Bangers Tavern’s shy, hardworking barback Eddie yearns for bodacious, blue-haired server Rosie, but she never takes him seriously–until a boozy New Year’s Eve party sets them on a collision course.
Waking up in Eddie’s bed, Rosie takes to heart her boss’s admonition about not playing with Eddie’s tender heart. Besides, clean-cut guys like him never stick around with girls like her.
So when she pronounces their steamy encounter a one and done, heartbroken Eddie respects her decision–but has he given up hope?
***
He delivered Gus’s beer, then ran a quick inventory. The keg of porter was running low. As he headed for the back room, a flash of electric blue caught his eye. There she stood at the server station, dressed in a silvery top cut low to display the bouquet of pink and red roses tattooed across her lush cleavage. Jeans shorts hugged her plump hips. Black tights and sturdy knee-high boots—sexy, earthy, gorgeous. While she waited for her drink order, she bunched her sapphire curls into a topknot and shoved a pencil through to anchor it, revealing the slender vine tattooed behind her right ear. Less than forty-eight hours ago, he’d traced that vine with his tongue. His stupid d!ck inched upward at the sight.
She’s not for me. He forced his gaze downward as he approached. He couldn’t ignore her, or people would talk. He couldn’t greet her too warmly, or people would talk. What the f*ck was he supposed to do, then?
“Hey, Eddie.” Instead of her usual husky warmth, her voice sounded flat, tired.
“You feeling all right?” She did seem a little pale. “You want a coffee or something?”
Her smile flickered and died. “Nah, I’m good. You?”
He shrugged. Don’t pout. Be a man about it. “Okay, I guess. Babka says hello.”
There it was again, that sad almost-smile. “Tell her I said hi.” She swiped a palm down her face, leaned onto the bar, and whispered, “This sucks.”
“Yeah, it does.” Knowing he wasn’t suffering alone lightened the load just a tiny bit. He laid his hand over hers. “Hang in there, beautiful. We’ll get past this.”
“Well, well, well.” Charlie stepped up and set down her tray. Her glossy brown ponytail swung as she looked from Eddie to Rosie, grinning. “How are the lovebirds this evening?”
“Look—” Rosie started.
“Listen—” Eddie said at the same time.
They exchanged wry grins. Rosie lifted her chin slightly, a silent signal. You’re up.
“We’re just friends. Right, Rosie?”
“Right,” she chirped with a fake, wide-eyed smile. “You and River are the only lovebirds here.” She loaded her drink order onto her tray and sailed into the crowd.
With a shaky exhale, he returned to his duties: trekking from storage room to bar, with side trips to pick up empties and to the kitchen to help Diego and Chelsey when food orders got backed up. He restocked glasses, tapped beer kegs, and kept his eyes on his work and off Rosie.
***
Do these mismatched lovers find a way past their differences and the web of lies they’ve woven to keep their interfering families off their backs?
It’s a romance, y’all. Of course they do. But what a tumultuous ride they have on the way to their HEA!
For a limited time, get Opposites Ignite (ebook) for just 99¢ from your favorite online bookstore.
https://books2read.com/oppositesignite
Or get the five-book complete series collection for just 9.99!
https://books2read.com/BangersTavernBoxSet
