“It’s not a big deal.”
Except it is. I want her to see me as someone dependable. Someone she can lean on. I want her toseeme.
“Well…it really does mean a lot.”
Her eyes flick over the fading bruise on the back of my hand and knuckles. One of the nasty consequences of breaking a nose.
I flex my hand and grin. “You should see the other guy.”
Sadie playfully punches my arm, holding back a smile. “That’snotfunny.”
“Then why are you smiling?”
“Because you’re stupid.”
Her beaming smile breaks through and finally reveals the beauty she was trying to hold back. I wish I could take a picture of her like this: light, carefree, and happy.
“You’ve called me worse.” I shrug.
She tilts her head and hums. “I guess that’s true. Do you think we could…start fresh? Maybe try to be friends?”
Friends.
My gut reaction is to tell her there’s no way she and I could ever be fucking friends, but this is her way of extending the olive branch.
She’s calling a truce.
So I hold my hand out to shake hers, and I’m flooded with the memory of her doing the same thing when she first got here. Holding out her hand between us, trying her best to put forward a brave face.
Even now, I can see straight through the mask she wears for everyone else. It’s never fooled me. Maybe if I’d just reached out and shook her hand that very first day, we wouldn’t be standing here like this, teetering on the edge of something we can never have.
Life is cruel like that—forcing you to look back at the endless sea of what ifs and regrets.
She glances down before slipping her palm against mine. Her fingers are warm, her grip too steady in comparison to how she makes me feel.
“Friends?” she asks, and her eyes catch mine—holding them, lingering just long enough to gut me.
I’d give her the sun if she asked. I’d be anything for her.Anything.
This concession will be my grave. But I’m hers—even if this is all she’ll let me be.
“Friends.”
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
SADIE
“Istillcan’tbelieveHeath is actually letting him stay.”
Lydia has been on a rant since we learned Heath was allowing Lane to keep his job and stay here. I won’t lie, a small part of me is disappointed that he isn’t leaving. It would’ve made things a lot less awkward if I didn’t have to worry about our paths crossing.
I guess that’s why Heath made the rule in the first place—to avoid the inevitable uncomfortable fallout.
“It makes sense,” I say, trying to convince myself as much as her. “Lane was here long before I showed up. He didn’tbreak any rules—technically. He told Heath the night we kissed. Heath’s known all along. It wouldn’t be fair for him to lose everything he’s worked for after one slip up.”
Lydia blinks like I’ve lost my mind. “Are you kidding? I had front-row seats to that shit show. It was way more than a slip.” She places her hand over mine on the counter of the bar and lowers her voice. “Sadie…he was going to hurt you if Wes hadn’t stepped in.”
I shoot her a look, but I know she’s right. That night could’ve gone so much worse.
