I sit in the same bar where I met Haley, having a drink with my older brother, Tyson. My mood is good. I’m optimistic. I chose this location on purpose. I’m going to catch up with my big bro and then I’m going to find a gorgeous drink to chase away this hangover. Tomorrow, I’ll be free, and I very much look forward to that.

“Dad said things didn’t go quite like you two planned at the Brandt place. What happened?”

I wave him off, taking a drink from my beer. “Long story that I don’t want to get into tonight.”

“Fair enough, fair enough.” He falls quiet for a few seconds before he asks, “You okay?”

“Fine. Why?”

He narrows his light gray eyes on me. “I don’t know. Can’t put my finger on it, but something seems off.”

“Nothing’s off.”

“Maybe you’re off. I’ve been saying it for years.”

I flick a peanut at him. It hits him on the cheek. He brushes it off the table. “Asshole.”

“What have you been up to in… Where was it you went again?”

“Italy.”

“That’s right. You’re just not going to let this other thing go, are you?”

“You know as well as I do that there’s a market for this stuff. We just have to do it right, with the right people and the right product.”

I raise my glass to him. “Whatever you say, brother.”

“I’m headed to Colorado next week. There’s a shop up there I’m interested in.”

A sharp pang of want rockets through me. Irritation follows on it heels. “I don’t need the details,” I snap.

I take a long pull of my beer. So what, now I can’t even think of Colorado without it being ruined by a woman?

Oh hell no.

Hell. No.

I tip back my glass and don’t lower it until it’s empty.

“Jesus, Nixon, slow down! You’re not in college.”

I wipe my mouth with the back of my hand and scan the bar for the cute little brunette who caught my eye earlier. When I find her, I see that she’s watching me. I smile. She smiles.

“Hey!”

It’s Tyson, trying to get my attention. “What?”

He doesn’t look very pleased with me at the moment. Lucky for me, I don’t give a shit if he’s pleased or not.

“What the hell is going on with you?”

“I’ve got something I need to work out.”

“Mind cluing me in on what it is?”

I look back toward the bar for the girl. I’m ready, ready to get her and leave this place—along with the remnant of Haley—behind. She’s gone, though. I don’t see her in her spot.

“Let me clarify. I was going to work something out, but you ruined it. Thanks for that.”

Tyson leans back in his chair, throwing his hands up. “I give up. Talking to you is like talking to a schizophrenic, man.”

Before I can spit a retort, I spot a dark head over Tyson’s shoulder. I grin when I see the hot girl I’ve been watching. She’s carrying two shot glasses, each with a lime on the salted rim.

Tequila.

Of course. Just my luck.

“Make yourself scarce for a minute. Let me do my work.”

“Work? What are you—” He stops when a female hip appears by his right shoulder. He glances up at her and stares for a few seconds then shoots me an amused look of understanding. Now he gets it. “I’ll, uh, I’ll be back. I’m gonna hit the head and then order us another drink.”

“He might not be here when you get back,” the brunette warns in a sultry voice.

I hike a brow at that. This is better than I’d hoped. She’s not even going to make me work for it.

Tyson stands and holds his chair for her. “Keep him for as long as you want.”

He nods to me, I nod back, and then I turn my attention to the beautiful woman in front of me.

“I’m Charlize.”

“Like the actress?”

“Yep. Like that.”

“Nixon.”

“Nixon. I like that. Sounds…dark.” She sets the shot glasses down in front of her, watching me from under her lashes. “I thought you looked a little thirsty. Can I interest you in a little something to satisfy that thirst, Nixon?”

She slides a shot across the table to me. I pause.

I pause and then I get pissed at myself because I do.

I grit my teeth, and I wait, wait for that empty feeling in my stomach to be replaced with something else. Anything else. And it is. Within a few more seconds, a ruthless kind of determination sets in. This will be the end of Haley for me. This is me being over it, being over her. I’m going to drink this and wash away her taste, and then I’m going to take this girl back to my hotel room and wash away her memory. Tomorrow will be a new day.

I raise the tequila in a toast to my companion. My smile feels brighter than usual when I say, “To the cure for a hangover.”

She shrugs and raises her glass. “I’ll take it. To the cure!”

We both toss back the shot. The liquor burns all the way down, searing the flesh of my throat. That burn I can take; it’s the other one that takes me by surprise. There’s a burn in my chest, something deep and unexpected. The taste of tequila on my tongue doesn’t wash away anything. It only seems to stir up what I already can’t get away from. It stirs up flashes of dark red hair, shining hazel eyes, and a smile that turns my stomach inside out. It’s all as fresh as if she were standing right in front of me. Or lying right beneath me.

I growl low in my throat. That image, the one of her lying under me, eyes fixed to mine, mouth open in pleasure… Christ, I can’t get away from it. Every time it enters my mind, it’s like a punch to the solar plexus.

“Are you okay?”

I open eyes I hadn’t meant to close and find Charlize staring at me. She’s gorgeous with her dark, silky hair and her almond-shaped blue eyes, and she’s got a body to match, too. Long legs, thick curves, tight ass. But something’s missing. And I know what it is.

I swallow.

I swallow the flavor of tequila. I swallow the acidity of memories. I swallow the fact that I have no interest in this woman, no matter how hot she is. It’s not who or what she is; it’s who she isn’t.

“You know what? Let me buy you another shot, one you can give to someone else. I… What I really need tonight is to drink alone.”

I smile my apology at her. She balks at first. I’m sure she doesn’t get turned down very often. But then she shrugs, scoots her glass out of the way, and stands. “Don’t worry about it. I hope she’s worth it.”

I want to ask what she’s talking about or maybe how she knows, but she disappears into the crowd. I instantly stop looking for her. Instead, I go to the bar and order an entire bottle of tequila. If I can’t get rid of Haley with a replacement, I’ll drown her out instead.