Vegas: Devil's Rose #9

Chapter 12: June Emerson

"You must be June."

I turn around on the bar stool to face the bartender in front of me.

"That I am. And you are?"

"Whiskey," he announces with his hand out from a handshake.

"Nice to meet you, Whiskey. How did you know it was me?"

"Because Vegas doesn't usually let random women stare at him."

"And he's told you that I'm not random."

"You would be right," he says, a smile cracking on his face, "can I get something to drink?"

"Vegas has told me that you can guess people's drinks. I would be honored for you to try with me."

"You aren't a challenge at all."

"I take some offense to that," I tease him as he grabs vodka and cranberry juice.

Okay, he's correct in my drink of choice, however, I'm still annoyed that he knew that immediately.

"By the look on your face, I can tell that I'm right."

"Jerk."

He grins over the bar at me, sliding my drink over to me. His eyes land right above my head just as I feel a presence behind me. It doesn't take me long to know who it is - Bruce - and a comfortable hand lays gently on my shoulder. I tilt my head back to look up and see Bruce standing there with a heavy expression.

"What's wrong?"

"You didn't come say hi to me."

"Oh, poor baby," I joke, patting his hand on my shoulder with fake pity.

Bruce chuckles before he leans down to see my forehead. Whiskey disappears to the end of the bar, taking care of another customer and most likely to give the two of us space. Bruce takes a seat next to me, placing his cold bottle of beer next to my vodka cran.

"What have you been up to today, ladybug?"

"I went for a forest walk which was nice and needed. I'm feeling good today."

He takes a sip of his beer, nodding his head.

"I'm glad. Did you get some clarification about certain choices?"

He's trying to ask about Westin without actually asking about Westin. He's not that subtle, and I don't think he was trying to be. I think he's trying to keep his distance from the question because he doesn't want me to pull away or get uncomfortable.

He's leaving it general for me because I also have other choices to make in my life, and I can choose how I want to answer the question that he has for me. I appreciate that.

He's usually incredibly direct, and he knows what he wants and goes for it, but in this particular situation, I like that he's feeling out how I feel before just jumping straight into things. It shows me that he cares.

"Yeah, I did. Westmoor is really growing on me, so I think I want to stay here, but I can't stay here as Westin's girlfriend. It feels like it's time for me to move on from him. We aren't giving each other what we want, and we both deserve to be with people who have the same goals."

"I'm sorry that you couldn't find happiness in him."

Bruce isn't, but at least he's hiding the fact that he's happy as hell. Look, I'm not oblivious to the fact that he has a thing for me. He's not good at keeping that a secret. I mean, he's been pretty straightforward about it these past few years, not just days.