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Blaze rolled from his bed way too damn early in the morning and immediately checked his phone.
Still no calls or texts from Anna.
It had been two days since the last one, and the silence was deafening.
Yeah, he lived ten feet from her but she never seemed to be home, and he could see her whenever he went in to Happy Jack’s for a drink and to scope for a piece of ass, but usually Anna was too busy behind the bar to spare much time for him—but that was even before she started working afternoons. Now, they worked the same hours, which would have been amazing weeks ago, before she’d started pulling away from him. Now, when he got off work, Anna was nowhere to be found. Usually, if they wanted to spend time together, they’d have to put in the effort to match their schedules and make the time to be together. Apparently, though, Anna didn’t want to put in the effort right now.
Which hurt like fucking hell. Up until two days ago, they’d still been texting, but he hadn’t heard her voice or seen her face since the late night lost key debacle.
Was she still sore about that? Hadn’t he tried to make up for that? What the hell was wrong with her that she was avoiding him like he’d done something so terrible he was no longer worth her time?
Like you didn’t tear her to fucking pieces to AJ? Like you didn’t demean her and debase your friendship with her as if she means nothing to you? As if you didn’t lie your ass off about how you feel about Anna Cass?
What a fucking piece of work.
Groaning, he snagged the water bottle from the bedside table and chugged it. After his heart to black heart with AJ that night, the thrill of banging one of his booty calls had fled. The thought of meaningless sex, of rolling out of a stranger’s bed, of taking another walk of shame…it was exhausting.
The thought of touching someone other than her….
He groaned, ignoring that voice because it only ever spoke forbidden words, Blaze considered calling AJ and… And what? It wasn’t like he could explain how he’d acted, how he was only talking out of his ass and didn’t mean what he’d said about Anna. He knew he didn’t have to worry about Anna finding out what he’d said—which would be a fucking devastating catastrophe. Because they were bros, Blaze knew that AJ would keep what Blaze had said to himself…that wouldn’t stop the man from detesting him and thinking him a disgusting piece of shit. After what Blaze had said to him about Anna…Blaze was disgusted with himself.
“Fuuuuck!” What had possessed him to say those things? Where had those terrible words even come from?
Suddenly desperate for any connection to her, Blaze typed out a text.
Blaze: Drinks tonight after I get off work? Haven’t seen you in a while. Need time with my bestie.
He needed more than time with her, he needed to see her face to face, to feel her near him. It was like a compulsion, one he’d fought hard and ugly against the four years he was in the Navy. When he’d enlisted, he’d done so in order to put space between them—she’d become too important to him, too much of a vulnerability, and he’d fled from her, thinking it was for the best, that the distance would be good for him, strengthening his shields against her and what she made him feel. He’d been a goddamn fool. For four fucking years, he lived across the world from her, the one person who meant the most to him. And it killed him every. Fucking. Day. Eventually, the compulsion had become so strong he couldn’t stay away, couldn’t stomach another week where he couldn’t feel her smile on him or scent her mint shampoo or touch her whenever he wanted. He’d come home to be with her, to be near her, and he’d finally been happy.
Until he wasn’t. And fuck if he didn’t know where he’d gone wrong.
Checking the text to see if she’d received it, he fought the urge to smile when he saw she was replying.
Fucking finally!
BabyGirl: Sorry. Date tonight.
A fist made of iron and fire slammed into him, cutting off his airway.
Date? She was going on a date?
Anna dated? Since when? Who was she going out with? Why hadn’t she told him about this dude and why hadn’t she told him about the date before now? Would she have even told him if he hadn’t tried to make plans with her?
What the fuck is going on?
“Shit, shit, shit!” Something was very wrong here, and he was going to get to the bottom of it.
Anna Cass wasn’t going to ignore him anymore.
By the time he’d finished clearing the job site, clocking off, and going home to shower and change, it was nearly 7 by the time he strode into Happy Jack’s. He had no clue where Anna’s supposed date was going to take place, but if he knew his girl like he was sure he did, she’d want to go on her first date—was it her first date with the faceless fucker?—at a place she felt comfortable. Happy Jack’s was her happy place…outside of her apartment.
Didn’t you used to be her happy place?
Struck by a sudden pang of loss, Blaze shook off the fear that came with ‘used to be’. He was still her happy place, her best friend. They were just struggling to get back to where they were before…. Before what? He still had no idea what happened to make Anna pull away like she was.
Waiting for his eyes to adjust, he stood to the side of the doorway, peering into the gathering crowds. Happy Jack’s was one of five bars in town but because of its location near the middle of town and the fact that it was across the street from unobstructed beach access, it was the most popular after work hang out for locals and a party spot for tourists. Tonight, it was busy even for a weekday night, which made finding his quarry a little more difficult.
Spotting Sally at the bar chatting with Greg, he felt better about his chances that Anna was there. Where Sally was, Anna was, especially if a date was involved. Stepping away from the wall, he moved through the room, skirting tables full of men, women, and a mix of both. Unlike when he’d come before, he gave the tables of women a wide berth. He wasn’t there to chase tail—
