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A weighted silence hung in the air. “I was being a bitch,” Mariska said.
After Mariska showed us the most recent photos of Pete, Brianna and I gave her a tour of the house.
Chapter 13
Chase
Beth looked like she was in her own world as she goofed around with her friends on the dance floor. And I loved watching her have a conversation with them as they adjusted their moves to each song. They all looked happy when a country song came on, because they got to rest their feet some. Beth had this burgundy sleeveless top on with two thin strings that went around her neck and a generous scoop in the front, but it was a tease because when I looked down, there was a matching tank top sewn underneath it. The leopard-print black pants she had on with the cute little black shoes was just enough to emphasize the dip on her lower back and her backside curve out even more. Her friend Mariska had her hair in curls just like Beth, and wore a dark maxi dress. Rylan and Amberlynn were in the arcade section, and since that was in my direct line of vision and I hadn’t seen anyone in there, there was no doubt that they were fooling around. Jake was dancing with some girl. But it didn’t escape my attention that he had been staring at me every few seconds throughout the night even while flashing his perfect white teeth at his dance partner.
“How’s J
ared doing?” Joel asked Millie.
She quirked a brow at him. The orange feather earrings she was wearing matched the orange in her tattoo.
“Jared’s good.” She tilted her head. “If he’s not too tired from work, he’ll come and wait until I close the bar with Gavin.”
“Where’s Emilio tonight?”
“He has the night off.” She handed me another club soda with lime. “But you know if he doesn’t have anything to do, he’ll come here and end up working.”
“Yeah, I’ve seen that happen,” I said as Millie handed other customers their drinks and crackers.
“I am gonna get a platter of tostonos,” Joel told me. “You wanna split an order?”
I nodded and looked at Millie. “Let’s do two orders of tostones. They’ve gotta be hungry.” I leaned my head towards the girls.
“And a light beer,” Joel added.
We’d polished off our plate of tostonos and the crowd had doubled as expected, but Joel, Jake, and I were still able to see the girls. Rylan and Amberlynn had decided to take whatever they’d started in the arcade section back at his house. The Looney Tunes ringtone came on and I stood up to get my phone out of my pocket, knowing that it was Pierce. But it had gotten so loud in here that I’d have to shout to make sure he heard me, so I went outside.
“Pierce,” I said as I walked through the doors and passed by Gavin and another guard.
There was no response and I grunted because my phone was acting up. I repeated myself and then hung up. I called Pierce back and it went straight to his voicemail. Maybe his phone had died or he’d shut it off for some reason. He should’ve been at La Floridita by now. I headed towards the front of the bar again when Jake came out as if he was looking for someone, and clearly that someone was me. I liked making him wait to see when I’d go to the men’s room so he could step to me. It was much better to talk to him out in cool, fresh air.
“You got a minute?” he asked me.
“Yeah, let’s talk down the block so the girls don’t see us.”
Jake walked in time with me and we stopped when we reached the middle of the block.
I shot him an expectant look.
Arms crossed, he peered at me. All of that pretty-boy demeanor was gone, and in its place was his hardened gaze. “Beth’s one of my sisters,” he started. “Are you with her to hit it and bounce, or are you serious about her?”
“What do you think?”
Jake’s nostrils flared, but I really didn’t care. He’d been grilling me all fucking night. “I think you better answer…my question.”
“I’d better?” I huffed and let out a bitter laugh.
***
Bethany
Once guys started to get in between us, we left the dance floor and went to the bar to get some drinks. Joel had told me Chase was talking to Pierce outside after I’d asked him. And I didn’t think much of it until Pierce had called him. I glanced around and Jake was gone. I strolled out of La Floridita. Chase and Jake were talking in the middle of the sidewalk. I knew that I was the topic at hand.
“Guys,” I said when I was in front of them and I linked my arms with theirs, “let’s go inside. Pierce will be here any minute.”
