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He rolled his eyes at Everly. “You’re right. I’d better get back to it. But if you need anything – a glass of water, more peanuts, me to rescue you from your date when he shows …”

She shook her head with a laugh. “I’m good. Thanks, though.”

He made his way to the group at the other end of the bar but looked back over his shoulder at her just before he reached them. When he met her gaze and held it, her tummy flipped over. Phew! If she were at a different place in life, she’d be no different from the girls who were openly ogling him – she’d take him back to her room for the night in a heartbeat.

She took another sip of her wine. She wasn’t at a place in her life where that kind of thing was an option for her. It might be nice to imagine for a minute or two, but then she had to come back to reality – and check her watch. She was still early, and she still had that sad, heavy feeling that he wasn’t going to show.

~ ~ ~

Tanner kept glancing back over at the girl sitting by herself. There was something about her – he didn’t know what it was, but she drew his attention like a magnet. Maybe it was just that he sensed a kindred spirit in terms of a fellow bartender. That had to be it. She certainly wasn’t his usual type. She was attractive, but she wasn’t all dressed up and made up like the girls he usually went for.

He rolled his lips together as he mulled that over. He scanned the bar; there were two girls he’d already flirted with, and each of them met his gaze with a smile. They were both his type. In full makeup and wearing low-cut tops, they each gave off signals that they were out for a good time – and were open to going home for one, too.

He checked on the girl sitting by herself again. She was giving off totally different vibes. She seemed relaxed and at ease with herself. He knew that she was waiting for some guy, but she didn’t seem nervous or antsy about it. She was chill, at home in her own skin. She kind of reminded him of Laney.

Scratch that, she didn’t look anything like Laney, and she wasn’t as … cocky.

Laney gave him a puzzled look when she sensed his gaze on her. “What’s up, brother? Why are you looking at me like that? It’s not like you to waste any time looking at girls you already know – especially your sister. Have you done something wrong? Is there something you need to tell me about?”

“Nope. Just thinking.”

Laney’s fiancé, Luke, who also happened to be Tanner’s best friend, leaned on the bar beside her. “Thinking? While you’re working? That’s definitely not like you – not unless you’re thinking about which lucky lady you’re going home with later.”

Tanner rolled his eyes at them, but he didn’t reply. He didn’t know what to say. They were right – while he was working, he tended to just go with the flow, knowing that by the end of the evening, the flow was most likely to carry him up to one of the rooms in the resort with one of the girls he’d spent the evening flirting with.

Ty leaned in on Laney’s other side and rested his elbows on the bar. He winked at Tanner. “I know what you’re thinking.”

“Nah. You’re just going to accuse me of thinking about who I’m going to chase tonight.”

Ty gave him a sly smile. “Nope.”

“Why not?”

“Because that’s not what you’re thinking, is it?”

“Go on, then. If you’re so smart, why don’t you tell me?”

Ty turned to look down the bar to where the girl was sitting. Tanner felt bad for her when he saw that she was fiddling with her phone. He wondered if her date had texted to say that he wasn’t coming. If that were the case, he hoped it didn’t mean that she would leave right away.

“You’re wondering why you’re so attracted to her – aren’t you? That’s what you’re thinking.”

Tanner narrowed his eyes. “Why would you say such a thing?”

Laney laughed. “Yeah, why would you, Ty? She’s not exactly Tanner’s type, is she?”

“She isn’t, she’s so much more than that. Right, Tan?”

Tanner met his little brother’s gaze and held it. He was tempted to make a joke, shrug it off, but … He didn’t want to. Ty was right. Just from the brief interaction he’d had with her, Tanner knew that girl was completely different from the ones he usually went for and not just different, but as Ty had said, there was something … more to her.

“Laney, stop it!” he hissed at his sister when he noticed that she was openly staring at the girl with a puzzled look on her face.

Laney turned back to him with narrowed eyes. “I hope you’re not being an asshole, Tan.”

“What the fuck? What do you mean?”

“I mean just because she’s not all dolled up, it doesn’t mean that she’s any less … less anything than the type you usually go for.”

“I know! Didn’t you hear what Ty said?” He glanced at Ty. “You were right; there is so much more to her.”