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I gritted my teeth as I watched the girls embrace outside my office. Lizzie slung her arm around Katie’s neck, and the two of them ventured off to the bar. Of course. Another chance at talking to Katie ruined by someone else in her life.
Was there even any room for me?
The two of them were sitting at the bar drinking as I locked up my office. I saw Dylan striding across the floor, making his way to the bar as well. Hunter came through the front doors with Andrew, and Wyatt came running past me, his massive body blowing wind that almost knocked the folders out of my damn hands.
“Hey, watch it,” I said.
“Sorry,” Wyatt said as he turned around. “You gonna join us for drinks?”
“Didn’t know drinks were takin’ place,” I said.
“Yep. All of us together. Like old times. Come on, get those filed away and come join us.”
I mumbled underneath my breath as I shoved the folders underneath Andrew’s door. File them away, my ass. I was going to get my time tonight with Katie whether it pissed someone off or not. I walked into the bar and saw Dylan playing bartender, making up drinks with a rag laying over his shoulder.
“Ya look like the guy from Cheers,” I said.
“And you sound like you could use a drink. Beer?” Dylan asked.
“Yeah. Sounds good,” I said.
“Hard day?” Hunter asked as he clapped my back. “Ya know what you could use? Some music.”
I grabbed the beer Dylan was holding out for me as Hunter turned on the radio. Garth Brooks poured through the station, and Lizzie held her drink up in the air.
“To long days and even longer nights. Let’s party, y’all!”
We all cheered our glasses as we slumped against the bar. Lizzie was dancing and swiveling her hips, acting like the hoochie mama she was. Katie was shaking her head as she sipped on her beer, and I could see Dylan’s eyes heavy on her body. All of them were st
aring at her. Drinking her in and watching as her lips wrapped around that damn beer bottle.
Did none of them care that Hunter was sitting right there alongside her?
It was nice, having everyone together. Except I couldn’t get my mind off Katie. Lizzie plucked her from her stool, and the two of them danced together, leaving all of us at the bar to shoot the shit. But my eyes were hooked on the two girls dancing. If someone asked, I could say I was watching Lizzie make a damn fool of herself. But as the guys talked around me, bitching about their days and talking about the next time we were all going fishing, my eyes stayed on Katie.
I kept wondering if she wanted to be with me like she had with my brothers.
“You good, Caleb?” Wyatt asked. “Ya look a little lost.”
“Long day,” I said.
“Wanna talk about it?” he asked.
“Not really. A beer or two’ll help.”
Lizzie came back to the bar to get another drink, but Katie wasn’t with her. I looked around the dining room for her, seeing if I could figure out where she went. I heard little footsteps walking around in the kitchen, so I tossed my empty beer bottle into the trash before I slid from my seat.
And sure enough, when I rounded into the kitchen, I saw Katie opening one of the fridges.
“Hungry?” I asked.
“Hot,” Katie said. “Just need to stand here for a second.”
“Can’t hold your alcohol like you used to, huh?”
“I’ve toned it down for several reasons,” she said.
“You know you could’ve called me, right?” I asked.
