And I was one of those women, which was fine because I didn’t want anything more than something casual.
“Whatever you say.” She laughed so hard she almost spilled her drink. I couldn’t help grinning despite myself. This was the curse of a best friendship. She knew all my tells. She knew when I was bluffing, when I was hiding something, and when I was hopelessly entangled with someone I swore I wouldn’t be.
“He’s a good time and it doesn’t hurt he’s nice and…”
“Gorgeous?”
“I was going to say well…”
“Melanie.” She cut me off.
“What? I’m being honest.”
“You’re being a horndog.”
“And you love every second of it since I’m pretty sure you’ve been stoking the entanglement.”
And Drew Benedict was the dictionary definition ofentanglement.
When Lydia first dragged me to Reckless River after her move, I’d gone along mostly to make sure she hadn’t joined a cult of flannel enthusiasts.
But the moment I stepped intoThe Rusty Stagand met Drew behind the bar, all easy grin, rolled-up sleeves, exposing tattoos that rang true, and eyes that sparkled like he knew too much, it was over.
He’d flirted effortlessly, sliding me a drink like he was auditioning for the role oftrouble in human form.I’d told myself it was harmless. A little fun. A small-town distraction.
Then one night turned into two. Two turned into six.
Not all at once…just various trips when I came up to visit Lydia.
So, actually, it was Lydia’s fault since she moved to Reckless River.
And now I couldn’t hear certain songs without remembering the sound of his laugh against my neck because the broken jukebox in the bar always seemed to play a perfect tune right before…
I sighed as the skyline thinned and the city faded behind us. The highway stretched ahead, dark and glittering with frost. “You really think this weekend is a good idea?”
Lydia glanced at me. “You promised you’d come. Reckless River misses you.”
“Reckless River doesn’t know me,” I said. “And the parts that do probably just whisper, Oh, that’s the girl who keeps hooking up with Drew at the bar.”
“You’re being dramatic.”
“I’m being realistic. Plus, I’ve vowed to stay away from him this time.”
“Sure you did.”
“It’s true. I haven’t even responded to his latest texts, but you probably know that.”
She looked at me, alarmed. “No, actually, I didn’t know that.”
“See? Just casual. He didn’t even notice.” I admit that stung a bit.
“Not sure that’s the reason,” she muttered and glanced out the window.
I tapped my thumbs on the steering wheel. “I will confess that the hard part is knowing that Drew is going to be at my favorite bar.”
“Only bar,” Lydia joked.
“Right… So, behind the bar, with that cute and stupid smirk. Like he’s been waiting to make me regret every life choice I’ve ever made.”
