Page 66 of The Other Half

“I’ll come in and see you tonight,” I said.

“You’d better.” She smiled and slammed the door. I waited and watched until she was safely inside her cabin. With a smile that rivaled any kid at Christmas, I drove away, counting the minutes until I could see her again.

CHAPTER NINETEEN

Cassie

It was hard to keep from skipping behind the bar at the Ox tonight. Over and over, flashes of those magical moments with Jake invaded my mind. Every touch, every look, every second I’d spent in his arms was seared into my mind. Hoping he would arrive soon, I alternated between staring out the window and watching the seconds ticking by on the clock.

“What is your deal tonight?” Jo asked.

“Huh? What do you mean?” I looked away from the window to find her arms crossed while she arched a brow.

“You’re giddy. You’re staring out the window. You can’t stop humming.”

“I’m humming?” I hadn’t even noticed. But I’d been told I did it in times of extreme happiness... which hadn’t happened in years.

“Yes. Humming.” A quizzical gaze swept over me while she pursed her lips in a smug smile. “You got laid.”

“What?” I choked out.

“Yep. I know that look. You. Got. Laid. Who was it?” She leaned in.

“I did not!” The heat rose to my cheeks and drew her knowing gaze. Busted.

“Jo! Can we get a round of Fireballs?” Tony called from the end of the bar.

“This isn’t over,” she said, before turning her attentions back to the customers.

Grateful for the reprieve, I blew out a sigh. Would Jake want me to tell her? I wasn’t sure, and I didn’t want to overstep any imaginary boundaries I wasn’t aware of.

The door swung open, and I craned over the heads at the bar. When our eyes met, those familiar butterflies swept through my stomach again.

“Hi, Jake,” I said, while he walked up to the one open stool always sitting vacant for him.

“Hey, Cassie.” His smile nearly sent my stomach through the floor.

“Whiskey and coke?”

“Yep.”

Our words didn’t say it, but the looks between us had me ready to dive over the bar and cover him with kisses. I hurried to make his drink so I could keep my hands from grabbing his face and planting one on him.

“Hey, Jake,” Jo said while she moved over to him. “Welcome back! It’s been a couple weeks. I almost sent out a search party. How are you?”

“I’m great.” He smiled. “How are you?”

Jo furrowed her brow. “Great?” She leaned closer, examining his face like she searched for something nefarious. “You’re great?”

“Um. Yeah?” he answered, and his eyes slid to me.

“You’re never great, Jake. Not in the twenty-plus years I’ve known you. You’re fine. You’re okay. You’re good at times... but never great.” She gasped and slapped the bar. “You got laid!”

Jake choked on the sip of the whiskey and coke I’d just delivered.

“And you just got laid!” Her eyes darted between us while that sinister smile curved her lips. “You laid each other! Ha!”

We both stared at her with mouths agape. A quick glance to one another and we dissolved into laughter.