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“Junie—”
“Don’t you Junie me, Gavin. Did you see that shit out there?” I growl. “That kid should be kicked out of the game.”
“He’s always doing crap like that,” Luna confides. “I offered to pay Josh fifty bucks if he’d kick him in the balls.”
“You did?” I ask, my eyes going large because I wouldn’t have thought Luna would do that.
“Yep. Made the offer again tonight before the game,” she confirms.
“That’s awesome! Why isn’t he doing it?” I ask, exasperated.
“Because Gavin and Ben overruled me and Josh seemed to agree,” Luna pouts.
“That’s bullshit,” I grumble, turning my attention back to the game.
It’s Friday night and that means we’re all at Stone Lake High’s football field watching my nephew be amazing and scoring touchdowns like the superstar he is. It’s a normal occurrence, because my nephew is awesome and also because Stone Lake is Stone Lake and there’s not much to do on a Friday night. People are usually at one of three places. The football field being the top choice, followed closely by Cliffside Restaurant—although to be fair most show up there after the game—and then drinking at my tavern.
That last one I’m pretty grateful for, since it puts money in my pocket. I feel a little guilty for not being there tonight, but I would never miss Josh’s game. Nothing could make me do that, not even sitting with my brother, Luna and…Ben.It’s freaking weird, but somehow that’s where we’re at. In the year that’s passed since I walked out of Ben’s bedroom a lot of changes have been made. The biggest one being that Ben, Gavin, and Luna have kind of morphed into this easy friendship that centers on their love for my nephew. Gavin even started working at the Sheriff’s department with Ben. Being around Luna doesn’t seem to bother Ben and if it does, he at least manages to keep it hidden from my brother, so I guess it’s all cool.
Ben and I are a different story. We talk when we see each other out in public. We get along and are cordial. When it’s just the two of us, he seems to enjoy baiting me, but I can live with that, since we’re barely ever alone. Part of that reason is I take great pains not to let that happen. Every now and then I break down, like the other night at my place when I was checking out tables when it was slow and went to his to help the waitress. I’d like to say it was because I was just making sure everyone was happy that night and Ben was just any customer. Maybe part of it is that, but I can’t deny that I’m still drawn to Ben, even a year later. Then again, I never had a lick of sense when it came to men and still being attracted to Ben, after everything that has gone on, is proof of that.
“It’s not bullshit, Junie. It’s football,” Gavin laughs. I look up at my older brother and for a minute, everything else pales into comparison. He’s smiling, relaxed, and happy in a way that was never usual until Luna came back in his life, and in a way that I’ll never get tired of seeing. He’s wearing a kickass Metallica t-shirt, faded jeans, and his blue eyes, which are just like mine, sparkle in a way you just know that he smiles often and laughs even more. If I didn’t already love, Luna, I’d love her even more for that.
“He clotheslined him!”
For some reason, GavinandBen find this hilarious. I cross my arms at my chest, half turn in a nonverbal fuck you, and direct my attention back to the game.
“Are you really going out with Zeke tomorrow night?” Luna asks a little later.
I feel my body tense up as all eyes are directed at me. I take a breath and try to act like I’m not freaking out. “Where did you hear that?”
“You’ve beenin Stone Lake long enough to know the answer to that,” Luna says.
She’s right of course, I do. Miriam Sparks spreads gossip faster than the winning horse at the Kentucky Derby. She also happens to be Zeke Newsome’s aunt. I really should have thought about that before accepting.
“It’s not a date, really,” I mutter, refusing to blush. I also don’t look at Luna, Gavin, or Ben. I keep my eyes on the field. “We’re just going out for pizza.”
“On a Saturday night. I don’t know how they do it in Nashville or even California, but around here, Junie, that’s a date,” Luna explains, being ever so helpful.
I shrug. “I guess. My counselor feels I need to get out more,” I mumble. “Zeke is the first guy that asked that doesn’t make me feel like I want to stab my eyes out.”
Luna laughs. “Well he is hot.”
“Luna—” Gavin growls in a voice so deep that heck if he wasn’t my brother, I’d even find the primal sound sexy. I know Luna does by the way she curves into him.
“I was just noticing, Gavin. I’m married, not dead.”
“Maybe old Zeke needs to be dead,” Gavin mutters, squeezing Luna to him.
“Maybe you should not threaten someone when the sheriff is sitting next to you,” Luna chastises.
I don’t mean to, but I look over at Ben. He’s staring right at me. His face is unreadable, but then, maybe he doesn’t have a reaction. What we were doing together happened a year ago and he was more or less using me to get over a heartbreak. I turn my attention back to the game.
“No one is going to hurt Zeke. He’s a nice guy and we’re friends. We’re going out for pizza, not getting married,” I remind them.
“Well, I think it’s awesome! You want me to come over and fix your hair? Help you pick out something to wear?”
“Babe,” Gavin mumbles, a smile pulling on his lips.
