Page 5 of Fierce-Matt

Even on a Tuesday, crowds would pack the place from the moment the tours began until the nine o’clock closing.

There was a time limit on how long clients could stay in the tasting room so that others could come in too. The best part about that was the tips flowed faster.

“You’re so neat and organized,” Jolene said. “Just as I used to be when I was a waitress all those years ago. Server. That’s what it’s called now.”

“Things change but always stay the same,” she said.

“They do,” Jolene said. “And I’ll let you get back to work as I know it will be busy.”

“I’m looking forward to it.”

She was only working five hours. She had a house showing at six and would have plenty of time to get ready for it leaving here at four.

Fingers crossed she got lucky enough to at least put an offer in for the couple she’d been working with for over a month.

Jolene left and she saw Justin coming in. He was a full-time manager of the bar.

“Hi, Anya. I saw Jolene in here just now. Does she have her sights on you?”

She frowned. “For what?”

“Matchmaking,” Justin said. “Thanks for getting everything ready. I was running late.”

“No worries. I’m always early. And no, she wouldn’t set me up with anyone.”

Though Jolene was asking about her and Brendan.

Urgh, was Jolene going to push them together? She held the gag in barely. The guy was way too soft in the personality department for her.

Brendan was nice but not her type.

Any man she was with should have gotten annoyed over being interrupted on a date when Matt stepped in. Brendan almost felt honored that he had a woman on his arm that others wanted.

Nope.

She liked to go out and have fun and he wanted to talk about beer.

She thought for sure someone who worked around beer or drank it as much as Brendan would like to do something else in his free time.

How wrong she was!

“I figured she’d be pushing you and Brendan together since you were at Ben’s wedding.”

“We are just friends,” she said. As she’d been saying to every single person who asked her the day of the wedding and after.

“Oh,” Justin said. “I don’t thinkhethinks that.”

She kept the growl from escaping her lips. Barely. “I told him. I’m not sure how much clearer I can be.”

When Brendan leaned in for a kiss at the end of their second date, she’d inched back and was honest she didn’t think of him that way.

Honesty was the only way she could live her life.

No more hoping someone got the hint or assumed anything.

Just like she’d told Matt Kelly when he butted into her dance.

He’d always been a jerk. He played jokes at her expense and then continued to pick on her after. It was hurtful at a time in her life when she needed a friend and someone she could count on. She’d never forgive him. She’d never forget.