Dean turned to me.

“Awkward,” murmured Katie.

I shot her a look.

She pursed her lips, kissed the air, and then downed the shot of tequila in one gulp. “Remember what I told you.” She slammed the glass on the top, and the woman next to her watched her back her way out of the spot with raised brows. Katie tapped her finger off the side of her head. “You’ve already met the man you’re going to spend the rest of your life with.”

Oh dear. I so remembered her telling me that I’d already met the love of my life, basing it on the psychic powers she claimed she developed when she fell off a greased-up pole while dancing.

These kinds of things only happen to people I know.

I was highly doubtful—or at least hopeful—that I hadn’t met the love of my life yet, but that wasn’t the only thing she told me. One of the things she had told me had come true.

And it had to do with Reece.

Katie made a face at Dean’s back. “And it ain’t him. Anyway, Roxy-moxy, we still on for waffles for lunch tomorrow?” When I nodded, she wiggled her fingers. “Toodles.”

Sort of struck stupid, I watched her prance her way out of the bar. I’d known Katie for a long time, but she still managed to throw me for a loop.

“There is something wrong with that girl,” Dean said, voice razor-edged with irritation. “I don’t know how you deal with her.”

My gaze swung on him. “There’s nothing wrong with her at all.” His eyes flared with surprise. “I’m sorry, but I’m pretty busy right now.”

He did that blinking thing. “It’s okay. We’ll talk later.”

I opened my mouth to tell him that wasn’t going to happen, but he pivoted around and disappeared into the crowd. Shaking my head, I moved to the other side of the bar. I didn’t have to say a word to Nick, because he switched sides and I threw myself into filling orders. Sometime later, I glanced up and awkwardly made eye contact with Dean. After that, I didn’t see him.

The rest of the night zoomed by. We did final call, and then cleared out the bar before we cashed out tips and settled the register. Normally when Nick and I did this together, we did so with nothing but music to keep us company. Usually I’d find the most annoying song known to man and play it, but I wasn’t really feeling it tonight.

And apparently Nick was in a chatty mood. “Who was that guy who was in here talking to you?”

I shut the register door and scribbled the totals on the spreadsheet Jax had created. One day, Mona’s would grow up to be a real bar and we’d get a POS system. A girl could dream. I sighed as I faced him, leaning against the bar while he cleaned up. “He was just some guy I went out on a date with.”

“Only going to be one date?”

I shrugged. “Yeah. Not interested.”

Flipping the towel he was using over his shoulder, he walked over to me. “Is he going to be a problem?”

Both of the boys—Jax and Nick—could be a wee bit overprotective, as could Clyde. “No, he won’t be a problem. I think he got the message tonight.” I cocked my head at him. “Besides, I’m not your little sister and you’ve got to run all the boys off.”

“I don’t have a little sister.”

“Whatever.”

“I have a younger brother, though.” He placed his hands on either side of me and dipped his chin. As close as we were, I could see that his eyes were more green than brown. And holy mother of pearls, we were as close as My Little Ponies. “And Roxy, I do not see the word sister when I think of you.”

“Oh?” My glasses started to slip down my nose.

“I’d totally get with you,” he announced. Just like that. Bam. Right in my face.

My eyes widened as shock jolted through me. Never in a gazillion years had Nick shown any interest in me. “Um . . .”

His lips curled up in a half grin. “But then I couldn’t work here anymore, so that isn’t going to happen. I’d probably make an exception for you, but that’s not the main reason why I wouldn’t . . .” He moved one hand and tapped the tip of my nose. “Go there with you.”

I stared at him a moment, flattered, and . . . yeah, dumbfounded. “Thanks. I think.”

He winked and then pushed off the bar. Grabbing the towel off his shoulder, he picked up a spray cleaner and spritzed the bar top. It took a moment for my brain to start working again. I fixed my glasses.

“Well, I’d . . . totally do you, too, but then it would just be awkward.”

Nick chuckled.

“So . . . you really, truly just hook up with chicks and then never see them again?” Curiosity might’ve killed the cat, but it was my best friend.

“I don’t do commitments.”

“Seeing someone more than once isn’t a commitment,” I reasoned with what I thought was valid logic. “I mean, I can almost get not hooking up with someone more than once, but seeing them?”

He looked over his shoulder at me. “It’s just the way I am.”

“Okay,” I murmured, shaking my head. “Aren’t you just a heartbreaker?”

A snicker was my only response. We finished up shortly after what I was considering to be a really weird night at Mona’s. I had the keys, so when Nick opened the door, I wasn’t paying attention to what was outside. I was busy struggling with the lock, and first thought the low chuckle that rumbled out of him had to do with me. It was when I dropped the heavy key ring in my purse and turned around, that I saw what he was laughing at.

“Wha . . . ?” I trailed off as my heart began pounding.

There was a county cruiser parked next to my car and there was a really freaking hot cop propped against the passenger side, long legs crossed at the ankles and arms folded across a yummy chest.

Reece was waiting.

I wasn’t really thinking about my list of priorities as I stared at him in the dimly lit parking lot. The muggy night air settled over me as he unfolded his legs and pushed off the cruiser. My gaze roamed over him. I was really just thinking about how the polyester material of his work pants moved along his thighs.

God, he walked with the kind of lethal grace that should be illegal.

Nick leaned in and whispered in my ear, “And right there is the main reason why I wouldn’t get with you.”

I tripped over my feet.

“Hey man.” Nick clapped Reece on the shoulder as he strolled past him. “Have a good night. See you Wednesday, Roxy.”