Page 28 of Semi Sweet (Working For Love #1)

I elbowed him hard in the side. “So are you,” I deadpanned.

I rolled my eyes and heaved a sigh before I said, “I’m the middle of three daughters.

My older sister is named Allison. She is two years older than me.

Last time I saw her, she was just out of college for an education degree.

She wanted to teach middle school math. My younger sister is named Elenore.

She’s old enough to drink legally now and that kind of makes me want to cry. ”

“What about your parents?”

I looked down at the sidewalk as I searched for the words. “My mom is very gentle. She went along for the ride ninety-five percent of the time. Don’t mess with her kids, though, then the fire came out,” I said with a wistful smile.

“And your dad?”

“Jackson Hale probably should have had sons. He is far too much of a hardass to have three delicate daughters.” He often made a quick getaway when my sisters or I cried or had ‘girl drama.’ I also had vivid memories of him plugging his ears and singing loudly when we talked about our periods.

I felt my chest grow tight as I remembered. “I called him the other day.”

Sean looked surprised. A car honked in the distance before he asked. “How did that go?”

“I hung up when it was time to leave a voicemail.” When he looked like he was going to ask me more, I shook my head. “Nothing else about my past until I’ve had at least one drink, please.”

We’d arrived, anyway.

“You might want to go first,” he offered. “No one knows you are staying with me. It’s not that I care. I just want to respect your privacy.”

I smiled at him. That was more consideration than I’d been given in a long time. “Thanks. That’s probably wise.”

I pulled on the door handle and the sound of poor singing and the smell of spilled beer flooded my senses. I was not a country fan and someone wailed along to a Dolly Parton song as people milled about the bar.

Beth’s excited squeal overpowered the singer when she saw me enter. She raced to meet me by the door and threw her arms around my neck.

“Oh my God, I worried that I would never see you again. I thought you were dead.”

I crinkled my nose at her. “That’s a bit of an exaggeration, don’t you think?” On the inside, my heart was swelling. I never thought I’d have anyone at Cash Value Market concerned for me and now I had two.

Beth shook her head vehemently. “Sean told us you called out. You never call out! Then Evan was beside himself. He asked everyone if they had heard from or seen you. I was worried he accidentally killed you and was making it look like you ran away or something.”

I wondered if Victoria had said something to him about my bonus hours when he stopped by the store.

“Beth, I think you are watching too many true crime specials on TV,” I said and held out my gift for the girl. “I’m very much alive.”

Sean must have counted to one hundred or something, because the door opened and he was there.

If Beth’s eyes could have gotten any wider, they probably would have popped out. “Holy crap, two people I never expected to see here.”

“Happy birthday, Beth! Your gift is that I’m supplying the drinks tonight.”

“How but one drink and you get up there and sing?” Beth asked hopefully.

“Absolutely not.”

Beth guided us over to where Max, a few other clerks, and several girls I didn’t recognize were sitting.

Sean escaped to the bar when she explained that if you wanted to sing you had to put your name on a list. I ended up putting my name down, convinced I might as well live a little now that I was a free woman.

That, and I assumed I’d be a few drinks in by then.

“So….” Beth sat beside Max and made sure Sean was still ordering drinks before she asked, “Now that you are a free woman, are you and Sean finally going to finish what you started at that party?”

“Beth, I know it’s your birthday, but she’s been Evan free for mere days,” Max reminded her.

“I know, I know! But I’ve become invested in Olivia and that tall string bean we call a boss,” Beth mock despaired. “You and I both know a happy Sean makes for a happy workplace.”

“This is true,” Max admitted to me. “And he does seem a hell of a lot happier since you gave Evan the boot. Just saying.”

I didn't know how to react to such a forward question. I hoped one day the wall I’d built up because of Evan would crumble away, because it was tiring sometimes.

It did seem like they wanted what was best for Sean, though, which I thought was nice.

I smiled, thinking about how they had no idea Sean was happy because he had a roommate.

Anything beyond that, I couldn’t say right now.

The conversation ended when Sean finally joined the group at the table with a tray of drinks.

“Something fruity for the birthday girl.” He handed Beth something yellow with maraschino cherries on top.

“Something on the rocks for the man, here.” Sean placed an amber liquid with ice cubes in front of Max.

