Hunting Haven
Chapter Five

Haven

“Ooo. Is he hot? Puh-lease tell me he showed up in uniform,” Jenna shouted from the other side of the bar as she poured a round of shots for a group of college kids.

I shook my head, laughing at her antics as I handed over a schooner of Guinness to a regular guest as he bellied up to the bar. “Glad to see you’re focusing on the important part of the story. So anyway he dropped me off today, but I need a ride home. Do you mind?”

Caroline was serving tables for the night while Jenna and I covered the bar top. Even though she was out on the floor for most of our conversation, she still managed to interject her two cents as she joined us behind the counter to pour another round. “He was super-hot. No uniform, but he wore fitted jeans and a tight ass flannel. Girl, let me tell you! His muscles were popping.”

The two continued to talk about Gabe while I pretended to ignore them. Turning my back to them, I started to clean up the recently vacated spot end of the bar top.

“So do you think he’s hot, too?” My hands froze halfway between the bar top and the sink, dishes in hand, when I heard his voice.

After the initial shock wore off, I spun around and saw him with his forearms resting on the bar top as he stared at me. “Gabriel! What are you doing here?”

“That doesn’t answer my question.” He grinned.

“Yeah, I’m not going to answer. Why are you here?” My cheeks burned from embarrassment, but I tried my hardest to sound nonchalant. As if having him overhear my coworkers talking about how attractive he was wasn’t the most mortifying experience of my life.

“I think that means yes.”

“You’re pretty full of yourself, Deputy.”

“Comes with the territory. I came to give you a ride home.”

My eyebrows pinched in confusion. “Why?”

“Because your car is in police custody, and I told you I’d give you rides?” His answer was more of a question, his words drawn out in uncertainty.

“Oh. I thought you were just dropping me off for today. I was going to get a ride home with one of the girls. Don’t you have work?”

“It’s not a big deal. I’m on call.”

“I won’t be off for another couple hours. Last call is in 45 minutes, and I still have to clean up after. You don’t have to wait for me.”

“Haven, relax. I don’t mind. I’ll just wait over there. Don’t want to be seen sitting at the bar when I’m technically on duty.” He jerked a thumb over his shoulder at an empty booth nestled in the corner. I didn’t have time to respond. Someone called for a refill and when I turned back to Gabe, he’d already retreated to a table.

“Girl!” Jenna shouted at me as I made a round of lemon drop shots for the group of women who’d interrupted Gabe and I.

“What, Jen?”

“Is that him?”

I ignored her question. “Make yourself useful and pour three shots of Patrón.”

She set the glasses out and began pouring the shots as she watched me expectantly. Rolling my eyes, I handed out the shots we’d both poured. “Yes. That’s Deputy Macias.”

“Girl. He is so fine. Why is he here?”

“He thought I needed a ride home.”

“Wait. So he showed up here to give you a ride, and you’re not over there offering him a drink, why?” She stared at me as if I had three heads.

“Because I’m working?”

“You’re an idiot. I have the bar. Go give him a beer.”

“He can’t drink. He’s on call.”

“Then go give him a Coke. Seriously, do you have eyes? He’s gorgeous, and the fact that he’s here shows he’s sweet, too. Go over there.”

“Fine.” I agreed partly to shut her up, but mostly because she had a point. It was really nice of him to show up and wait for me. The least I could do was give him a drink.

As I reached for the soda gun, Caroline’s voice sounded in my ear. “He wants a Dr. Pepper and water.”

I looked at her over my shoulder. “How did you know I was getting a drink for hi-”

She cut me off. “Because, you’re not an idiot nor completely rude. Just mildly.”

“I hate you.”

“Liar. Now, go.”

I chuckled to myself as I started pouring his drinks. My coworkers and I weren’t overly close, but Caroline and Jenna were definitely my favorites among the bartenders. They were also the ones that tried to be the friendliest with me when I’d first started at Callahan’s.

I’d spent months trying to keep my distance, keep my head down, and make money, but they managed to break down some of my walls. I still didn’t hang out with them outside of the bar, but they were definitely my work besties.

“Hav, you better hurry the hell up. Little Miss Box Dye is trying to move in on your man,” Jenna said as she reached around me for a shaker.

“So? He’s just a cop who’s helping me out. Let her shoot her shot,” I replied, loftily. Too bad I totally didn’t mean it. My gaze traveled to his booth of its own accord, my eyes narrowing as a woman with long, jet black hair reached out and placed her hand on top of Gabe’s. When he withdrew it immediately, I stifled a grin and picked up his drinks.

“Hey, Haven!” Caroline called out, halting my progression.

“What’s up?”

“I totally forgot I told Gavin I’d take a ride with him to Princeton tonight. Do you mind if I close for you since I have to wait around for him, anyway?”

She was totally full of shit and I knew it, but I agreed anyway. She was just trying to get me out earlier so I could leave with Gabe. Apparently, both of my coworkers were trying their hand at matchmaking. I shook my head in amusement as I walked over to the corner booth and set his drinks down.

“Thanks, Haven.” He reached out, his fingers curling around my wrist gently as his thumb stroked my pulse point. Hopefully, he didn’t notice how his touch made said pulse accelerate. “What time did you say you’ll be done again?”

