Page 10 of Mimosa (Murphy's Pub #2)

Chapter Ten

The crowd was particularly rowdy that evening, so much so that Murphy asked the guys to keep it tame. They could do that, but they didn’t like it much. It was much more fun, and financially beneficial, to rile them.

But that wouldn’t keep if they tore up the place, so they put on closer music, the bar dances were more seductive, and Jager Bombs, J?germeister with energy drinks, were off limits.

A couple hours after the night began, the crowd was calm enough that Mims could flirt with his new guy. He was afraid to think of him as a boyfriend yet, even though that would be their cover story. In his heart, he was simply the latest in a long line of hookups.

He left to do a round and pick up empties and take orders from the patio and the two back rooms. As he got to the patio, Sonny pulled him close and told him in his ear, “Smile as I’m telling you this, like I’m flirting with you, but Sandy isn’t the other BBC person here with me tonight.”

He smiled and batted his lashes. “I see.”

“They just came to look over the place. They believe you all don’t know anything about them yet.”

“That’s sexy,” he said, kissing Sonny quickly.

“They want to meet you,” he said as he grabbed Mims’s ass. “This week.”

“This week is…tough. I have…prior engagements.”

Sonny’s eyes narrowed hard. “Um…what prior engagements?”

“We’ll talk later. I have to get back to the bar.”

“Mmhmm.”

Mims could tell he was pissed, but he couldn’t do anything about it. He did have a job, well, two, in fact. When the crowd died down close to one in the morning, Mims got away and met Sonny in the back. “Come with me.”

“He left.”

“Come with me anyway,” he pleaded, and pulled him along to the stairs. After the big metal door was shut, he shoved Sonny to the wall. “Stop getting so jealous!”

“Who said I was jealous?”

“What prior engagement,” he mocked.

“Oh. I…I’m sorry.”

Mims couldn’t tell him he loved it. He didn’t want it to get worse, because as much as it flattered him, it could get bad. He wasn’t stupid enough to want that. “It’s okay, but chill. I’m not interested in anyone, but I also can’t say exactly what I’m busy doing this week. It’s…it’s between me and the guys here.”

“Crime, you mean.”

His eyes had narrowed again, but that look on his face, it was hot. “I mean, it’s between me and my family here. If you can’t deal with that, then we will go around pretending to be into each other.”

“I’m not pretending shit,” he said then grabbed Mims and kissed him hard, holding him so tightly, even if Mims wanted to get away, he couldn’t have.

Mims melted in the man’s arms, that strong hold, posessive, it was what he wanted, needed.

When the kiss was over, he was breathless. “Want to come upstairs?”

“No. I have to go. But…but tomorrow, can we meet? Not for this,” he said as he reached between them to grab his sack. “Business.”

“You want to come meet with all of us?”

“Yeah. Say around three in the afternoon?”

“Okay. Okay, I’ll tell them.”

He was gone like a puff of smoke and Mims was left there to hear the door closing, to smell the aftershave he wore and the feeling of his hands still lingering.

Abs came in after and whispered harshly, “Did you guys just…?”

“No! He wants to meet with us. All of us.”

“What about?”

“I have no idea, but whatever it is…I’d guess it was serious. He’s a serious guy.”

“I’ll go tell Murph. Are you okay?”

“No,” Mims said in a grunt. “I’m in love and I’m really stupid. I just met him.”

“Sometimes it happens that fast, Mims. I mean…I guess it does. I’ve heard it does.”

“It’s still stupid. I haven’t learned a damn thing.”

He had a hard time falling asleep, but he finally did and woke to the sun coming in the tiny separation of his curtains. After grabbing his phone, he saw he had a text from Sonny.

Good morning, Mims. I can’t wait to see you today.

That insane fluttering in his stomach made him smile so wide his cheeks hurt. A knock came to his door and when he called for whoever it was to enter, Haze popped his head through the door. “Just checking on you. Want to go eat?”

