Her compliment wipes out the sorrowful thoughts of losing my father.

Not that they won’t resurface later.

“That’s my girl.” I hold my arm across the bar.

She grins and high-fives me.

Silas jerks his jacket off his shoulders and peers at Cassidy. “I’ll let you have that one because Maliki would kick my ass if I ever touched you.”

She scrunches up her face. “You’re not letting me have anything.” She pats his chest. “No offense, pretty boy, but only one bartender has my heart.” Blowing a kiss, she turns and strolls toward the employee entrance.

My gaze is trained on her, her curves, the pep in her step as she walks.

“Safe to say, she likes you, man,” Silas comments, his lips curving into an amused smile.

I don’t look away from Cassidy until she disappears through the door. “She’s young.”

“Twenty-one isn’t that young,” he scoffs. “What are you, twenty-six?”

I nod.

“Five years ain’t shit. Which means you’re using age as an excuse, and I have the best solution for that.”

I raise a brow.

“Telling Cohen to schedule you and Blondie together.”

“Girls are the last thing I need to worry about.”

What do I need to worry about?

Getting my life in order, moving into my own place, and adjusting to this new world.

I’ll never be the same man I once was.

Sports and shouting customers consume my environment as I sling drinks—a margarita here, a shot there, a beer here. I went from ordering drinks to serving them. Don’t get me wrong. I’m thankful as fuck for the job. My only experience upon being hired was that I’d drunk a whole lot of liquor.

Bartending isn’t my passion. Making small talk with people isn’t my jam. Hearing people whine about their problems like I’m a damn therapist is hell. I came from the corporate world, and in the corporate world, we told people to shut the fuck up when they whined about their problems.

What was once my passion?

Business. Finance. A salary with six numbers.

That was the name of my game.

Until that game ended and I was the loser.

“Silas. Oh, Silas,” Cassidy sings out at the end of the night. “I volunteer as tribute to take over your closing duties.”

Silas stops collecting trash. “Seriously?”

All night, as I poured drinks and ignored people bitching, I thought about Cassidy. The girl, she’s getting to me.

Whether it’s platonic or sexual attraction, I want to spend all my time with her.

I want to learn everything about her, every single damn tidbit I can.

I want all of that … while also desperate she doesn’t learn about the real me. As much as I don’t want it to happen, it will eventually. My past hasn’t been a secret, given everyone knows me as Archer’s brother.