Read Online Through Fire (Portland, ME #3) by Freya Barker - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Freya Barker
Ads: Link
Matt and Ruby are busy. No sign of Viv though, but Ike is sitting at the end of the bar in his usual spot.
“Where’s Viv?” I ask, and sit my ass down on the stool beside him.
“Group therapy. She was gonna come back here after.”
I grunt in response, but my eyes have been on Ruby from the moment I walked in. Watching her in action is something else. Smiling and chatting up the customers is a far cry from the almost shy and reserved Ruby I usually get. Except the scene the other night. That one was so far out on left field, I still don’t know what to make of it. The woman is a walking contradiction. Even now, I know she saw me come in, but she still avoids looking at me.
“Ruby? Can I get a draft?” Her eyes flick to me at the sound of her name, but she only nods in response.
“What’d you do?” Ike asks, looking between Ruby and me. “Did you piss her off?”
I groan as I drop my head in my hands. “Seems to be a going trend,” I mumble, but Ike hears and the moment Ruby places my beer in front of me he pounces.
“Talk.”
I glance to see if we’re out of earshot before I start talking. I tell him how I made the mistake of asking Brenda out, ended up bringing her here, and the fiasco that followed Friday night. I also describe what my week at the office has been like so far.
“Sounds like your Brenda doesn’t like rejection much,” Ike says in a dry tone.
“She’s not my fucking Brenda,” I bite off, just as Ruby walks by, a slight hitch in her step when she obviously hears me. Just fucking wonderful.
“Easy, my friend.” Ike’s soothing tone does little to settle my aggravation. But Ruby’s warm brown eyes, now turned to me with obvious concern, do. This time she doesn’t look away and I’m caught in her gaze, feeling my heart rate slow down. “Really?” I hear Ike mumble beside me. When I reluctantly drag my eyes away, I find the question plastered on his face. “You went there? Christ you’ve been busy.”
A quick look reveals Ruby now has her back turned, giving me the opportunity to lean into Ike. “Pushing all the wrong buttons tonight, friend,” I spit out under my voice. “I’m having a hard time keeping my seat, so better fucking check what you say about her.”
With a firm hand in my chest, Ike pushes me out of his space. “Calm your tits. All I’m saying is she is not one to mess around with. There’s a reason she ended up with Pam. Whatever brought her there is not out of her system yet.”
“Funny,” I point out with a smirk. “Would seem that not that long ago I was telling you something similar about Viv.” That got a smile out of Ike.
“Yeah. And she’s wearing my wedding ring now.” His smug look is soon replaced with a more serious face. “Seriously, man. No offense, but this one is not even your type.”
I regard him for a minute before letting my eyes drift to Ruby again. Short, round, dark little Ruby, so different from my usual fare of tall, slim, and blonde, and who confuses the hell out of me. “I know,” I mutter.
“Talking about offense, did you catch the game on Sunday? Fuck, that Brady has some serious butter fingers. Last three games, I thought I was gonna have a coronary before he finally managed to turn things around. Viv had the phone ready with her finger poised to dial 911.”
“Almost did too. Several times.” Viv’s smoky voice sounds behind us, and Ike turns around to catch his wife in his arms. “Hey, honey,” she says, when Ike finally lets her come up for air. “You boys playing nice?”
“Always,” Ike lies with a sideward glance at me.
“Yup,” I confirm, when Viv’s eyes turn to me squinting.
“I’ll take your word for it,” she says, making it clear she’s not convinced. Her attention zooms in on the line forming at the other end of the bar, where Ruby is trying to keep up. “Better give these guys a hand.”
With a last kiss for Ike, one I could’ve gladly done without, she’s gone, and we
“Where’s Viv?” I ask, and sit my ass down on the stool beside him.
“Group therapy. She was gonna come back here after.”
I grunt in response, but my eyes have been on Ruby from the moment I walked in. Watching her in action is something else. Smiling and chatting up the customers is a far cry from the almost shy and reserved Ruby I usually get. Except the scene the other night. That one was so far out on left field, I still don’t know what to make of it. The woman is a walking contradiction. Even now, I know she saw me come in, but she still avoids looking at me.
“Ruby? Can I get a draft?” Her eyes flick to me at the sound of her name, but she only nods in response.
“What’d you do?” Ike asks, looking between Ruby and me. “Did you piss her off?”
I groan as I drop my head in my hands. “Seems to be a going trend,” I mumble, but Ike hears and the moment Ruby places my beer in front of me he pounces.
“Talk.”
I glance to see if we’re out of earshot before I start talking. I tell him how I made the mistake of asking Brenda out, ended up bringing her here, and the fiasco that followed Friday night. I also describe what my week at the office has been like so far.
“Sounds like your Brenda doesn’t like rejection much,” Ike says in a dry tone.
“She’s not my fucking Brenda,” I bite off, just as Ruby walks by, a slight hitch in her step when she obviously hears me. Just fucking wonderful.
“Easy, my friend.” Ike’s soothing tone does little to settle my aggravation. But Ruby’s warm brown eyes, now turned to me with obvious concern, do. This time she doesn’t look away and I’m caught in her gaze, feeling my heart rate slow down. “Really?” I hear Ike mumble beside me. When I reluctantly drag my eyes away, I find the question plastered on his face. “You went there? Christ you’ve been busy.”
A quick look reveals Ruby now has her back turned, giving me the opportunity to lean into Ike. “Pushing all the wrong buttons tonight, friend,” I spit out under my voice. “I’m having a hard time keeping my seat, so better fucking check what you say about her.”
With a firm hand in my chest, Ike pushes me out of his space. “Calm your tits. All I’m saying is she is not one to mess around with. There’s a reason she ended up with Pam. Whatever brought her there is not out of her system yet.”
“Funny,” I point out with a smirk. “Would seem that not that long ago I was telling you something similar about Viv.” That got a smile out of Ike.
“Yeah. And she’s wearing my wedding ring now.” His smug look is soon replaced with a more serious face. “Seriously, man. No offense, but this one is not even your type.”
I regard him for a minute before letting my eyes drift to Ruby again. Short, round, dark little Ruby, so different from my usual fare of tall, slim, and blonde, and who confuses the hell out of me. “I know,” I mutter.
“Talking about offense, did you catch the game on Sunday? Fuck, that Brady has some serious butter fingers. Last three games, I thought I was gonna have a coronary before he finally managed to turn things around. Viv had the phone ready with her finger poised to dial 911.”
“Almost did too. Several times.” Viv’s smoky voice sounds behind us, and Ike turns around to catch his wife in his arms. “Hey, honey,” she says, when Ike finally lets her come up for air. “You boys playing nice?”
“Always,” Ike lies with a sideward glance at me.
“Yup,” I confirm, when Viv’s eyes turn to me squinting.
“I’ll take your word for it,” she says, making it clear she’s not convinced. Her attention zooms in on the line forming at the other end of the bar, where Ruby is trying to keep up. “Better give these guys a hand.”
With a last kiss for Ike, one I could’ve gladly done without, she’s gone, and we
Similar Books
