AllFreeNovel
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“Welcome to game nights at TPB,” Austin clapped him on the back. “It’s the perfect trifecta: First win of the season. Happy Hour. And bunnies on—”
“Babe, you made it.” Connor pulled Ella onto his lap, nuzzling her neck.
“Harper and Aurora are around here somewhere too.”
“She came?” Austin glanced around.
“Yeah, Harper wanted to introduce her to some people.”
“What people?”
“Down, Deputy Dad,” Ella chuckled. “I’m sure she’s fine.” Her gaze snagged on mine, but I dropped my head, finding the label on my beer suddenly more interesting than their conversation.
“I think the blonde has got her eye on you.” Mase nudged my shoulder.
“Not feeling it,” I said with a dismissive shrug.
“What about the brunette?”
My eyes snapped up and found Aurora across the bar. I half-expected her to look away, but she didn’t, holding my gaze. It was the look I’d wanted to avoid. So much disappointment and anger swirling in her sparkling, green depths that even from across the room, it was still like a punch to the stomach.
I looked away first, guilt slamming into me like a sledgehammer.
“You want to talk about it?” Mase whispered, and I shook my head.
“Hey, you good?” Connor asked.
“Yeah.” I drained my beer and slammed it on the table. “I need to take a leak.”
Sliding out of the booth, I made my way across the bar to the restrooms. A couple of people clapped me on the back, calling out congratulations and well wishes for the season ahead. The girl waiting on her friends outside the women’s restroom batted her eyelashes as I passed, giving me a long lingering look. One I knew meant I could drag her into a stall with me, and she’d love every second.
But I gave her a polite smile and slipped past her, going in alone.
If I couldn’t have Aurora, I didn’t want anyone.
I made quick work of taking a piss and washing my hands. When I exited the bathroom, I half-expected to find the girl waiting for me. Instead, I found a teary-eyed Sam.
“You shouldn’t be here,” I said, ducking around her.
“Noah, wait, please. I just want to talk. To explain…”
“Not interested, Sam. If you don’t want to cause a scene, I suggest—”
“Please.” Her voice cracked, and something inside me faltered.
“Sam,” I let out a heavy sigh, running a hand through my hair. “This isn’t a good idea. I don’t—”
“I know. God, I know I messed things up, okay? But I just wanted to explain. To try and fix things. You owe me that much.”
It was on the tip of my tongue to tell her I didn’t owe her a damn thing, but she looked so fucking sad. About as sad as I felt. And maybe that little part inside of me hurting took pity on her because I said, “Fine. Five minutes. Come on.”
I led her toward the back door that led to the small outside area. It was mostly smokers out here, so there wasn’t anyone from the team around.
I found us a corner seat in the back, out of earshot of everyone, and sat down.
“God, Noah. I don’t even know where to begin.”
“Maybe with the fact you lied about the break-in.”
