Chapter 1
“You cannot actually be serious.”
Tuck turned his head toward the woman standing several yards behind him, her hands on her hips, head cocked to one side, eyes narrowed. She would’ve looked seriously pissed if it weren’t for the fact that the corners of her mouth were lifted in a disbelieving smirk.
She was definitely fierce though. Not the sort of woman who backed down from a challenge. Her dark eyes were a deep piercing brown that said “don’t fuck with me.” He doubted many people did. She was wearing tightly fitted jeans that hugged her body and showed every curve from the waist down.
If she turned around, he had no doubt he would be graced with the view of a very fine ass. He couldn’t say for sure what her chest might look like, however, since she had on a loose-fitting, black T-shirt with a royal blue bar logo in the corner. Bridgman’s Bar to be exact. The one Tuck was currently standing in. The one where he was getting the lay of the land from his new boss, Bill Bridgman.
“Jodi,” Bill hissed. “What the hell?” He threw his hands up in frustration.
Jodi tipped her head back, giving Tuck a view of her long neck. Her hair, a mess of dark brown curls, was piled up in a messy clip on top of her head, but several locks popped free as she laughed sardonically toward the ceiling before lowering her gaze. She glanced at Bill first, rolling her eyes, before shifting her gaze toward Tuck. “Dad. Seriously. Please tell me this is not the new bouncer you hired.”
Tuck flinched at the way she said “bouncer” as if it were a dirty word reserved for flunkies who happened to be graced with large bodies and strength. He was graced with an above average frame and he was physically in better shape than most humans, but he certainly was no high school dropout. He was a Navy SEAL for God’s sake. Or he had been.
“Jodi,” Bill stated sharply, louder this time. “What’s gotten into you? I told you we were hiring a new security specialist. I even told you he would be here this afternoon to tour the bar. I’ve never seen you so inhospitable.” Bill was in his early sixties. He had a full head of white hair cut short and a clean shave.
Jodi shot her father another annoyed look. “Yep. You told me you were hiring a bouncer. One we can barely afford, mind you. You did not, however, mention it would be Tucker Lawler. Do you have any idea who this is?”
Well, fuck me, Tuck thought, stiffening. He’d been lying low for the last few weeks, applying for local jobs from inside his apartment slash prison cell—at least that’s what it felt like most days. He had not ventured out much, so until now, he couldn’t be sure if many people would recognize him. Apparently so. At this point, it would seem he was one for two. And it shouldn’t surprise him that Jodi recognized him while her father did not.
In any case, he didn’t like the way she was dismissing him as if he were nothing more than dog shit on the bottom of her shoe. He half expected her to shake off her tennis shoe and shudder, backing up a pace. He wanted to tell her to mind her own business and fuck off, but he bit his tongue instead. He needed this job. If she blew it for him with her judgmental attitude, he was going to be seriously pissed.
He gritted his teeth, trying to decide how he wanted to handle this situation.
Before he could think how to explain his predicament to Bill, Jodi continued, her head still cocked toward her father. “Tucker here is on that ridiculous reality television show filmed at that beach house. You know the one, Dad. Cold Feet.”
Bill shook his head. “Never heard of it.” He glanced toward Tuck, one half of his mouth lifted in a grin. “Is that true? You one of those Hollywood stars trying to get your big break?”
Tuck shook his head. “No, Sir. Not even close. I—”
He didn’t get to finish that sentence because Jodi interrupted. “He married this crazy, whiny woman on the show, Dad. And now he’s raking in the money because social media is eating this up. They even extended the stupid show to continue following his train wreck of a marriage to the star of the show, Katia. I’m not sure which one of them is more deranged.” She shifted her gaze to Tuck, tipping her head down again and staring at him, challenging him to refute her explanation.
He couldn’t, of course. For one thing, he was under contract with the network. For another thing, nothing Jodi had stated was inaccurate. Oh, wait, except the part about him raking in money. If he were, he wouldn’t be standing here today trying to get a job he desperately needed doing something he was far overqualified to do.
Bill slapped his hand on his thigh and chuckled, apparently amused. “Well, I’ll be. We’ve got us a star working here.” He sobered slightly as his eyes drew closer. “Your show gonna affect your work here, son?”
“No, sir.” Tuck was bewildered by the man’s apparent lack of concern where it came to Cold Feet. “Contrary to your daughter’s belief, I’m not making a significant amount of money to appear on the show, and I need this job.” He shot her a glare this time, daring her to continue arguing.
Too bad she was so cute. Jodi Bridgman was the kind of woman who hid her beauty under baggy T-shirts and a sharp tongue. Even though she was probably breathtaking when she let her hair down and lost the chip on her shoulder, he doubted many people had ever seen that side of her.
There were a few seconds of silence, during which Tuck feared Bill might change his mind and send Tuck out the door, and then Bill’s phone buzzed in his pocket and the older man extracted it, fumbling for a moment to swipe the screen. “I need to take this,” he apologized. As he stepped away, heading toward the door Jodi had presumably come from, he looked at his daughter. “Please continue showing Tucker around the bar. He starts tonight.”
Great. Just great.
Jodi sighed, her shoulders falling. “So which is it then?”
“Which is what?” Tuck braced himself for whatever she was going to say next, knowing it was going to be good.
“Either you’re certifiable for being on that show, or you’re making a shit ton of money doing it. It has to be one or the other. Neither explains what you’re doing here in my family’s bar looking for work. We’re barely holding our heads above water here, and you look expensive.” She grazed her eyes up and down his body. The only thing she did not do was cross her arms.
What the fuck did she mean when she said he looked expensive? Tuck met her gaze. “Honestly, Ms. Bridgman, it’s none of your business how much money I make or why I want this job. If you really intend to judge me from what you’ve seen on television or read on social media, I can’t stop you. Or…you could set aside your preconceived notions and look at the facts.”
She continued to stare at him. “And what would those facts be?”
“I’m a Navy SEAL who served two tours. I was based near here in Coronado. One of my specialties was infiltrating behind the enemy lines to ensure who my target was before taking him out. You,” he pointed at her in particular, “have a serious problem that could cause you to lose this bar. You need to find out who’s dealing under the table here. I’m the man for the job. But if you’re so worried about what I do off the clock, I’ll leave now.”
Several seconds ticked by before Jodi inhaled long and slow. “I don’t want to trade one problem for another. You can’t bring cameras in here. This is my family’s bar. I won’t have it become part of some ridiculous reality TV show.”