Page 51 of The Other Half

Beer didn’t help. I knew this because I’d drowned myself in more beers than I could count, and I didn’t feel any better. Dangling the beer in front of me like a carrot in front of horse, Aaron continued chomping on his brat.

“Dude. Get that thing out of my face. No beer. No party. Home. I want to go home.”

“Well, I’ve been calling and texting for like two weeks. I haven’t even seen you since the fight. What’s up with that? Why aren’t you at the Ox?”

Dropping my gaze to the ground, I just shrugged.

“Is it the hot new bartender? Jo told me you took her fishing or something? Did you get back on the horse?”

“No.” No, I didn’t get back on the horse. I got my foot in the stirrup then panicked, fell in the mud and I’m never getting on another horse again.

“All right, well if you won’t hang here today, you at least need to come to the Ox for the Fourth tonight. It’s our tradition. Beer. Fireworks. More beer.”

Since I was a kid, I had come down every Fourth of July to watch the fireworks. As an adult, I’d joined the party that brought all the locals out for one debaucherous evening at the Ox. But this year, with Cassie possibly bartending tonight, I knew it was the first year I’d be breaking tradition.

“We’ll see,” I said to appease him.

“Yeah? You gonna come?”

“Probably. I’ll see you tonight.”

Desperate to get away and back to the serenity of my lake house, I gave him a smile and turned away.

“I’ll see you tonight, man!”

With a backhanded wave, I started back through the crowd. After I was certain I was far enough away to avoid any more of his persecution, I slowed while I searched for the path of least resistance leading to my truck. As I scanned the crowd, I froze when I saw her. Even though I was outside, it felt like all the oxygen had been sucked from the atmosphere.

She was standing with a group of people, a cup in one hand and her other hand waving in the air while she told a story. Her long hair was pulled back into a loose ponytail and it swung with the animated movements that had everyone surrounding her laughing. I remembered how easily she’d made me laugh... something that hadn’t happened since the last time I’d seen her. The plaid button-down sleeveless top made her look more local than tourist. My eyes slid down to the legs that went on forever coming out from the bottom of those jean shorts she’d worn the night she came over. With a hammering heart, I looked back up and saw those green eyes staring back at me.

Shit!

Desperate to run, I forced myself to remain steady when her hand lifted in a shy wave. I’d already run from her once and I’d never been more ashamed. Running wasn’t who I was, and the hell if I would do it again. It didn’t matter how badly I wanted to take out these people like bowling pins while I made a beeline for my truck.

Lifting my hand in an awkward wave, I forced the semblance of a smile. She smiled back, and before I could turn around, she started toward me.

Shit. Shit. Shit.

Compelling my feet to remain glued to the pavement like I was standing in tar, I stilled while she approached. With every step that brought her closer, my heart pounded faster. That roller-coaster ride started up again in my stomach and the free fall was underway.

“Hey, Jake,” she said when she arrived, and the soft tones of her voice chipped away at me again.

“Hey, Cassie.” I kicked a stone by my feet then forced them to hold steady again.

“Listen, Jake. I’m really sorry about what happened. I shouldn’t have kissed you. It—”

“Please. Don’t apologize. I am the one who needs to apologize. Running off and leaving you out there...” I blew out a puff of air. “It was totally awful, and I am so ashamed I did it. I’m really sorry, Cassie. I totally panicked.”

“It’s okay.” She reached out and touched my arm. That familiar bolt of lightning traveled through me even from the featherlight touch. When my eyes darted to her hand, she retreated, and I felt those agonizing fingers of regret tighten around my heart. “Sorry.”

“Please don’t apologize. Again. It’s me, Cassie. It’s all me. I just... I’m pretty fucked up from what went down.”

“I get it, Jake. I totally do. And I’m sorry I pushed. It won’t happen again.”

She hadn’t pushed. I’d pulled. Just like I wanted to do right now. To pull her back into my arms and taste those lips I couldn’t get out of my mind.

“Even if you aren’t ready to, you know, date or whatever,” she stumbled. “I don’t want you to avoid me. The Ox is your bar. Hell, that seat of yours still sits open waiting for you. Please don’t let things that happened, or didn’t happen, between us ruin your world. I’m the tourist. You’re the native. If anyone needs to go, it’s me.”

“Don’t go.” The words came out with more force than I’d intended. “I mean, this is my issue. Not yours. I’ll get over it.”