“Something lovely for the lady.” He gave me what looked like a Long Island Iced Tea before he grabbed the last drink from the tray. “And something for me.” It was a simple bottle of beer.

“To Beth!” He raised the beer skyward.

“To Beth!” the table chorused.

For a few minutes, we sat and watched a very drunk man sing a song by a popular girl group from the nineties.

I couldn’t get over his confidence or his inability to sing in tune.

The person after him was far better and slayed the country song she had chosen, even though it pained me slightly to admit it.

I thought there was a rule about being only mediocre at best when it came to karaoke.

I was probably going to make a fool of myself, buzzed or not.

“So what will you do now?” Beth asked, her expression far too serious for a birthday party.

“I’m actually starting an internship on Monday.” I took a large gulp of my drink to keep my nerves calm. “It’s in the field I actually want to work in.”

“No more corporate marketing?” Max asked.

“No more bakery shenanigans?” Beth pouted.

Once more, I took an ample drink. “I’d rather die and I’m afraid not. I am probably not welcome back at Cash Value Market for walking out on the heir of the company anyway.”

At one point it had seemed taboo and dangerous to even think such a thing. Now that I was free, I almost felt like saying it to anyone who would listen.

“Where are you staying?” Beth asked curiously.

Sean and I exchanged glances and I was thankful for the dim lighting that hid the red staining my cheeks. To an outsider, it probably looked like he was just as curious to know the answer as everyone else. I knew he was waiting to see how I was going to answer.

“One of my grad school friends is letting me crash on their couch.” As much as I wasn’t ashamed of my new living arrangement, I didn’t need the information accidentally getting back to Evan.

“That was really thoughtful of them,” Sean said.

I’d spent enough time around him now to know what he was up to. “It absolutely was. I make sure to thank them everyday.”

“You know, it’s a shame. You really should have invited them along. “

I downed the rest of my drink before I put it on the table slightly louder than intended. Beth and Max, who had been watching our odd exchange, jumped slightly with the noise. “Did you guys know that Sean isn’t a real person?”

The pair looked confused until the disk jockey called Beth’s name on the microphone. She squealed as she jumped off her bar stool. Max stared at her as she excitedly danced toward the corner of the bar before he heaved a sigh and whipped out his phone.

“I should probably record this.” He sauntered after her.

Now just the two of us, Sean leaned closer, looking like he was studying me. “Very smooth, Hale. Very smooth.”

“She’s very blunt. She already asked if we’ve...you know….” I made a suggestive gesture.

Sean was mid sip as he grimaced. “Doesn’t she know I’m a gentleman?”

I got the vibe he was still playing with me and he was saying it to me in addition to Beth.

“I don’t know. I did tell them what we did after the disco masquerade.”

“I’m telling you, I’m not always like that.

Anonymity makes me more confident.” Sean acted like he was feigning annoyance, but he seemed like he was slightly self conscious about how he behaved that night.

I’d been embarrassed by my actions at first, but it was like everything else.

I didn’t know where I would be right now if I hadn’t had five shots and he hadn’t kissed me that night.

“The alcohol probably helped,” I admitted.

“Indeed it did,” he agreed. “I plan on having more.”

***

Several drinks and many singers later, the disk jockey made my heart palpitate when he announced it was my turn to come up and sing. Everyone at the table looked at me hopefully and I was suddenly unsure if I could do it despite the liquid courage.

“Please,” I begged, grabbing onto Beth like she could protect me from what was to come, “be my backup singer.”

Beth, who was well past buzzed, giggled with delight. “I have never been a backup singer before! I’m PUMPED!” She yanked onto Max’s sleeve. “Be my backup singer,” she said, batting her eyelashes at him.

Max made a face. “You are nuts. There is no such thing as a backup singer to a backup singer.” Apparently he was more giddy than usual as well.

Sean found our trio amusing, for he pulled out his phone as he shooed us towards the stage. “You all need each other. Go and please make sure to sing loud so I can document everything.”

Beth pouted with her lower lip sticking out. “My birthday wish was to see you in an embarrassing situation. You are so cool, it’s annoying.”

Sean had already hit record. “What can I say, it’s a gift.”

I had a feeling they would skip me if we didn’t head to the microphone soon, so I pulled both of them along, leaving him at the table alone. The disk jockey looked like he was ready to get paid and go home when we finally approached.