Chapter One
Amber Stone crossed Sixth Avenue and jogged up the steps of Bryant Park knowing it was going to be a backwards day in her life.
For starters, the weather was far too warm for December in New York City. Thanks to an eye infection, she was wearing glasses instead of her contacts. And oh, she was returning her engagement ring exactly two years from the day she received it.
In exactly the same place he gave it to her.
Except that day was cold and Amber had dressed in her long black puffer jacket, knee-high boots and matching buffalo checkered hat and scarf set. Now she was dressed in skinny jeans, a long-sleeve white T-shirt tucked in the front and the same knee-high boots. Also, she was sporting a nerdy and sexy pair of thick olive green glasses that made her feel smart and desirable and someone who had their shit together.
She was none of those things.
She wanted to be desirable and strong and independent—in fact, she even tried to be—but every time she started to feel comfortable with herself, her fiancé would torpedo her efforts. At least during their college years he paid her some attention while deflating her ego. He’d stroke his chin, study her from top to bottom, and then ask if she was putting on weight. Once he started cheating on her—which happened after she fell in love with him and often—he merely pressed his lips together and sighed heavily. Although she didn’t need words, she could have used some attention. Any attention would have been better than being ignored.
And he made sure she was ignored, not only by him, but by every single man at college. Out of loyalty or fear, it didn’t matter, there wasn’t a guy on campus who would even take her out for coffee because Will was Big Man on Campus, captain of the hockey team, MVP of their championship team, and powerful. She shuddered at that last thought, refusing to remember just how powerful Will could be when he was angered.
Instead, Amber strived to focus on what she was gaining from leaving this relationship. She would finally learn if there was someone out there for her. After all the abuse and name-calling and put-downs she went through with Will, it would mean everything to find a man who wanted to be with her. It’d mean everything to find a man who was satisfied only by her. It’d mean everything to find someone who looked at her like she was his lobster.
Did she just quote Friends? Oh man, she must really be nervous. Determined to get this over with, Amber walked to the Stony Creek granite and bronze fountain located in the western gate of Bryant Park.
Normally, she’d stop and browse the holiday shops she walked past on her way to the fountain. Not today.
She wasn’t surprised to see Will’s big, broad, and tall frame standing close to the fountain, not moving a muscle. He feared nothing and had more stones than probably a whole team of hockey players. He’d said to meet him here at eleven and he expected her to listen. A part of her hated herself for meeting his timeline and yet she gave herself leniency since it’d be over after today.
“Hello, Will,” she said, tone flat.
“Amber. Did you bring my ring?”
His ring? Funny, because she could have sworn he gave it to her.
Not that she was surprised. Over the years she learned Will’s punishment far exceeded the crime. And in his mind, breaking up with him was a crime. What could be a better punishment than revisiting her perfect day and ruining it? Too bad today meant nothing to her. Only reason she agreed to meet him.
“Yeah, I did. You should know, I thought about throwing it in the fountain, except people throw things in, like coins and rings and other shiny objects, for only one reason—for hope. Since you took that away from me a long time ago, I didn’t want to tempt chance.”
“Lucky me. The ring, Amber, give it to me now,” he said, extending his hand. He wanted the ring box. No problem, since she wanted away from him.
Sticking her hand into her coat pocket, she pulled out the ring box and slammed it into his outstretched palm. His long fingers curled around her wrist and trapped her in a strong and unbreakable grip before she could retract her hand from his. From experience, she knew it was useless to attempt escape. She’d be bruised for a week, but if she fought against his grip it’d be much worse.
“Didn’t we already have a lesson about what happens when you don’t play nice?”
Like she needed that reminder.
It took all her power not to cringe at his low, wicked tone. She hated when he spoke softly and calmly because there would be nothing calm from his actions that followed. They were done. It was over. He was not her problem anymore. Suddenly, a strength Amber hadn’t realized she possessed overtook her, and she snatched her hand free of his grasp.
Later, she’d realize the burn of forcing his release was worth it. For now, she allowed excitement to thrum through her. Holy shit! Her hand was free. She was free of him. Such a large accomplishment and yet she couldn’t suppress the tremble consuming her body.
