Midnight
Rum and Notes
Virgin Daiquiri
On The Rocks
Also by Elise Faber
Billionaire’s Club (all stand alone)
Bad Night Stand
Bad Breakup
Bad Husband
Bad Hookup
Bad Divorce
Bad Fiancé
Bad Boyfriend
Bad Blind Date
Bad Wedding (July 19th, 2020)
Bad Engagement (October 12th, 2020)
Love, Action, Camera (all stand alone)
Dotted Line
Action Shot
Close-Up
End Scene
Love After Midnight (all stand alone)
Rum and Notes
Virgin Daiquiri
On The Rocks (September 27th, 2020)
Gold Hockey (all stand alone)
Blocked
Backhand
Boarding
Benched
Breakaway
Breakout
Checked
Coasting
Centered
Life Sucks Series (all stand alone)
Train Wreck
Hot Mess (August 3rd)
Roosevelt Ranch Series (all stand alone, series complete)
Disaster at Roosevelt Ranch
Heartbreak at Roosevelt Ranch
Collision at Roosevelt Ranch
Regret at Roosevelt Ranch
Desire at Roosevelt Ranch
Phoenix Series (read in order)
Phoenix Rising
Dark Phoenix
Phoenix Freed
Phoenix: LexTal Chronicles (rereleasing soon, stand alone, Phoenix world)
From Ashes
In Flames
To Smoke
KTS Series
Fire and Ice (Hurt Anthology, stand alone)
Stand Alones
Someday, Maybe (YA)
About the Author
USA Today bestselling author, Elise Faber, loves chocolate, Star Wars, Harry Potter, and hockey (the order depending on the day and how well her team -- the Sharks! -- are playing). She and her husband also play as much hockey as they can squeeze into their schedules, so much so that their typical date night is spent on the ice. Elise changes her hair color more often than some people change their socks, loves sparkly things, and is the mom to two exuberant boys. She lives in Northern California. Connect with her in her Facebook group, the Fabinators or find more information about her books at www.elisefaber.com.
