The Way You Love Me

“I’ve got to get back to work,” she managed to eek out.

“I’ll be here when you get a break.”

And he was true to his word. Justin ordered dinner at the bar. And each time that she came in his direction, he made a joke, or shared something about himself, like how he painted in his spare time, that one of his favorite vacation spots was Sag Harbor in the summer, and that his older brother, Rafe, was one of his best friends. And Bailey laughed at his corny jokes and told him about her best friend, Addison, and how she helped her out from time to time. She told him that she really enjoyed her job and how much she wanted to get back to law school.

“You mentioned that the last time we talked. Law school. Maybe I could help.”

She stopped short. “What do you mean help?” she said a bit more harsh than necessary.

He held up his hands in surrender. “Whoa. All I meant was that maybe I could make a few calls.”

“No! If I get in, it will be on my own, not because some big shot pulled some strings.” She spun away, fuming on the inside. How dare he? But what could she expect? Clearly he saw her as some poor waif who needed rescuing by a knight in shining armor.

“Hey, girl!”

Bailey turned around. “It’s about time,” she groused.

“What is wrong with you?”

“Nothing.”

Addison looked around and noticed Justin at the end of the bar. “Something go wrong?”

“Yeah, plenty. Be right back. We need some clean glasses.” She stormed off.

Addison eased down the bar and took a seat that became vacant next to Justin.

“Justin Lawson, right?”

“Yes.” He offered her a heart-stopping smile. His eyes cinched as he stared at her. “You’re the caterer.”

She grinned. “Good memory, especially with all the people there that night.”

He chuckled. “I try to remember faces.”

She extended her hand. “Addison Matthews.”

“Pleasure.” He reached for his drink and took a sip. “So you’re Bailey’s friend.”

“Best friend.”

“Hmm. Best friend.” He glanced in Bailey’s direction, and she was trying hard not to look interested.

“She’s hard to get to know.”

“Not really. She’s cautious, that’s all.”

He nodded. “Any suggestions?”

“About?”

“About how to get past all of her caution signs.”

Addison rested her forearms on the counter. She faced him. “Be honest. Bailey is a wonderful woman who puts everyone and everything ahead of herself. She could use someone in her life that puts her first for a change.” She offered a tight smile and slid off the stool. “Nice to meet you, Mr. Lawson.”

“Justin.”

Addison glanced over her shoulder. “Justin.”

* * *

By the time Bailey returned with the rack of clean glasses, Addison was already in deep conversation with a guy who’d taken a seat next to her.

Bailey unloaded the glasses. Things were always so easy for Addison when it came to men. She was fearless. She didn’t care what anyone thought, and she went after who and what she wanted. There were times when she wished that she could be as cavalier about relationships; just get in them for the good times and move on. But she couldn’t. She wanted more than the momentary excitement. She wanted something that would last and someone that would make her a priority—for once. If there was one thing that Addy was right about, it was that she did need someone to take care of her for a change. Some days she simply wanted to get in her car and drive and keep on going. But she couldn’t. Her family depended on her. She finished stacking the glasses on the shelf and hanging them from the overhead rack, and when she turned around, Justin was standing in front of her.

“Wanted to say good night and pay my tab.”

A knot formed in her stomach. He was leaving. What if he didn’t come back? “Sure. I’ll put your bill together.” She swung toward the register. Her heart thumped, and her hands shook. The register spewed out his bill. She handed it to him.

Justin barely glanced at it. He reached in his jacket pocket and took out his wallet and handed her his black American Express card.

Bailey numbly processed the payment and returned his card. “Have a good evening,” she managed to say.

Justin stared at her for a moment. A slow smile moved his mouth. “Hope to see you again when I come back.”

She smiled in return. “I’d like that.”

Justin took a step back. “Night.”

“Night.”

He was coming back, and he wanted to see her. Bailey held on to that promise.

Chapter 5 (#ulink_ae496ab8-ccb0-5b28-887c-881881a839d4)

For the next two weeks, Justin, true to his word, showed up at the Mercury Lounge at least three nights a week. Bailey quietly looked forward to seeing him, although she never told him as much. When he walked through the doors and took what had become his usual seat, all the lights came on in her world, and she sailed through the night.

On the evenings that Justin didn’t show up, Bailey experienced an incredible emptiness, a malaise almost as if she was lifting her feet in and out of mud.

Tonight was one of those nights. Every time the door swung open, her heart leaped only to stutter in her chest when it wasn’t him.

Bailey wiped down the bar top and began putting away bottles and stacking glasses for washing. Tonight made two nights in a row that Justin had not made an appearance.

He had probably gone back to his fancy life, which was fine with her. She was crazy to think that he was really interested in her beyond some casual conversation to pass the time.

* * *

Justin was in the thick of preparing a case for one of the partners where he would serve as second chair, but his thoughts kept drifting back to the night of the party and seeing Bailey. He’d wanted to see her again, but the past couple of weeks had been grueling with him clocking in twelve-hour days. But he knew that when he saw her again, he had to come right. And coming right meant dealing with the futility of his relationship with Jasmine DuBois. As if he’d talked her up, his phone rang and it was Jasmine.