But I can’t help noticing the way her eyes dart over to Ethan and then away, so quickly I wouldn’t have caught it if I hadn’t been watching her. When I glance at Ethan, he’s staring at Grace with a look I can’t quite decipher – but something tells me Cam wasn’t too far off the mark with his comment. There’s something a little bithungry in his gaze, something I recognize because I’ve seen it on Declan countless times over the last few weeks.
Interesting. I’d wondered at least a few times over the years if there was something more to their bickering and bantering. The teenage makeout in a basement closet was a one-off; a stupid drinking game dare, like Ethan said.
“Gross,” Olivia whines, fake gagging as she sticks her finger in her open mouth. Thankfully, Ty provides a distraction from what’s becoming an increasingly uncomfortable conversation.
“Well, hello, bombshell,” he says, eyeing Olivia approvingly, as if only now noticing her outfit. He glances at Grace and I, then Gail, who’s just returned from the bathroom. “Wait, you ladies look hot as hell. You look – oh my god,” he says, realization dawning on him. “Sandy,” he says, pointing at me. “Goddamn, girl – those leggings? Keep them forever.” He turns to Grace. “You’re Andie, obviously. That dress wasmadefor you.” His attention returns to Olivia and he eyes her outfit, then her hair. “Pretty Woman? Vivian?”
“‘Rodeo drive, baby,’” Olivia quotes back at him.
“I’m obsessed.” Ty turns to Gail and whistles. “And Jenna Rink, you absolute goddess. Tens across the board.”
“He’s right,” a low, rumbling voice says in my ear. “You look fucking incredible tonight.”
I feel Declan’s fingers ghost across my lower back and I fight the urge to lean into his touch. Instead, I look up at him and smile, hoping he can read the apology there for the way I shied away from him before. “So do you,” I murmur.
Before I can say anything more, Grace grabs my hand and begins walking toward the stage, tugging me along behind her.
“Come on, Sandra Dee,” she calls over her shoulder, her attention focused on the stage she’s beelining toward. “It’s karaoke time.”
CHAPTER 38
Elsie
On a normal night, there’s not a chance in hell Olivia would be first of our group to take the stage for karaoke. But tonight, withmanydrinks coursing through her system, two days until her wedding, and her fiancé in the crowd hyping her up, it doesn’t take much for Grace to convince her.
She picks “Dreams” by The Cranberries, one of her favorite songs, and her voice is soft and sweet as she sings. The lyrics are perfect for this night, which I’m sure is no coincidence. When she gets to the final verse, I’m embarrassed to find that my eyes are watering.
I’m just so freakinghappyfor her. For both of them, actually, because after nearly two years together, we’ve all come to love Cam as if he was part of our group all along.
When the song is finished, Cam jumps onstage and grabs Olivia. He immediately pulls her in for a kiss, dipping her backward to the delight of the crowd. Everybody whoops and hollers for the happycouple, and I’m suddenly thrilled that we ran into the guys tonight. These twoshouldbe celebrating together.
A hand settles on my waist and I jolt, ready to flee from whatever handsy, drunk idiot thinks it’s okay to touch a woman just because she’s in a bar. It certainly wouldn’t be the first time. But when I glance down and see the letters inked across large knuckles, my body sags in relief.
I lean back against Declan’s chest and weave my fingers through his where they rest at my hip. It’s not until we’re firmly locked together that I remember this isn’t something I do. Not when so many people we know are around and could be watching.
Screw it. For tonight, I just want to enjoy this. Enjoyhim.
“You going to have a turn up there?” he asks, his voice low in my ear.
“I don’t think Grace is going to give me much choice.”
Declan chuckles. “She’s a force to be reckoned with.”
“She sure is,” I agree.
“Wonder if Ethan is up to the challenge,” he muses.
I turn and glance up at him, ready to ask what the hellthatmeans, but the opening notes of the next song stop me short. I turn back to the stage where Gail stands clutching the mic with one hand and her daughter’s hand with the other.
She gives no warning that she’s about to emotionally eviscerate us, but that’s exactly what she does.
“Landslide” makes me tear up on the best of days, but tonight? With my pseudo-mother singing it to one of my favorite people in the whole world? Tears stream down my cheeks throughout the entire performance. Gail’s voice is haunting and beautiful, and the lyrics have everybody choking up. I don’t think there’s a dry eye in this bar – except for Declan, maybe.
Instead of asking if I’m okay, he simply keeps me tucked into his side as we watch Gail and Olivia, my sweet best friend who was raised by this strong, resilient single mom from such a young age.
When Gail sings my favorite part, the line about being afraid of changing because you’ve built your life around someone else, her voice cracks. I can see the shiny tear tracks on her face from here, but she continues on through the end of the song. When she finishes, Olivia throws her arms around her and crowd whoops and hollers once more.
Grace, who’s waiting in the wings for her turn at karaoke, hugs them both as they leave the stage. When she takes her spot at the mic, her eyes are glassy but she’s smiling.
