Beautiful Disaster

Part Eight

Izzy was just about done putting the newly-washed champagne glasses on the bar counter when her boss tapped her on the shoulder.

"Who's that guy over there?" Mikey asked as he inclined his head towards the other side of the room.

Izzy pretended like she hadn't heard a thing he was saying. "Huh?"

"The guy who keeps looking at you from the other side of the pub?"

"Oh, that?" Izzy finally turned around, not able to ignore Mikey. The boss was likely to conclude something different if she did.

She glanced at where Hugh was leaning beside a column. He looked especially dashing in his long-sleeved, black sweater and crisp blue jeans. If Izzy already didn't know who he was, she would've flirted with him, both for additional tips and for her own pleasure.

But as it was... "That's Hugh Grayson."

"He keeps looking at you like you're the only moving being in this room." Mikey kept wiping the champagne glasses in front of him, even as he lowered his voice so that only Izzy could hear. "It's like he wants to eat you up like a candy cane."

Izzy snorted. Just how many people were going to think she and Hugh Grayson were an item? "He's just doing his job. He's a bodyguard my dad forced on me."

"A bodyguard would scan around the area once in a while to check if anything fishy is going on. That guy? He's looking straight at you."

"I don't care," Izzy replied stubbornly.

This caused Mikey to put down the glass he was wiping and lean his elbows on the counter. "Izzy, I don't understand you one bit. Here's a guy who's obviously attracted to you, your perfect definition of the word 'hunk,' and you don't reel him in. What's gotten into you?"

"I don't care about him. He annoys me more than he should." Izzy put the clean glasses on the tray so that Mikey could fill them up with new orders. However, she paused when she heard her boss chuckle.

The other patrons sitting at the bar glanced their way as Izzy felt her face bloom with color. "What's so funny?"

"You, of course. You are attracted to Hugh."

"No, I'm not."

Mikey put on a serious expression on his face. He slapped the rag he was using on the counter and crossed his arms in front of his chest. "Don't you dare lie to me. I've known you since high school. You only blush like that when a boy you like notices you."

Izzy cursed as she poured a bottle of margarita into three champagne glasses. "That's ridiculous. I'll never like Hugh Grayson, no matter how hunky he is."

By the time she realized that Hugh was standing within hearing distance behind her, it was too late.

"Hunky Hugh," he quoted. "Now that has a much nicer ring to it."

Izzy was so mortified by what she'd just admitted that she wanted to scream and push him away.

On the other hand, Mikey ignored her frantic gaze towards him and instead held out a hand to shake Hugh's. "We've been talking about you, stranger. I'm Mikey, Izzy's friend and employer."

"Hi. Hugh Grayson."

"Is it true you came all the way out here so you could guard Izzy?" Mikey asked, a mischievous twinkle in his eye.

"Yep. Izzy's father said I needed to keep her away from trouble."

Mikey snorted. "You do know that that statement can go both ways. Izzy has a penchant for trouble."

"Hey, I'm right here." Izzy did not appreciate being ignored, especially by two men who enjoyed teasing other people.

"Oh, you wouldn't believe the stories her father tells me." Hugh chuckled.

Now, this got Izzy's attention. Just how close were her father and Hugh? "What the—"

"Anyway, I came over here to ask Izzy to dance. If it's alright with you."

Mikey rubbed his chin and looked the man over.

Hugh seemed like a decent chap and sharp enough to handle Night Light's 'little firecracker.' He didn't feel like the kind of guy who hurt women. In fact, hurting Izzy seemed like the last thing Hugh would like to do to her.

It was easy to think up a few things Hugh would like to do though.

Mikey looked at Izzy from the corner of his eye and decided that the girl could stand her own ground. "I don't mind. Izzy here is a real hard worker. She needs a little break once in a while."

♥

Continued

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