“Yes, and it ended with me leaving you.”
“No, it ended with you being alone. I told you I was your last opportunity. Aren’t both your friends engaged? Last chance, babe. If you want my ring, beg me for it.”
Her chest tightened because he hit his mark. Her two friends were in serious relationships and she was not. Last year she was the only one engaged and this year she was the last one single. She wasn’t even dating. One step back, she forced herself to breathe through the panic.
“Have a nice life,” she said, tone devoid of emotion. Not chancing he’d allow her to walk away, Amber pivoted on her booted foot and headed straight toward the bar.
Only more proof today was a backwards day, she’d take her first drink before noon.
***
Red wines, white wines or whiskey, it usually made no difference to Noah Quinn what he served his customers when he was bartending. A buddy of his asked Noah to do him a favor and work a shift over at The Fever – Tree Porch in Bryant Park this afternoon. Since he had received full custody of his son, Tyler, Noah had told most of the places he filled in for he couldn’t anymore. He didn’t need to. He owned a successful business in Jack Frost’s Bar and Grill and recently became a supplier to a new café some friends from college opened. For once in his life, money wasn’t ruling his decisions. This was the last time he’d fill in for a friend, he promised. With the recent addition of his son in his life, Noah realized he needed to be more responsible and less social. There was no way he’d ever choose fun over family again.
However, with Ty taking a cooking class and his buddy really needing help, Noah couldn’t say no. So he found himself on a Sunday afternoon serving drinks to the lunch crowd who probably started their Christmas shopping early, judging by their large brown bags, exhausted disposition, and the consumption rate of their cocktails.
“Hey, Noah, help me out? Mandy called me when I was in the middle of doing business. I’ll admit, I might have been a tad harsh with her, but this was a deal I’ve been trying to make for a few months now. So after I was done with business, I called her back. She said everything was fine. This guy over here feels I need to come home with flowers.”
Flowers?
It was going to take a lot more than coming home with flowers. Derek was a regular at Jack Frost and was always getting himself in trouble with his woman. Work on a Sunday afternoon sounded like a stretch. No matter how many times Noah advised him to stop treating her like a fashion accessory and start treating her with some respect, the guy felt his asshat behavior was excusable.
“How about instead of hanging out here, you go home and spend some time with her?”
“Were you listening? I secured a big client for my company. I deserve to celebrate.”
Noah shrugged, moving on to serve his next customer. Hard as he tried to ignore Derek and his girlfriend problems, the guy still pressed the issue with his next comment.
“So you think flowers too?”
Definitely not what he said.
Other than a slight head shake, Noah managed to keep his concentration on the woman placing an order for a white wine and a turkey burger.
Between customers placing orders, the volume around the bar increasing thanks to alcohol and a crowd, and some of the regulars asking Noah’s advice on life, he should not have noticed Amber Stone and all her sexy, gorgeous curves stopping short at the sight of him behind the bar.
He frowned but kept pouring, hoping she’d keep walking. Amber was a regular at his bar, one he preferred not to serve because she drank to forget her troubles. Exactly like his ex-girlfriend, Nina, except she liked clubbing with her drinking. He couldn’t stop Nina and he definitely couldn’t stop Amber.
Before their eyes locked on each other, she was storming over to the bar, desperate and depressed and something else he couldn’t quit figure out.
Not that he cared.
Amber Stone was the third owner of RAM Café, a new establishment a few of his friends opened and for whom he made breakfast. But before opening the café, she was Ty’s art teacher, his favorite teacher, and she was let go due to budget cuts.
She was everything Noah went for in a woman. Long, curly dark hair, light brown eyes that flickered with fire and flirting and foreplay, and a tall, curvy body he knew he could spend hours exploring. Shoot, maybe days. Except she liked to drink past her limit and he had Ty to think about now. Which made dating not an option.
A sobering thought indeed. Ty’s mother and Noah had hooked up senior year in college for one unforgettable night. She’d come to him a month later and told him she was pregnant and keeping the baby. Despite dealing with his own troubles and guilt, Noah wanted in on the child’s life. In the beginning, the agreement was that Noah saw his son on Wednesdays and every other weekend. During those years, the demands of Tyler’s autism stressed Nina, and soon Noah agreed to move in with them to help out with Ty. Even that wasn’t enough for her. While he raised their son, managed a newly opened bar, and took care of the bills, she planned a life without them. Eventually her planning became her reality and Nina called and told him her big break had come. She was moving to California and not taking Ty with her. He could stay with her mother.
