I shouldn’t have been surprised Reardon invited Serena. They were family after all, and she’d just moved back to town. Still, the excitement I’d had over heading to the bar to hang out with my friend quickly faded with the realization.

Maybe I could have a beer, then beg off saying I had work to do, I thought as we walked into the dimly lit space.

The Lewis’ family bar was a cool mix of biker bar and sports bar, with dark wood, and pictures of their son, Gabriel Lewis, plastered throughout. Along with his NFL Jersey, team pictures throughout the years, and other memorabilia.

It had a chill vibe, offered great food, and there was always someone you knew either working behind the bar, or sitting at it.

“Jed, how’s it going, mate?” my buddy, Shane, called from behind the bar. He’d known Gabe in college, and had come to Cherry Springs from Australia to work and get his Master’s degree.

“Good, brother, how ‘bout you?” I asked, crossing to the bar to slap palms with him.

“Can’t complain,” Shane said with a grin.

That was the thing about Shane … he never complained, and he was always grinning.

“I’m here with Rear and Rena, can we get a pitcher?” I asked. “You got a break coming up?”

Shane shook his head. “Already took it, but I’ll stop by when it slows down.”

“Sounds good.”

I turned and found Reardon and Serena had joined Jasmine and Dillon, two more Lewis cousins. In addition to that, they were twins, who worked for the same company, Lewis Sporting Goods.

I felt a twinge of relief that there were more people in our party, so I wouldn’t be obligated to talk too much to Serena, then felt an almost immediate answering twinge of guilt.

There’s no need to be a dick, maybe she’d been having a bad day.

Deciding to give her another shot, I joined the group, and although I sat on the end nearest Reardon and Dillon, I vowed to be open-minded where Serena was concerned.

“Hey, Jazzy, Dillon, how’s things?” I asked with a grin as I took my seat.

“Better now that you’re here, Handyman Jed,” Jasmine called with a saucy wink, causing me to chuckle.

She had a myriad of nicknames for me in addition to handyman … Sexy Jed, Carpenter Jed, Stubblicious Jed … The chick was a riot.

I knew she didn’t mean anything by it. Her comments were all in good fun. The girl was a born flirt, and I could admit, I enjoyed a good flirt myself, but nothing had, nor would ever, happen between us. Not only because her brother, and cousins, would cut off my balls if I ever even thought about going there, but because Shane had wanted her since before had I come to town.

And I’d never poach from a friend, no matter how funny, sexy, and sweet Jasmine was.

“Aw, shucks,” I replied with a grin, tipping my imaginary hat.

Jasmine’s throaty laugh filled the bar as Shane walked up with two pitchers. His gaze latched on her briefly, before swinging around the rest of the table and giving us all a big grin as he set down the beer.

“Here you are, let me know if you want to order food and I’ll send Becs over.”

“Thanks, Shane,” Serena said with what looked like a genuine smile. “I’d love to order.”

“You got it,” Shane said with a wink.

The rest of us shouted our need for food, getting a little louder than necessary as we egged each other on.

“Enough!” a woman yelled back, causing us to shut up and turn toward the sound.

Annabeth, Gabe’s mother and aunt of everyone at the table but me, stood behind the bar, her face stern.

“What are you, a bunch of jackals?” she asked, hands on her hips. “Becs’ll be over in a minute, and if you can’t wait, you can go in the back and make your own food.”

“Sorry, Aunt A,” Dillon replied sweetly, but she just rolled her eyes at him, turned, and walked into the back.

“Kiss ass,” Jazzy whispered.

Dillon ignored her and began pouring the beer into the glasses Becs had just brought.

“Do you already know what you want to order?” she asked, not bothering to bring menus.

We went around the table, starting with the ladies, and gave Becs our orders. When she finally got to me, Becs turned her body toward me and smiled. She was pretty, with short black hair and a dimpled grin, but was a little too young for me.

That never stopped her from trying, though.

“What can I get for you, Jed?” she asked, lowering her voice so her tone came out smoky.

My body reacted of its own free will at the sound, coupled with the way she was looking at me … like she hoped I’d order her off the menu.

“Uh,” I began, struggling to remember why I always ignored her advances … She’s only twenty-one, she’s only twenty-one, I repeated in my head until my brain could function again. “I’d like the cheeseburger, all the way, with the sweet potato fries.”

“You watching your carbs?” she asked, leaning in a bit so I could see down her shirt.

Jeez, I blinked and kept my eyes on hers, you’re a whole decade older than her.

“Nah,” I said, keeping my tone even as I lifted my beer to my lips, “I just like sweet potato fries.”

“I was gonna say … cause your body looks damn near perfect to me.”

I almost choked on my beer as she sauntered off, swinging her hips as she looked over her shoulder at me.

Dillon and Reardon chuckled, and Jasmine said, “Looks like someone’s got a crush,” but when I looked at Serena, I couldn’t read her expression. It almost looked annoyed, but what the hell did she have to be annoyed about, I was the one who had to fend off the advances of the pretty, young millennial.