Walking the Line Read Online Free PDF

make the bar better and more patrons than
ever were asking for beers I hadn’t heard of.
    “Thought you might want to check it out with
me?”
    I nodded. “Sounds good.”
    “Tomorrow night, at seven?”
    “I’ll be there.”
    Gave me another excuse not to see Finn who
was rostered on every evening for the next week.
    “Great, see you then.” Kye paused at the
door. “You really okay?”
    “Why wouldn’t I be?”
    He pointed at the mega popcorn bowl and tub
of chocolate ice cream. “Because I remember when you and Mum used
to do this, it meant trouble.”
    My chest ached at the mention of Sheree. I’d
loved her like a sister and missed her every day, even now, five
years later.
    “Men bond over beers and balls, women love
junk food and flicks to unwind.”
    He did the lip quirk thing again.
“Balls?”
    “Football. Golf. Snooker.”
    “Right.” He grinned, but I still saw concern
in his steady gaze. “That’s all this is, unwinding?”
    “Yeah.” I propped against the back of the
sofa, wishing he’d leave so I could get past the sudden urge to
bawl.
    Because the one person in this world I
trusted these days was a twenty-year-old, messed up kid with anger
management issues and what did that say about me?
    That I never let anyone in. That I needed to
lighten up. That I needed a life beyond the bar and my
bitterness.
    “You know, all those times I’d be pretending
to play cars on the floor or do puzzles, I actually just enjoyed
being around you and Mum,” he said, his gaze clouding with
memories. “Those were the best times.”
    “Yeah, they were.” I swallowed and blinked
back the sting of tears. “Sheree was an incredible person and
you’re just like her.”
    Kye’s startled gaze shot to mine. “She was so
much better than me—”
    “Sheree was street smart and astute, with a
marshmallow core.”
    He sneered. “You think I’m soft?”
    “I think you care, despite the tough guy
facade you present to the world.”
    Sadness filled me. It had taken me a long
time to come to terms with who I was and Kye still had that ahead
of him. “Otherwise you wouldn’t have taken Finn under your
wing.”
    After an eternity, he reluctantly nodded.
“Don’t forget I’m not the only one who presents a tough front.” His
glance away turned crafty. “Maybe you should take Finn under
you…”
    I laughed at his less-than-subtle innuendo.
“Get out.”
    “Okay.” He saluted. “I’ll text you the
details for tomorrow night.”
    I nodded, waiting until Kye had left before
returning to my place on the couch and wishing he hadn’t put that
damn image of Finn being under me into my already overactive
imagination.

CHAPTER SEVEN
     
    ELLIE
     
     
    Kye was a no-show.
    Not that the twenty minutes I’d waited here
had been a hardship. While Double Bay reeked of exclusivity, Maik’s
had a more welcoming vibe. Sure, it had the requisite black marble
and chrome that trendy bars had these days—and so far removed from
my mahogany decor it wasn’t funny—but there was a warmth here in
the strategically placed Japanese screens and secluded tables that
I admired despite the minimalist art and white stone fake
fireplaces.
    And Kye was right about the beers. I’d
sampled four and while I may be well on my way to Tipsyville I now
knew what to add to my stock.
    When the clock behind the stainless steel bar
hit seven-thirty and I’d checked my phone for the umpteenth time to
see if he’d answered my texts or call, I gave up on Kye.
    I had my head down, rummaging in my bag for
cab fare, when someone touched my shoulder.
    “Don’t go.”
    I froze and glanced up into Finn’s handsome
face.
    “Have dinner with me.” He gripped my elbow.
“I’ve heard the chef’s special degustation menu is worth the hefty
price.”
    “You’re insane.” I yanked my arm free,
annoyed I wobbled a little. Shouldn’t have had all those beers
because for one, crazy second I thought there was nothing I’d like
more than to have