No. There was no way his son was staying anywhere but with him. It took some getting used to, but almost a year later, they were completely healed from Nina’s departure.
Noah winced. Perhaps healed was stretching the truth. Tyler didn’t need to hear Nina say he was a burden to understand it was how she felt. Especially when she packed her bags and moved to California. He didn’t care she hadn’t asked Noah to follow her. The chemistry was never there between them, and after the first year together, they both agreed to remain in each other’s lives for Ty. Until last year, when Nina decided she didn’t even want that. Rebuilding Ty’s confidence in a world where different was already a challenge consumed Noah’s time.
So lusting after Amber Stone, who needed to get her life together, had to be shelved.
And judging by the flat line of her narrowed eyes and her tightly pressed lips as she sat at his bar, she wasn’t sizing him up for potential boyfriend material either. No, this woman was here for a drink. He’d seen plenty of people enter his bar with the same pale complexion and disheveled appearance to understand when life had taken a swing at them and connected with their heads. Or worse, their hearts.
He was serving her one light beer and cutting her off.
“Can I get a martini please? Wet?”
Yeah, sure, because putting extra vermouth in her drink seemed like a reasonable request.
“I’m a little backed up so just be patient with me.”
“Everybody already has their drinks! Don’t do this to me today.”
He cut her a look. Since sitting she had disheveled her hair by running her fingers through it, whitened her knuckles from her grip on the counter, and reddened her face with anger.
Don’t do this to her?
He leaned in close and narrowed his eyes. “How about we eat something first? A Caesar salad? Someone ordered a turkey burger before, and judging by her empty plate, I’d say she enjoyed it. Want one of them?”
“I’m not hungry. Please, Noah…just the drink.”
He pulled back, shocked her voice cracked. If that wasn’t a kick to the groin her further explanation was.
“I returned my engagement ring to Will today. The same day he gave it to me two years ago. I know why he did it and I thought I could handle it.” She shrugged.
“You can handle it because you’re stronger than you think. One martini and then you’re cut off.”
“Was that a compliment?” Behind a sexy pair of glasses, she narrowed her eyes.
“Nah, more like an observation.”
“I’ll take it,” she said.
Hold on. Did she mean the drink or the compliment? And why did he care? Rather than show his surprise, he got to work on making her drink. He filled a tumbler with ice, two and a half parts gin, and half part vermouth, then shook.
“Don’t forget I want it wet. If I’m only having one, it better be good and it better be done right.” Her bossy tone and implications annoyed Noah.
Was she for real? Nobody questioned his skills at mixing drinks, especially when sitting at his bar.
He might have shaken the tumbler harder than necessary but once he fell into his work, Noah found concentrating and breathing came easier.
He shifted his attention to his next customer.
“Can I have a beer?”
“From the tap?” he asked patiently, used to customers who didn’t actually know what they wanted.
“Yeah. How strong do you make your martinis? Would it give me a headache?”
“Couldn’t say. I’m not your doctor.”
“So it is strong.”
Noah suppressed the urge to groan. From the twinkle in Amber’s eyes, it was safe to assume she was enjoying this. Instead of answering the guy, he finished with Amber’s martini, adding an orange peel to the glass and placing it in front of her. He wiped his hands and started pouring the man his beer.
“Hey, Noah, Chiefs are playing the Jets this weekend. You get tickets?” Enrico Piccolo, a regular at Jacks Frost and close friend of Noah’s, asked as he took a seat at the bar.
“Nah, I would have but Ty isn’t into football.”
Something changed in his friend’s eyes, something Noah had seen plenty of times when he mentioned changing his routine for his son, and he didn’t like it because it was pity. He had been a fan of the Chiefs long before they won a Super Bowl or even before they landed a fan-fucking-tastic quarterback in Patrick Mahomes, but Ty still came first.
