Total pages in book: 124
Estimated words: 122578 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 613(@200wpm)___ 490(@250wpm)___ 409(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 122578 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 613(@200wpm)___ 490(@250wpm)___ 409(@300wpm)
“Maybe, but that’s no concern of mine now.”
“For what it’s worth, I’ll miss seeing you around.” His smile kicked, turning flirty. “Guess you’ll have to make it up to me with a dance later on tonight.”
“Oh, I’ll be dancing. You can count on it.”
“Good. I’ll see you later then.” He tipped his hat and winked, which made me want to giggle, but he was super sweet and kind of adorable.
Honestly, I could use a little fun with a guy like him, but I wasn’t sure I even had that in me yet. The scars Jeremy had left on me were still raw.
Really freaking raw.
But they’d heal. I knew they would.
Lilac set the drinks in front of me, and I handed her my card.
“Keep it open?” she asked.
“Definitely.”
I scooped up both drinks, carefully balancing Dakota’s that was filled close to the brim, hoping I wouldn’t slosh half of it out before I even made it back.
Martini glasses were the devil.
I somehow weaved back through the thriving crowd with only having lost a few droplets over the side.
“There you are, my darling,” I drawled as I set the drink in front of my bestie.
A moan of pleasure rolled from her. “You don’t even know how good it feels to have someone serve me for once.”
“I’ll serve you anytime, Doodle-Boo.” I sat back on my stool and started sucking at the little black straw in my drink.
The ginger beer was strong and spicy, just the way I liked it.
“I’m pretty sure what Dakota’s missing is service of the male variety.” Beth waggled her brows. “How many years has it been?”
Well, take Kayden and add nine months, I was guessing.
“Don’t even start.” Dakota jabbed her index finger at her from across the table.
Laughing, Beth waved her hand in the air. “Look at all this deliciousness, and you refuse to even sample.”
“I have too many other things going on in my life that need attending to. The last thing I should do is go around sampling trouble. No, thank you.”
“Yet you’re encouraging me to get distracted.” I gave her a wry smirk when I said it.
She scowled, like she was just then realizing her contradiction.
“Sounds to me like a little trouble is exactly what you need,” Beth said. “Nothing wrong with taking a little yum for yourself every once in a while.”
Dakota didn’t answer since she suddenly got enraptured by something behind me.
Eyes drawn.
Her spirit shifting.
I swore every molecule in her body stood at attention.
I swiveled to look that way, my eyes narrowing to sift through the crowd, peering into the edge of the room where there were a few low tables tucked in the corner, barely visible through the pitchy dusk.
No surprise what she’d gotten tongue-tied over.
Ryder.
She tried to play it off.
But I knew. I just didn’t know why she wouldn’t tell me her feelings. I was guessing it was because she wouldn’t admit them to herself.
He was there, lounged back, as cool and casual as they came, talking up some girl who I didn’t recognize.
She might try to hide it, but I knew she hated to witness this same scene with Ryder Nash over and over again. Knew it wrecked her to see him with someone else. Which a revolving door of someone else’s was the way Ryder did things.
I forced some lightness into my voice when I turned back around. “Oh, nice, it looks like Ryder is here. We should ask him to join us.”
It would be the polite thing to do.
Honestly, I loved the man to pieces.
He was one of my best friends.
Like a brother I’d never had.
I guessed it wasn’t his fault he had a jackass for a cousin, although I was still a little miffed that he’d suggested I work for him in the first place. He had to know it was a terrible idea.
“Oh, yeah, we definitely should,” Dakota said, pasting a smile on her face that at least wasn’t too far from genuine. It wasn’t like she didn’t see the guy almost every day.
I shifted to peer again into the shadows, musing, “Do you think Cody’s with him?”
It was rare that Ryder and Dakota’s older brother weren’t out on the prowl together, but Ryder was the only one I could make out at the table.
Then I froze when someone halfway between us moved to the side, revealing the man sitting next to Ryder.
A cold chill slipped down my spine.
Caleb Greyson.
I’d only learned his first name since it was scrawled across the stupid check I’d snatched out of his hand, even though I didn’t think I had the stomach to cash it.
He was angled back in the chair like he owned the place, a leg stretched out in front of him and the other bent, wearing another one of those ridiculous button-downs and tailored slacks. He nursed from a tumbler, what, I couldn’t make out in the distance, but I was sure with all his pretenses it was bound to be expensive.