Page 42 of Of Course, Cutie
I snorted into my hand and turned away.
“Stock. I said stock. What were you thinking, Sienna? Got something else on your mind?” Charlie grinned at her and turned to walk away. “Bye, Burke!” She gave me a sweet smile, and I watched her ass all the way to the front door.
Sienna cleared her throat. Shit. She saw me staring at Charlie’s ass. I glanced over at her, but she was looking down at the kegs, with her cheeks turning slightly pink. “We haven’t seen each other for three days,” she mumbled, still keeping her eyes down.
I laughed and held up my hands. “Hey, I’m not judging.”
Sienna smoothed her long, dark hair and let out a deep breath. “I swear we don’t do this all the time.”
“Right.”
“Cool. So let’s move on from that.”
“I’d like nothing more.” I laughed and went back to my prep work.
She bent to grab the crate of clean napkins and set it on the bar. Evan made his way out of the backroom next, stopping to press a quick kiss to the side of Sienna’s head before slipping past me. "Oh, Burke, I forgot to tell you. Marla said a hot blonde was in here asking about you this weekend. She left her info for Marla to pass on to you. It’s by the register.” Evan grinned at me and patted the bar, then walked toward the entrance. He sat at his usual table, near the stage, to make his phone calls.
Sienna watched me with curious eyes while I continued my prep work. “You’re not even going look at the number?” She gestured toward the register.
I glanced over at her while I sliced limes. “Nope. I’m not interested.”
“Huh, do you ever call any of the women that hit on you?”
“Nope.”
“Wow. Okay. Why not?” Sienna folded a napkin.
I rubbed my beard. “I’m not interested in the kind of woman that drunkenly leaves a phone number for a stranger.”
Sienna nodded. “Hmm…Well, I mean, keep smiling at them cause you’re keeping this bar full,” she teased.
“I don’t smile at anyone.”
“Ah, that’s it then. Keep brooding at them.” Sienna laughed and folded another napkin, then shot me a curious look. What was she thinking? Had she noticed the way Charlie and I looked at each other? Did she suspect something?
How much longer could Charlie and I keep this to ourselves?
20
Charlie
I walked into my English class on the first day of the new semester and slid into a desk near the back. This class would be easy. I could pull thought-provoking research papers out of my ass like it was nothing. I might be able to skip this class pretty often and still squeeze out a B.
As I pulled my laptop from my backpack, someone stood directly in front of my desk and said, “No shit! Anna? Or should I say Charlotte?”
I glanced up at the vaguely familiar face in front of me. Ah. Basketball Jersey, from Matteo’s Halloween party. “Uh. Neither. Charlie.” I couldn’t remember the guy’s name, but I didn’t ask.
“Charlie. Sure, okay.” He slid into the desk next to me. “You ghosted me so hard at that party.”
“Did I? I thought you had to be kind of dating someone to ghost them.” I pulled out the notebook Burke made for me and couldn’t help but smile.
Basketball Jersey laughed. “I was trying to date you! The offer is still on the table, beautiful.”
“Wow. Thank you.” I deadpanned and stared straight ahead, waiting for the professor to begin his lecture. He sat behind the desk at the front of the room, staring at his laptop with a bored expression. It looked like he was in no hurry to get this semester rolling.
“So what are you doing this weekend? Your friend throwing any more parties?” Basketball Jersey leaned in and smirked at me. God, did that smirk actually work with girls? I guessed not if he was still single over two months later.
I met his flirty gaze for a minute and replied. “No, the little gay brown dude has a date with his new boyfriend this weekend. And I’ll be busy with mine.” I gave him a pointed look and turned back to face the professor. Any time now, teach. Go ahead and start the class.