“I’m…really tired. Bring me back something?”

“Sure. It’s just Goldie and me. We’ll probably pack a ton of stuff back for everyone.”

“Thanks,” he said and promptly fell back asleep.

*****

Goldie smiled at him, though his eyes were filled with worry. The same worry Haze felt. “He’s not coming?”

“No. That’s good. Did I thank you for following them the other night?”

“No, but there’s no need. I almost stopped him from going in that apartment.”

While Abs and Cosmo were great with Mims dating the cop, Goldie and Haze didn’t like it at all. In fact, they hated it. They didn’t trust the guy, and what’s more, they knew Mims was about to be hurt.

After they got to the diner, Haze sent the text to Taran to meet them.

And bring the cop.

Taran didn’t answer back right away, but when he did, he agreed.

Drinking a pot of coffee before they decided to order, Goldie and Haze watched out of the window of the diner, the semi-trucks pulling in and parking or getting their fuel to carrying them over the open road.

The sky was overcast, and that matched his mood perfectly. Goldie whispered, “He’s gonna be okay. That kid has gotten his heart broken a lot, and he always comes back from it.”

“He didn’t though. The reason he’s gone after old men was because of his father. He’s not over that heartbreak and this one could be just as bad. I’ve never seen him so into a guy.”

“And so fast. Way too fast.”

“Exactly. If…if that mother fucker hurts him, I’m going to prison forever for killing a cop,” he said low enough that no one else heard, but he still felt like all the eyes in the diner were on him.

“Listen, we need to talk to him, let him know about all this. Maybe he doesn’t know the extent of it.”

Haze glared at him. “He knows. What if he just doesn’t give a fuck? We’ve all become obsessed with our jobs before. What if he wants to bust this ring so badly that he doesn’t care who’s hurt in the process?”

Goldie relented. “Yeah. I get that. Man, I don’t want to go inside for something like that!”

They laughed a little, knowing they’d never hurt another person unless their lives were in danger, but still, the thought eased them some.

When Taran showed up alone, Haze had been picking at his food, but he pushed the plate away completely as he growled, “You are not supposed to be here alone, Taran!”

Goldie stood, and he towered over Taran. “Where is he?”

“He came separately,” Taran said, moving his eyes slowly up Goldie’s immense frame. “He’s coming!”

Goldie sat back down and Taran moved to sit in Haze’s side of the booth.

“He’s undercover,” Taran whispered. “He can’t be seen driving around with a federal agent.”

“Fine, as long as he shows,” Haze said, then stared out the window more.

“Listen, I didn’t think he’d start something real with Mims either. I like Mims, I do. I don’t want to see him hurt.”

Haze had to give Taran a break. Hippy was hard enough on the guy for whatever reason. “Sorry. I get it. We’re just on edge.”

“The best thing is, though, is knowing they don’t see you all as a threat to them or their dealings. We can be much more stealth this way. I know you all worried about Cosmo and me, too. Even if you didn’t know him real well yet.”

“That was too fast, too,” Goldie accused.

“I thought so, too, but…” Taran smiled dreamily and Haze wanted to wretch.

“Okay, we’re not here to talk about you. Cosmo isn’t Mims. Cosmo is a lot stronger. At least, I think so.”

“He is. Mims is still hurting about his family. Who wouldn’t? The point is, this is probably the right move.”

Haze was happy he agreed. When Sonny Aguilar finally came in, Taran waved him over and he tentatively took a seat by Goldie, watching him suspiciously. “Is this an interrogation or an ambush?”

“Both, if your answers don’t satisfy us after the interrogation, then we’ll ambush you,” Haze said plainly.

The waitress came and took their orders, Sonny choosing an egg white omelet and dry toast. Haze wanted badly to roll his eyes, but Goldie seemed to appreciate his choice.

Once she was gone, Haze got to business. “What the hell are you thinking, making Mims fall for you?”

