He hummed but soon his hazel eyes turned up with the appearance of his smile. “Speaking of a certain family. What’s up with you and Fernandez?”
“Alta?” I asked, blood running hot at the mention of her name. Damn, I was trying to forget her today, because all thoughts of her led to thoughts of that kiss that led to thoughts of what I wanted to do with her the next time I—I cleared my throat. “What about her?”
He snorted. “Smooth man, truly.”
“What?” I straightened. “She helps out at the shop. What more is there to say?”
“You can say why you were going to bite my head off for her the other day.” He smiled. “You could also explain why the fuck you were watching her like a guard dog on the clock.”
“I watch out for my people, that’s all that is,” I said. I heard the bullshit as it left my mouth, but what else was I supposed to say? It wasn’t like we were together, I had barely gotten her to smile at mein a year. And now I’d all but offered myself on a pyre just for a touch. So really whatcouldI say?
I’m a common person seeking the touch of an angel?Check.
I’m desperate and she’s too good for me?Check.
I’d be happy with scraps if that’s all she gave me?Check, check, and check.
Nope. I couldn’t tell him what I couldn’t even tell her. So I was just left with silence between us. Clay’s stare was loud enough, practically screaming that he was onto my bullshit. “Yeah, alright. Just be careful. You’re messing with Seaside’s sweetheart right there. You mess up with her and her family will have your ass.”
“Yeah?” I asked. “They’re pretty protective?”
It’s not like I needed an answer to that. I’d seen the way her brother stepped in front of her when he thought I was a mere stranger on the street. I also noticed the constant text breaks to check in with this brother or that sister. The stolen calls with her mom or dad. They loved her something fierce, even though that love was suffocating the shit out of her.
“Damn right,” he said.
“And what’s she to you?” I couldn’t stop myself from asking it. I remembered the way he’d slung his arm around her shoulder at the festival. The familiar way in which they spoke. I had to know.
He smiled. Cat meet canary. “I watch out for my people too, and lately I’ve had to add a few more to the list.”
I nodded. Message received.“Brother in law of sorts,”apparently meant he wasn’t going to stop me, but he cared about her enough to warn me. Good, I guess.
“You know you’re an asshole for calling her Atlas, right?” I said. He laughed instantly, his head tipping back in amusement. I shook my head. “A fucking menace, Ferguson.”
“Yeah well, she told me to fuck off now,” he shrugged.
I doubted that’s what she said. I actually think I’d heard the word‘please’come out her mouth—We’d have to work on that, butit was a good enough start. “Damn right she did. Are you going to listen?”
He twisted his mouth, tilting his head and looking up his shoulder at me. “See for yourself. We all have dinner sometimes or just hang out. You should come by.”
My throat stuck, my response feeling caught in it as I pictured sitting around a table with Clay’s family. Meeting his sister who he’d lost but had somehow gotten back. Not to mention Alta probably didn’t want me anywhere near her family.
I shook my head. “Ah, I dunno Ferguson. I’m not much of a family guy these days.”
“I’ve noticed,” he said, and it was the seriousness in his tone that caught my attention. “So you’re just not…”
“Don’t want to talk about it, Clay,” I said, knowing for a fact he was going to ask about my family. “Don’t want to talk about them.”
Another humming sound is all he supplied before nodding.
Flagging the bartender down he ordered another drink, this one lighter than the last. When the bartender turned to me, I slid my card his way. “I’m good. Just close me out.”
“We can charge the drink to your account, sir.”
“Use the card please,” I said, not wanting my family to know where I’d been. Nodding, the man took the card and sauntered away leaving the feeling of Clay’s eyes on me. I knew he was reading me. I had to be as transparent as a glass window right now, but I still attempted to play it off.
I wasn’t much of an actor, because a second later Clay pushed off the bar and turned toward me, seeming renewed in his efforts.
“Come to dinner,” he said again. “I swear it’s never boring. Last time there was a food fight.”
