Part 5 (1/2)
”Thank you.”
His brows lifted. ”Yours?”
”My family's, but right now I'm running it.”
”Big operation for someone so young.”
She leaned over the bar, doing her best to remember how to flirt. ”I manage.”
He held out his hand. ”Joe O'Brien.”
She shook his hand. ”Jenna Riley.”
”Nice to meet you, Jenna.”
”So what do you do, Joe?”
”I'm a doctor. Resident, actually, and new in town. I just moved here from Ma.s.sachusetts, so I'm trying to find new places to spend what little free time I have. My friends and I decided to pop in here since it's close to the hospital.”
She grinned. ”Welcome to St. Louis. I think you'll love it here. Are you a native of Ma.s.sachusetts?”
”No. Originally from Pittsburgh. But I've heard great things about Was.h.i.+ngton University, so I'm anxious to do my residency there.”
”It's an awesome hospital.”
They chatted awhile. She liked this guy, though she couldn't help but catch sight of Ty in her peripheral vision.
He was playing pool. He looked up to occasionally glance at her talking to Joe.
She wondered if he was jealous. Not that she cared. It wouldn't surprise her at all if he walked over and put himself in the middle of her conversation.
Except he didn't. Not even when she and Joe started laughing.
It was obvious Joe was flirting with her.
Really, really obvious.
Just as it was obvious Ty was watching them. But he continued to play on, even ordered food and more drinks. From Amber.
He didn't once come over to the bar. Not even to chat with her.
”So, Jenna. Since I need a tour guide for your great city, and since you're a native, would you be up for a date? I could buy you dinner, and you could show me around.”
She'd been concentrating on Ty and had almost forgotten about Joe. His question startled her. ”Oh. What?”
He frowned. ”I'm sorry. Do you have a boyfriend?”
”Me? No. Not at all. I'm sorry. Occupational hazard here. I was keeping an eye on my customers.”
Liar. You were watching Ty.
Which was going to have to stop. Right now. ”I'd love to go out with you, Joe.”
Maybe she'd said that a little loud. Lowering her voice, she tried again. ”Yes, I'd love to go out.”
They worked out a date when they'd both be free, which was Friday night.
Perfect.
She had an actual date, with a good-looking doctor.
And even better, with someone who didn't play sports.
After Joe left, she busied herself with bar and manager duties. She wandered around to visit with her customers and to make sure everyone was happy, which also required her to mingle with the Ice players who'd apparently made Riley's their home. Keeping them happy was good for business. She needed to make sure they kept coming in.
”How's it going, guys?”
Eddie Wolkowski watched Ty line up to take his shot at the table, then grinned at her. ”We're doing great, Jenna. How are you?”
”Perfect. You guys are smokin' up the arena lately. Making us all proud.”
”Doing our best. Thanks for the burgers, by the way.”
”You're welcome. By the way, Victor, you have a gaggle of female fans across the room dying for an autograph.” She motioned with her head toward table seven, where about a half dozen women in their mid-twenties had zeroed in on Victor when they first came in and hadn't stopped looking at him since.
Victor Putinov was their left-winger on the Ice. His platinum blond hair and patrician good looks always sent the women swooning.
Victor lifted his chin. ”I will go see them. Sign their papers.”
”I'll bet you'll sign their papers,” Ty said without looking up from the pool table.
Victor arched a brow. ”It is my duty to keep female fans happy.”
Eddie laughed. ”Yeah, with your giant d.i.c.k.”
Jenna shook her head.
”I see you got yourself a new boyfriend.”
She stopped and turned to face Ty, who'd taken his shot and leaned against the end of the pool table. ”Not a boyfriend. A date.”
”New guy?”
”None of your business.”
”He's not your type.”