Free On the Rocks (Pub Fiction Book 2) by Gillian Jones Page A

like hell am I about to tell these assholes that. Instead, I pause, which is a big mistake around this crowd. “Yep, yep! Aha! Welcome to Club Goner, buddy.” Ryker extends his hand to shake mine and I swat it away.
    “Piss off, will ya? I didn’t say shit, buddy. I didn’t think your big mouth was done talking yet, so I was waiting for your Forrest Gump ass to finish. The answer is ‘no’, for your information. Other than thinking about fucking her, I don’t stop and smile and hear music and birds and shit. I’m not you, pussyboy,” I deflect, hoping it’s convincing.
    He nods. I hate to admit it even to myself, but yeah, I know exactly what feeling he’s talking about. But I’ll just keep that shit to myself until I figure this out, because the admission even to myself scares the piss outta me.
    Ryker and I were never the type to bring girls home. My mom has never met anyone I’ve dated, not that I have ever had a steady girl, but my mom is totally off limits. Like my brother, only my future wife will ever have that privilege. If it weren’t for my mom, Pub Fiction would not be what it is today. Unlike my father, my mom is the absolute best, having believed in me enough to invest in my dream. We co-owned Pub Fiction until a year-and-a-half ago when she happily allowed me to buy her out.
    “Sure, sure, man. I ain’t buying it. You’re in deep already. I can see it. Trust me, dude, I know. Been there done that!” Ryker chortles.
    “Shut the fuck up, Ryk. I just wanna fuck her, nothing’s changed, man. I ain’t got time to spare for some steady chick in my life, so don’t be siccing mom on me. Or else I’ll tell Kat on you. Ya douche canoe.”
    He raises his hands in surrender. “Yeah, yeah, we’ll see. I’ll tell you right now. I’m taking fucking bets on this shit right here. I’m gonna make me some money.” He high-fives the other guys in true asshole fashion.
    “Oh, hell. I never thought I’d see the day,” quips Matty. “Could it be, both the Eddison boys are becoming men?” He laughs and I can’t stop chuckling at his feigned shock in spite of myself.
    “Sit the fuck down, Matty, before I hurt you,” I add, before tossing him a cold one from the cooler.
    There’s no way I’m comparable to Ryker. He’s just trying to win back the man card that he was forced to surrender pretty much the minute the stupid lug laid eyes on Kat Rollins. Sure, Braunwyn intrigues me, but the last thing I have time for is a complication like a steady girl in my life. Like I told her at the diner: Pub Fiction is my girl.
    Now if I could only convince my dick and my brain that were true.

Chapter 13
    Braunwyn
    I t’s official.
    I’m a full-fledged staff member at Pub Fiction. I’ve just survived the last week of my probationary shifts and lived to tell about it. I might smell like stale beer and feel like a hot mess after tonight’s shift—plus being tired beyond belief from trying to finish my school assignments and juggle Emme—but I still manage to give a little fist pump, because after weeks of training, I did it.
    Tonight I held my own working the VIP section, and it felt amazing. Levi and Luke had me shadow the girls on a few extra shifts because of my lack of experience, but also because I wanted to make sure that I was comfortable with everything I had learned over the last three weeks. The last thing I wanted to do was mess up, so I was grateful for the extra time, especially because it took a while for me to figure out the Point of Sale System as well as a few other bits and pieces, like holding down the bar and learning to work the alarm system on the nights I may have to close. Luckily, everyone’s been helpful and willing to support me along the way.
    “God, what a crazy night!” Brooke boasts, walking in the staffroom looking like I feel: her hair disheveled and eye makeup smudged from the heat of the crowd. “I’m beat. I never thought the shift was gonna end. My poor feet,” she