“Who’s missing out?” Quinn said, pulling my attention back to her.
I locked my phone and shoved it back in my pocket. “No one. Just had to show Abi proof of you in a bar.”
“Wyatt.” Quinn’s voice dropped. “No deflecting. Who’s missing out?”
I licked my lips. “No one,” I repeated.
“Is it her?” Raising her glass, she lifted her pointer finger and gestured behind me. “Is she missing out on Wyatt Hartwell?”
Twisting my torso, I saw the group of girls she was pointing at. A brunette stood in the middle of the group, raising a cocktail to her lips, and when her eyes met mine, her grin turned downright sexy. If Hawkins or Sam were next to me, hell, even Lachlan or Rhett, I’d stand up and make my way over to her, make sure she wasn’t ‘missing out’ on anything. But I had a photo in my phone to prove that I was already sitting next to the most gorgeous woman in the bar, and there was nowhere else I’d rather be.
I turned back to her, a single eyebrow raised. “You playing my wingman?”
She shrugged her shoulder. “Why not? There are a lot of girls here who could be your type.” She looked around the room. “I kinda wanna see you in action.”
I leaned in. “I told you, Quinn, you’re the only one I’m chasing.”
“Oh yeah?”
“Yes.”
“Then tell me who’s missing out?” She arched her back and raised a brow.
My lips curved as I sat back up, reaching for my lager. I took a sip and let it loose. “Reno. They took my name off the broadcaster bill. I was hoping to announce.”
She narrowed her eyes, her back straightening. “I didn’t know you put your name in for the committee.”
“I didn’t, but it ended up there anyway. You know I’m not taking time off by choice.”
She leaned in, the gleam in her eye telling me she wanted more of the story. “Okay, I know you said you did something stupid…”
“I did.”
“But let’s be real here,howstupid a thing did you do to end up with your name taken out of committees?”
I heaved a sigh and took another pull from my drink. “Started a fight that ended with me and the other guy going to the ER. He just happened to be a head of a committee that has some strong connections, and now I’m having a hard time finding any jobs. Hawkins has been trying to help, but has had no luck. I was hoping Reno would be a shoo-in.”
“Why did you get in a fight? No wait—” She held up a palm to stop me before I could even begin. “You slept with his wife?”
I jerked my head back, my eyes widening and brow pinching. “Why the fuck is that the first thing that popped in your head?”
She shrugged, “I don’t know. I figured it had to be dramatic in order for you to really get pissed. I’ve known you for three months now—”
“Four…almost five.” I corrected her, doing quick math in my head. Five. Five months, we have been in each other’s lives.
“—and I’ve never really seen you upset.” She kept talking as if she didn’t even hear me. “I mean, I’ve seen your smile fade, but it’s not like you to start a fight.”
“Well, yeah…I did start it, but it wasn’t because I slept with the man’s wife. I wouldn’t be the guy someone cheats on their husband with, and before you start,”—I noticed her jaw open and close, her lips tightening—“it’s almost happened. Found out she was married and put a stop to it.”
“So what caused it then. What made you so mad that you had to send someone to the hospital?”
They were talking about you, how you were cheating your way to the top because there was no way you could climb that high after an accident like you had. How you were sleeping with the judges to change your times. How you were riding on your dad’s coattails, and that you had no idea what was really waiting for you. And how if you were already cheating…maybe they could get something else out of you in order to get you higher…
But I couldn’t tell her that, now could I?
“Honestly, it was so long ago I don’t remember,” I lied.
She narrowed her eyes and raised her glass to her lips, but before the glass touched her lipstick, “Boot Scootin' Boogie” began to play over the speakers, louder than the rest of the music. The entire bar erupted in cheers, and people began to gather in the center of the room. Quinn let out a sharp gasp and placed her beer on the table, grabbing my sleeve once again, pulling me through the crowd, the topic at hand all but forgotten.
