“Let’s do it.” Beck threw his arm around her shoulders and they started walking across the street to the bar.

Feeling Jake’s eyes on me, I turned to him. “What?”

He nodded at Claudia and Beck. “Do you think that’s a good idea right now?”

“I think we’re on a road trip to scatter Beck’s dad’s ashes and that it’s a small miracle I’ve heard him laugh and seen him smile as many times as I have. Claudia helps him. As much as I’m worried for them both, I won’t be the one to take away the balm that she is for him.”

Without waiting to hear Jake’s reply, I hurried across the street to catch up with our friends.

The place was pretty packed but we managed to get a table in the back. After we ate, I felt much better, my hangover finally dissipating.

Beck and Claudia took their turn to have beers while Jake and I stuck to soda. We’d been drinking for a couple of hours when Beck and Jake managed to grab one of the pool tables. Claudia and I played against them but we lost, and then I lost in a one-on-one against Beck. I hadn’t spent much time around a pool table and neither had Claudia, so we decided it would probably be more interesting to watch Jake and Beck go head to head.

During one of their games, I headed over to the bar to get more drinks. The bar was busy, so I waited while a group of ladies in tutus, jeans, and glittery pink cowboy hats—a bachelorette party?—ordered another round. After a few minutes I glanced back across the bar at my friends.

I felt unease shift through me at the sight of the young woman leaning against the pool table. Claudia was talking to Beck while this girl, who had come out of nowhere, flirted with Jake.

Jake didn’t seem to be flirting back but I knew him well enough to know that his eyes were definitely taking in everything about her. I could understand why.

She was gorgeous.

Tall with long, wavy dark hair, a golden tan, and pretty, fresh features that weren’t caked in makeup like so many of the other women in the bar. She wore a casual but short T-shirt that showed off her curvy bosom and toned midriff. Her blue jeans showcased her lean legs. She was wearing very cute worn brown cowboy boots.

Everything about her screamed, “I am Jake Caplin’s type!”

I felt sick.

Physically sick.

I studied Jake for a reaction as she reached out and touched the iron fist logo on his Pearl Jam shirt. He’d been holding himself aloof from her but whatever she said, it brought forth that smile that could floor a woman.

And it floored her. I could tell in the way her smile widened and her body relaxed, as if she were melting under his attention.

I turned away, feeling a little breathless.

And then the berating commenced. Jealousy was something I wasn’t allowed to feel where Jake was concerned. I gave him up, and giving him up entailed having to watch other women flirt with him.

Shit.

What if he spent the night with her?

The thought froze me to the spot.

You’re being crazy, Charley! He’s not going to hook up with a random stranger on a road trip to scatter his best friend’s dad’s ashes.

I looked back over at him and my eyes narrowed. The girl was standing even closer and they seemed to be having an actual conversation.

“Blondie, what can I get you?”

I whipped around at the voice and was confronted by a cute bartender. He was a couple of years older than me with dirty-blond hair, sexy stubble, and twinkling bright blue eyes. He grinned as I blinked at him, coming out of my panic over Jake and the girl.

What could he get me?

For one: a stool. I did not want to go back over there until the girl was gone.

I glanced at the filled stools in front of me, frowning.

As if the bartender read my mind, he tapped the bar in front of a big beefy guy and said, “Jay, you mind moving down the bar.”

“Sure thing, Ty,” Jay said and I watched in amusement as he pushed the guy beside him, and like a set of dominoes they forced everyone down a spot until the stool in front of me was open.

I slid on it and smiled gratefully at Ty the bartender. “Thanks.”

Ty grinned and I had to admit, I took some comfort and pleasure in the appreciative look in his eyes. “No need. I wanted something prettier to look at than Jay.”

I laughed. “Well, thanks anyway.”

“So what can I get you?”

I tilted my head in thought, the blood rushing in my ears at the thought of what was going on behind me. “A time machine?”

Ty chuckled. “You think I had one of those, I’d be working here?”

“Oh? What would you use it for?”

“Ah, well, that would be telling. What would you use it for?”

I shrugged. “Lots of things.”

He leaned across the bar, his eyes drinking in my every feature. “You’re telling me someone like you has regrets?”

“Someone like me? What do you know about someone like me?”

His response was a slow, wicked grin that I had to admit penetrated my sadness and jealousy just a little. “I’ll be right back.” He strode down the bar to help his colleague and I checked him out from the back. Very nice.

True to his word, Ty came back after a minute or so, opened a beer, and planted it in front of me. “On the house.”

I picked it up with a smirk. “And what does a filly have to do for that around here?”

He threw his head back and laughed. “A filly? Really?”

I grinned back at him.

Mirth still bright in his eyes, he shook his head. “Nothing. I promise. Except maybe stop looking so sad. You are far too pretty to be so sad.”

I tipped the bottle head in his direction and avoided his compliment with a casual, “Thanks for the beer.”

“What’s your name?”

“Charley.”

He leaned on the bar again. “It suits you. Charley, I’m Ty.”

“You have a nice city here, Ty.”

“Thank you.” His expression turned curious. “What brings you to us, Charley?”

I shook my head. “Uh-uh. Too depressing.”

“Okay.” His brow wrinkled in thought. “Where are you from?”

I shook my head again. “You could be a serial killer. The less information I give you, the less chance of you finding me to serial kill me.”

Ty chuckled and as our eyes locked, I didn’t feel the sizzle I should have. I was too busy wondering if Jake had noticed I was talking to this guy or if he was too busy getting his flirt on with the beautiful brunette to give a shit what I was up to.

“Ah, suspicious and overly cautious. Let me guess—law student.”

Wow, impressive. “You’ve really honed those people-reading skills bartenders are known for, huh.”

“That or I’m psychic.” He glanced behind me. “For instance, you were or are in a relationship with the tall guy in the Pearl Jam T-shirt over by the pool table.”

My muscles tensed. “Is he looking over?”

“Mmm-hmm. And attempting to fry my ass with his eyes.”

“Where’s the gorgeous girl in the cowboy boots?”

“Leanne?” he smirked. “Your friend stopped talking to her the minute he saw me talking to you.”

I sat on that a moment and then sighed. “Ex-boyfriend. Awkward road trip.”

Ty met my eyes again. “He looks pretty furious. But I’m up for pissing him off even more if you like.” His eyes lowered to my lips.

With a dry chuckle, I said, “As much as I love the idea of kissing a random bartender, especially a cute one, I’m the one who broke his heart so I don’t think I’ll be doing anything to hurt him any more than I already have.”

Ty gave me a good-natured smile as he straightened up away from the counter. “Well, if you change your mind, I get off at one.”

My expression said we both knew I wasn’t going to be there when he got off work and then I slipped from the stool and braced myself to return to my friends.

As soon as I saw Jake’s face, I knew Ty was right.

He was furious.

And hurt.

I suddenly felt sick again.