“But you’ll be at your bar watching the game, right? I’ll come swing around there and watch it with you.”
“That’d be great.” He extended his hand for two quick slaps and a handshake from Enrico.
As busy as he was, he didn’t miss Amber checking out his friend’s ass and ogling his arms. There was no denying Enrico could be on a men’s fitness magazine with his thick dark hair, dark brown eyes and brown skin. Beards seemed to always be a turn on for women, and Enrico kept his just on the edge of being more than stubble but not terribly thick. Seriously, it drove women batshit crazy. He was long and lean and solid as a rock, which made his nickname Little Ricky even more hilarious.
Noah fell into his work stirring, shaking, and serving drinks to his customers. Most of the guys wanted to talk sports with him while most of the women wanted to flirt with him. All in all, it kept him busy. Too busy to pay attention to the conversations around him, except for Amber, who was desperately trying to gain Noah’s attention.
He should ignore her. He was busy enough to feign not noticing her signal. However, he just couldn’t be that mean. So he leaned on the counter in front of her and waited for her request.
“Is there anybody in this city that you don’t know?” Amber asked.
“People like bartenders,” he said.
“They like to talk to bartenders.”
“Some.”
“Seemed like a lot more than some. You know a lot about them? What they like? Where they work? If they’re single?”
Trust Amber to be direct. He grinned.
“I own a bar, it’s expected to be nice to the customers.”
“This isn’t even your bar. Why are you working here? Where’s Max?”
“Christmas shopping with his new wife. She wanted to pick up presents for the nieces and nephews together.”
“Everybody I know is either married or in a committed relationship.”
Not me. Not that he’d say that out loud.
“Means nothing if it isn’t with the right person.”
“Yeah, yeah. Remember you’re talking to the girl who just gave back her engagement ring to a cheater.”
“Everything went alright with that?”
She ran her fingers through her long dark hair and nodded, but he didn’t miss the beginnings of tears forming in the corners of her eyes. Noah never was a fan of people crying but since Ty came into his life, he hated seeing those giant size tears brought on by extreme hurt tumble out of anybody’s eyes. Hated seeing someone pushed past their limit.
“If you really care how I’m doing, how about setting me up with Mr. Football Fan.”
“Who?”
“The hot guy you plan on watching the Kansas City game with.”
“Little Ricky?”
She snorted at the use of the nickname.
“Well?” When he didn’t answer, she lowered her voice and did something shocking—she shared with him. “I don’t do well meeting people for the first time, but if someone introduced me…vouched for me…well it could make a difference.”
He swallowed hard, knowing what she was asking and why she was asking it. Too many years with Will had her believing she wasn’t enough.
“It’s bad business to set people up with each other.” True. Except not the reason he wouldn’t do it. He couldn’t be watching out for her and Tyler at the same time. He’d have a nervous breakdown for sure.
“Not bad business to cut someone off though? Forget it. I’m sure I’ll bump into him at Jack Frost eventually and I’ll ask him out myself. Oh, a little advice? I saw you checking out the tall, curvy woman who drinks peach vodkas and behaves like she spends the better half of the day at the gym. Unless you’re looking for a no strings attached relationship, you might want to search elsewhere since she accepted a drink from two different guys and was cozying up to a third before his girlfriend walked over.”
Noah froze because he had been looking. Since receiving full custody of Ty he hadn’t been on a date, but that didn’t mean he stopped looking. Guys never stopped looking.
“Thanks for the advice,” he said casually.
“You are so smug. Someday you’re going to want a woman to stay with you and the answer is going to be no. I only hope I’m around to see it.”
He wondered what she would say if he told her she was too late to witness that day. Hell, he wondered what she would say if he told her that was the day Nina left Ty with him. Instead, he smiled and said, “There are people who are thirsty. So if you’d pay up and go, I’d appreciate it.”
He deserved her slamming the money on the counter and fleeing the outside bar. And he probably deserved the desire to go after her and apologize. But he definitely did not deserve Amber’s asshat ex strolling up to his bar with a woman on his arm and demanding a drink.
There was only one explanation for the irony of Will not being alone—it had to be a backwards day.
Available for pre-order releases November 24, 2020
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