Inked Obsession (Montgomery Ink Fort Collins #2) - Carrie Ann Ryan Page 0,1

a good time tonight, I reminded myself. I might as well try. Maybe I’d even get laid.

Hell, was this what my life had become? I was nearly thirty now, and it felt like this was all I did: worked, came to Riggs’, had family dinners. That was it. I had friends, good ones, but they did the same things as I did. I felt like we were all in a funk, or maybe that’s just what I saw because I barely slept and felt like I was missing something.

Or maybe someone.

The song ended, and I leaned down and kissed Sally on the cheek. “Have fun?”

“You sure got moves, Beckett.” She tapped my cheek. “However, I am going home alone tonight if that’s okay with you. I’ve had a long day. And it seems you’ve had a longer one. Smile more, Beckett. Or at least find reasons to. You’re a good man. I’ve missed those smiles.”

She rose on tiptoe, kissed me softly, and then walked off to her group of friends. They all eyed me—not unkindly, just curiously. I smiled, although I knew it didn’t reach my eyes. If Sally had noticed, others would, too. My family was far too perceptive for their own good.

Sally waved as she headed out of a bar with her friends in tow. I sighed and made my way to the bar. Riggs was there, his hair pulled back, a smug grin on his face. “Well, want to tell me your troubles?” he asked, flipping a towel over his shoulder.

I barked out a laugh. “No, I don’t want to.” And I wouldn’t. Not that I needed to tell anyone what went through my mind these days.

“Well, what can I get you?” he asked.

I shook my head. “You’re playing up the old-timey bartender role, aren’t you?”

Riggs shrugged. “I’m working on it. It’s not that busy tonight. It is a weeknight, after all.”

“Hey, you have the Montgomerys here. That’s got to help your bottom line, at least somehow.”

“If you’d brought your cousins, I’d have to shut the whole place down because I’d likely max out capacity for the fire inspector.”

“Ha, ha,” I said and ordered a beer.

“You’ve got it. And this one’s on the house, as long as you tell me how your new hire’s doing.”

I rolled my eyes. “He’s been my new hire for over a year now. And if you want to ask about Clay, you should talk to him yourself when he comes next time.”

Riggs’ eyes clouded. “Not sure he wants to speak to me. And, frankly, he’s busy these days, isn’t he?”

I nodded, curious. “He’s busier than I am. He’s busier than all of us.”

“Except for maybe your sister,” he said and then handed me the beer as he looked over my shoulder.

I turned to see Annabelle walking towards me, her hand on her stomach. Although her bump wasn’t too big yet, she still had one. I couldn’t help but grin at the thought of what was to come. My little sister was pregnant. And I wasn’t too much of an asshole to be growly that her husband had knocked her up, but I still got a little growly just for him. She was married, pregnant, and happy. Her husband was right behind her, Jacob’s brows rising as I realized that I must be glaring, my smile now gone.

I schooled my expression and tilted my glass towards them in greeting. “Look at you at a bar. I thought pregnant ladies weren’t supposed to drink.”

“I’m having a Shirley Temple,” Annabelle said.

“I can do that for you,” Riggs said. “Plus, I bet I can make a few virgin drinks for you.” He smirked. “Though I guess virgin might be out the window.”

“Watch how you talk to my wife, Riggs,” Jacob said, though we were all teasing. The amount of virgin and sex jokes we all made on a daily basis was borderline ridiculous. We were a little crass and spent way too much time together. That’s how we liked it.

“I know you have a bunch of nonalcoholic drinks on your bar menu for people who don’t want to drink but still want to socialize, and I appreciate it,” Annabelle said. “However, I’m just craving all that grenadine.”

“I’ve got you,” Riggs said.

“Now sit down,” I said and then moved out of the way so Annabelle could have my seat. The place wasn’t busy, but my stool was easier to get into because of the angle.

She rolled her eyes as she looked at all of us. “You guys