Hustle Me (Bank Shot Romance #1)(16)
Author: Jennifer Foor

He giggled. "Charlie, I’m hungry."

I loved how he could change the subject like it never existed. "Go back to Shaun and tell him what you want. Don’t forget to wash your hands before you come back out."

After Ryan ate all of his chicken tenders, he decided that he wanted to color. Shaun worked until seven and then headed home to be with his family. He was already such a big help to me.

When Ryan started to yawn, I locked the front doors and put the ‘be back in ten’ sign up. It was always more than ten minutes, but for now, I didn’t really have a choice. I had no help and my brother was my first priority. After his quick bath, we got him into his pajamas and tucked into bed. It was probably bad, but I always let him fall asleep with the television on. If he needed me for any reason, he knew I was just downstairs.

Usually, during the week, I could close the tavern by eleven, but this guy Tippy always came in and played pool late at night. Since he spent a bunch of money and brought in more customers, I let him hold late night matches. Once it got late enough, I would lock the doors and let them play.

The next few hours were pretty steady. A few people left because I didn’t have the ability to keep the kitchen open once Shaun left at night.

Tippy came in and I got him a beer before hanging back at the bar while he warmed up. Two big Italian looking guys came in and ordered mixed drinks before heading back to join him. I don’t know why, but my heart jumped when I heard the door open and saw Jammer walking in with two girls on his arms. It figures that he could pick up two bimbos at once.

I rolled my eyes as he approached the bar. He smiled at me like he wasn’t carting the other girls around. "Hey, sexy, I need a Coke and whatever they want as well."

I shook my head and started making his soda. The girls giggled and ordered sodas too. I gave them theirs first and Jammer watched them walk away before he turned back to my attention. I slid the Styrofoam cup toward him. "I have your change from earlier."

"You don’t owe me any change. I paid for a good meal and the entertainment that came with it."

"Did you just refer to me as entertainment?" I was more than pissed.

Did I look like some hooker?

He laughed at my comment. "If I did, what are you going to do about it?"

"Please take your soda and follow your little toys to the back room. I’ve already had about as much as I can take from you."

He leaned over the counter, to be sure nobody else could hear us. "That’s too bad, because I can promise you that after one night with me, you’ll never say that again."

I scrunched up my face. "You disgust me."

"Love me or hate me, but either way you’re still thinking about me, babe."

"Go to hell."

He grabbed his soda and started walking away. "When you’re lying on that bed tonight, think of me."

"I seriously hate you."

I really did!

Chapter 10

Jammer

I don’t know where in the hell Tippy found these two roughnecks we were playing. They were alright shots, but I almost felt bad for having to take their money. I, at least, liked a run for my money.

When I played a match with someone, we had to show our money before the match and leave it in the same place until the match was won by either person. Usually, we would put our stack of bills on top of the pool light. It was out of the way and didn’t attract anyone wanting to walk up and take it.

I broke and ran out all of my balls on the first rack, not even giving the guy a turn at the table. Tippy’s girlfriend and Jaye came along to watch us play and, even though it was nice to have two good looking women with us, I couldn’t help but think about the hot little thing that was on the other side of the bar. Something about her just got under my skin and made me want to keep taunting her. She got so mad; so red in the face that I thought it was comical. Of course she wanted to give me back my change that I wasn’t going to ever take back. It was obvious she was struggling and her father had helped me when I didn’t have a pot to piss in.

The guy I was shooting wanted to take a smoke break, so I decided it was time for another drink. “Tip, you need a refill?”

“Yeah, man. You don’t have to go get it, just call Charlie. She’ll bring it in to us. I always tip her good before I leave.”

Charlie. Her name was Charlie.

I think a smile came across my face before I even knew what I was doing. Tippy looked over at his girlfriend and walked closer to me. “You don’t want to go there, Jammer. She ain’t like the Sugars you are used to.”

I patted him on the shoulder. “Yeah, let me be the judge of that.”

He chased after me and when we made it around the corner, I stopped. “I’m not playing, man. She’ll never give you the time of day. Charlie’s a nice girl who is really having a hard time. She had to drop out of college and become a parent to a brother she didn’t even know she had. The last thing she needs is a one night stand with you.”

I pushed him, but not in a fighting kind of way. “You want her for yourself don’t you? What, did she turn you down?”

He scrunched up his face. “No, dude. My girl would kick my ass. That’s the only reason she came tonight. She’s real jealous and thinks I have Sugars on the side.”

“You probably do!” Pussy was easy for us to get. If he wasn’t in love with his girlfriend, then I knew he was still hooking up with other chicks.

“Yeah, what she don’t know, won’t hurt her.”

I motioned my head toward the bar. “You hitting the bartender?”

He laughed and shook his head. “Nah, man, but not for lack of trying. She wouldn’t give me the time of day. She’s not really that fun to be around, but it didn’t stop me from wanting a piece. Her body is stacked and I’d love to bend her over.”

I pushed my old friend back towards the billiards room. “Dude, you have issues. Go back in there before your girlfriend goes all psycho. You cost me a grand, I’m going to have to kick your ass.”

“You can try.” I laughed as I made my way toward the bar.

Charlie was in the back and I could hear dishes being banged around. Since I knew the bar better than anyone, I walked in the back. She was scrubbing a large bowl out and from the way she was thrashing the water around, I could tell she wasn’t in the best of moods. I snuck up behind her and got close to her ear. “What are you doing?”

She jumped and soap suds went flying all over the place. “What the hell are you doing back here?” She backed away from me and started wiping off her face.