Worth It

An immediate grin spread across his face. “They’re pulling through, both getting healthier every day. Zoey was released from the hospital the other day, and J.B. still has to stay in a bit longer. But they’re both healing.” He pulled a cell phone from his pocket and scrolled through it before showing me a picture of a red little baby with a wealth of dark hair, strapped to a bunch of tubes and wires.



I studied the shot a moment before looking up at the father, who had nothing but pride oozing from him. “He has your hair,” I said, remembering Zoey had been a blonde.



“Yeah, but he has Zoey’s eyes.” He turned the screen back to himself. His expression of absolute awe caught me hard in the chest. Once upon a time I’d dreamed of one day looking down at a baby and seeing both mine and his mother’s features mixed together in one perfect little human we had created.



Glancing around for Felicity, I nearly jumped out of my skin when I found her right there, approaching Quinn from the back.



“Hey, daddy,” she said, catching hold of his shoulder. “Are you showing off baby pictures without letting me see any?”



Quinn readily let her scroll through all he had. Her smile grew as he updated her with both Zoey and the baby’s situations, then he thanked her for stopping by the hospital and giving them gifts. I tried not to stare as they chatted, but it was hard not to ache and wonder about the woman she’d become.



She seemed so familiar and friendly with everyone who worked here. The girl I’d once known had been more of a loner, feeling awkward around everyone but me. It made me relieved as much as it depressed me. I was grateful she’d found friends and a place to belong, but at the same time, it stung to realize she didn’t need me any longer. She’d bloomed into the perfect woman all on her own.



“Quinn!” Asher bounded forward, finally catching sight of him. “Man, I will pay you five hundred dollars to take on the rest of this shift for me.”



Quinn winced and shook his head. “Sorry, I can’t. I’m going back to the hospital to sit with Zoey and the baby. I only dropped in after a change of clothes to thank Knox.”



When he motioned to me, Felicity turned her gaze my way.



“I’ll sit with them,” Asher offered. “I’ll even sing lullabies and all that shit. Please, man.”



Even though he was regretful, Quinn wouldn’t budge, wanting to be with his family. I didn’t blame him. If I were him, it’s where I would’ve been too.



He thanked me again, this time for taking up the slack for all the shifts he was missing out on, and then he was gone.



Felicity lingered at the counter, still watching me. “I heard about your heroics with Zoey. That was pretty nice of you.”



I shrugged and grabbed a nearby rag to wipe away some beer that had spilled on the counter. I wanted to look at her more than I wanted my next breath, and yet I was too afraid to do so.



“I didn’t have anything else going on at the time,” I finally mumbled and turned away. But I felt her still watching me.



I hated this. I didn’t know what to do about her in my life again. I craved every little second I got to see her, but I knew I should stay away. It was torment, the two cravings rivaling and constantly churning in me, playing tug-of-war between what my heart wanted and what I knew was best.



By the time our shift ended, I was exhausted from stealing glances at her when I knew I shouldn’t and then trying to be distant whenever she was at the bar. I couldn’t wait to escape so I could fucking breathe right again.



Asher plopped onto a stool, set his elbows on the countertop and buried his face in his hands. “I am never singing that damn song again.”



Ten snorted. “I don’t know what you’re so bent out of shape about. Hordes of women just tried to get their hands on your junk. Your rock star ass should be eating that shit up.”



“I didn’t want hordes of women,” Asher muttered through his hands. “I just wanted to find the one.”



“You mean the one with the boyfriend?”



“Fuck you, man. She might not be with him anymore.”



“Yeah, well... I already have the only woman who counts, so you should just suck it up and sleep with the rest of them. Maybe toss a couple Parker’s way while you’re at it, help a guy out. He probably hasn’t gotten laid since they let him out of the pen.” Glancing at me thoughtfully, Ten asked, “When was the last time you dipped your wick, bud?”



I narrowed my eyes at him, pissed because Felicity was so close, able to hear him clearly.