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I wave my hand and take a sip of my beer. “It’s fine. I don’t need that shit anyway. I just want someone to come home to. Love is too much to ask for.”
Jamie shakes her head, her red hair sliding on her shoulders. “Honey, love is never too much to ask for. You are worth more than what you think you want. Don’t settle for less than the real thing.”
“I need to go to the bathroom.” I stand and stalk off.
Once in the bathroom, I study myself in the mirror. “Why the hell are you getting so bent out of shape about this? Just let the guy go.”
I don’t want to. I’ve missed the hell out of him. I figured out what was wrong with my favorite customer’s old car. And it was something so simple that I fixed it easily and didn’t even charge him. He’s an old man. I can afford to help out the man. He’s on a fixed income.
The first person I wanted to tell was Jeremiah. I knew he’d be fascinated. I picked up the phone and dialed. Nothing. Just his answering message again. That’s all I ever got when I called him.
I finally quit calling.
He showed up a month later like nothing was wrong. It’s all wrong. My nerves are buzzing under my skin like an itch I can’t scratch. I can’t stop thinking about that damn kiss. He kissed me like he owned me. Like he couldn’t get enough of me.
Shit, did I like it. I wanted to be his. Wanted him to claim me.
I stare in the mirror, my eyes haunted by memories and emotions I don’t want to feel. “You need to get it together, girl,” I whisper.
I stand and walk to the door. My hands are shaking when I touch the handle. I take a deep breath and deliberately clear my head.
I need to get it together.
But my clear head goes to shit as soon as I walk back out into the bar because the whole damn bar is staring at me. And the stage that’s set up in the corner. Where a tall, tanned man is facing away from me fidgeting with a guitar. His ass is a thing of beauty. Unfortunately I know that ass.
“Oh fuck no,” I groan, turning to the front door. Amanda and Jamie cut me off and Ruth takes up another corner. All three of them smile at me as they chaperone me up to the front of the room.
I lean over and hiss in my cousin’s ear. “I’m going to kill you. Just so you know.”
She flashes me a smile. “I know that already. But you’re being stubborn. Just hear the man out.”
With that, Jeremiah picks up his guitar, strums a few chords. A hush falls over the crowd. The gentle melody floats out and I groan softly. Austin.
“Why the hell is he singing that song? It’s about a girl who leaves. Not a guy.”
“Stop being so cantankerous and listen.” Jamie shoves me into a chair. Jeremiah doesn’t even look at me. His eyes are on his guitar and the chords he’s strumming. I can feel every one of the painful words all the way to my soul. At the end of the song, when I’m a puddle of goo, he looks up and I can see the pain in his ice-blue eyes. The tension in his jaw when he thanks everybody and puts the guitar down. His eyes are locked on me. I can’t look away. I’ve never had someone serenade me and it has to be the sexiest damn thing I’ve ever seen. His husky, gruff baritone hit all my girly parts like an electric shock.
He stops in front of me. His eyes light up when he looks me up and down. I can feel his stare like a touch to my skin.
“You are beautiful tonight, Midge. So damn beautiful.” He clears his throat. “Do you think it would be alright if I joined you?”
I shake my head and then I see his crestfallen grimace. “No, that’s not what I meant. Yes, you can join me.”
His smile is so wide, it’s hard to actually stare right at him. Like looking into the sun.
“Thanks.” He sits in the empty chair across from me and I focus on anything but him. He takes my hand and I can’t help but look up into his eyes. He smiles at me but it’s nervous and I can’t breathe. There’s a lot being said with no words right now.
But then he opens his mouth. And promptly sticks his foot in it.
“I’m glad you’re gonna forget about my little lapse, Harvey. I would never have left if I knew how much it was going to affect you.”
I yank my hand out of his hands. I stand and glare at him. “I was only as affected as you. So if you weren’t affected, neither was I.”
“I’m sorry, Harvey.” He scrambles to catch up with me. “Please just give me a chance. That’s all I’m asking for. Just a shot. I love you.”
“I suppose. But you’re gonna have to do a lot more to prove that you’re back for good. I need to get out of here. You have a good night.” I glare back at my girls and they instantly start looking at everybody else but me, eyes shifting left and right.
“Yeah, that’s what I thought,” I mutter. Then I turn on my heel and stalk out the door, forgetting my purse and the fact that I don’t have my phone or a vehicle.