Sonny’s eyes widened a second before he ducked his head. “I guess I should have expected that.” When his head rose again, he stared Haze in the eye. “If you’re asking as a friend, as a kind of brother, fine, but is that why you’re asking?”

Goldie chuckled darkly as Haze felt every bit of fury he’d ever had build inside him.

Taran seemed to see the screaming that was about to happen and said, “Sonny, I’ve known these men for a bit now, and there is not one iota of romantic attraction with Haze and Mims. They’re like brothers, which Mims is in dire need of. What he doesn’t need, however, is his heart broken.”

Sonny deflated and whispered, “Yeah. I know.”

“Then why would you make this…pretend scenario real?” Haze demanded. “He’s obviously falling for you, if he isn’t already in love with you.”

“Yeah, I know. I see it. I feel it. The thing is, I feel the same way about him, and it makes no fucking sense at all. I didn’t plan this. I don’t want him to be in love with me. I’m no good for anyone until I bust these bastards.”

The admission alone was something Haze didn’t expect. Sonny’s entire demeanor was forsaken, as if his world was collapsing because of his own desires for Mims.

“I don’t see how love can be bad for anything or anyone,” Goldie said in a calm, low voice that had the three of them turning to him, hoping he could give them a light through the darkness. “I mean, yeah, in tense times, when there is a ton of bad shit around, falling for someone is maybe easier than it normally would. As humans, we seek out good things, things that are good for us, and love, well, it’s not always good for us, but we’re built to feel differently.”

“He’s special, as I’m sure you all know. His heart, it was…open, and there I was, walking right into it,” Sonny groaned.

“Abs, well, he’s the one who was pushing from our side. He saw something in the two of you that was maybe ripe for this. Mims, man, he kept trying to fall for old men to replace his dad, but…none ever really had his heart.”

Sonny explained, “It wasn’t the father he was looking for, or he could have easily taken Murphy into that role. He needs someone to force his hand a little, to tell him what to do, and be strong with him. I felt that early on and took advantage of it, not thinking. I really didn’t mean to…I didn’t mean to make him like me. I sure as fuck didn’t mean to like him.”

“What now? If you can’t place your heart in it while you’re undercover trying to bust these guys, then what?” Haze asked.

“I don’t know, but I do know I can’t give him up. The cartel thinks I’m with him, fucking around with him, anyway, but that’s not why. He’s maybe the best thing to come into my life in a long time. Criminal or not, he’s…he’s all good. I’ve been in a dark and dirty place for so long, that this light, this bright white, clean light shined in and…it’s like a drug. I can’t do it.”

Haze felt that in his soul. It was one of the reasons he’d been drawn to Mims. Goldie was nodding along and even Taran agreed, “He’s…pretty special, but I’ve learned that all of Murphy’s Pub’s inhabitants are special. Murphy has a way of choosing these people that just make the world a better place. I fell for one. And believe me, he wasn’t easily fallen for. He pushed me away as hard as he could, and it made me want him more.”

“Well, then…what now?” Haze asked.

“I’m supposed to take him to a barbeque. Franklyn’s having it at this little park on the north side. All the members of the BBC are coming, their families. How they can walk around kids after they…”

“Steal them from other families?” Goldie asked.

“Yeah, exactly. They don’t see the irony, but they want to meet Mims.”

Haze thought it over and knew the best course of action. “Well, they will, but they won’t meet the real Mims. He’s going to act as dumb as he can. If they stop worrying about him, then they won’t worry about us anymore.”

“That would be the best thing, yeah. I’m sorry to say it, as you guys have been a help, but you’re just another complication in all this.”

Goldie agreed with Sonny. “I see that. One more group of people to worry over.”

“When is this happening?”

“Wednesday evening.”

Haze smiled and then later, when they were alone, he told Goldie, “We’re doing the theft Wednesday night, while the BBC is conveniently at the picnic.”

“I was thinking the same, my brother.”

“Let’s get back and tell Murph.”