The look he gave me caused my cheeks to burn. Holy seductive hotness.

I started to frown at his forwardness when I noticed the way his eyes cut over to the woman and then back to me in a silent plea for help. I pasted on my brightest smile and rolled my eyes playfully. “I already told you I’d be done soon, babe. Caroline is going to close for me so we can get out of here.”

I reached out with my free hand and brushed an errant curl from his forehead. “Haven’t I told you to keep your hair out of your face? It hides how handsome you are.” Did I let my fingertips linger? Absolutely. It wasn’t fair that I was the only one blushing. Sure, the interaction was for his unwanted guest’s benefit, but still. Game on, Macias.

“You got it, love.” He slid his fingers down my wrist and gripped my hand, lifting it to his lips. He pressed a kiss to the back of my hand, his eyes hungry as they held mine. I swallowed hard. Apparently, he didn’t like to be one upped in our little charade either. Too bad for him. I liked to win.

I pulled my hand from his grasp and placed it on his shoulder. Leaning forward, I kissed his cheek, my lips gently grazing the corner of his. “I have to get back to work so we can head home.” I faked a lusty tone as I pulled away. Okay, it was mostly fake. Kinda.

Straightening, I pretended to notice his booth mate for the first time as I let my hand slide down his chest and fall to my side. The irritation she felt at our exchange was practically painted on her pinched face. “Oh my gosh. I’m so sorry. Gabriel has a way of making me forget my surroundings. Can I get you something to drink?” My wide eyes and faux contrition seemed to annoy just as much as our flirting. Good.

“Nope, I’m good. I think your bar needs you, though. As much as I love meeting my husband’s newest plaything, you can go.” Her bitchy response made my lips begin to twitch with restrained mirth, but the word husband killed any humor I found in the situation. Even if I was just trying to help Gabe out, I wasn’t keen on coming off as a homewrecker. My eyes darted toward the deputy, my eyes hopefully conveying what the fuck.

He didn’t look at me, his harsh glare remaining fixed on his wife. Wife. What the hell did I get myself into?

“Don’t flatter yourself, Julie. You haven’t been my wife for almost ten years. Kind of hard to keep a marriage alive when you were fucking my best friend on the side. Now, I’d appreciate it if you’d stay out of my current relationship and get lost.”

His wife, ex-wife, recoiled as if he’d slapped her while I bit my lip to hold in a nervous giggle. I’d come to bring him a Dr. Pepper and ended up in a super uncomfortable situation. It took me a second to compose myself while the woman just stared at him with watering eyes. Considering he said they’d been separated for nearly a decade and she nailed his best friend? I couldn’t replace it in myself to pity her at all. Instead, I turned my attention back to Gabe and maintained our charade. “I’ll be ready in half an hour or so. Let’s stay at my place tonight?”

He turned his whole body to face me, effectively dismissing his ex. “Can’t wait.” Between his gravelly tone and slightly hooded gaze, even I had a hard time remembering he wasn’t actually lusting after me. If being a deputy ever went south, he could definitely turn to acting.

I shot him a little wink and turned away, making sure to sway my hips as I made my way back to the bar. The moment my back faced them, my lips pinched together in consternation. On the one hand, I owed Gabe big time but, on the other, I’d walked into a sticky, uncomfortable situation by going over there.

“What the hell was that?” Caroline and Jenna asked simultaneously, both cackling, as I walked behind the bar.

“I was just playing Captain Save-a-hoe. He wasn’t interested in her and asked for my help. Don’t read into it.” As much as I wanted to talk about what the hell I'd just gotten myself into, the fact that the woman was Gabe’s ex-wife was none of their business. I’d have to wait until the next time I called Laura to spill the tea.

“My left nut,” Jenna exclaimed loud enough to make a bar guest choke on his beer.

“Such a lady, Jen,” Caroline quipped before turning on me. “And, you! I call bologna. He might have wanted to get rid of that chick, but you two were sizzling.”

“Sizzling?” I questioned as I turned my back on them and began washing glassware.

“You know. Sizzling. Like sparks were flying. The attraction was visible. Whatever phrase you prefer. Regardless, you two totally want each other.”

“I’m not going to date him. I like no strings attached and Gabe is too much of a gentleman to be that kind of guy.” Not to mention he has a crazy ex who is clearly still into him and introduces herself as his wife.

“Didn’t you just have a boyfriend like a week ago?” Jenna questioned as she started to wipe down the steadily emptying bar top.

“Yeah, like yesterday actually, but we weren’t serious. It was casual for both of us,” I explained as Caroline shook her head at my denial.

“You and Mr. Deputy are most definitely going to end up sleeping together and then dating, in that order. That’s my prediction. I want it on the record right now.”

“Will you stop it?” I laughed at the same time Jenna said, “Noted.”

“It’s slowing down. Split the tip jar and go get your man.” I snorted at Caroline’s words but did as she instructed, divvying up the tip money we’d made on shift together.

“Thanks for staying, Care. I owe you one.”

“Yeah, yeah. Now go get that hunk of man meat and get the hell out of here.”