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Lana smiled warmly, and I felt myself letting down my guard. I couldn't help it. When she looked at me like that, I forgot all the reasons I needed to keep my distance.
Todd appeared behind Lana, snaking an arm around her waist. She leaned back into him, giggling as he kissed her cheek. Jealousy simmered inside me.
“Come on, babe. Let’s go sit,” Todd said as he pulled her toward the table.
Lana looked at me and smiled. Such a fuckingbeautifulsmile.
“I hope you won’t be too busy bartending to come over and visit,” she said as she pushed away from the bar.
“Nope,” I said, passing her two full glasses. “Just wanted to give some regulars a bit of personal attention. I’ll be over when I can.”
Fucking liar.I had no intention of sitting with them.
I had to do my best to stay away from Lana. It’s been over a month since the last time I saw her at the diner. I had come dangerously close to crossing the line and saying something I knew I’d regret.
If Todd had been anybody else, I wouldn’t have cared. I’d have done my damnedest to win her over and fuck how he felt.
But Todd was my little brother. And he was completely in love with her. I just couldn’t hurt him by doing anything to ruin what they had going on between them.
I nodded and smiled as friends and regulars stopped by the bar to chat, but it was getting harder to focus. My eyes kept drifting to Lana's spot across the room.
The effort of staying away from her all night was slowly killing me.
I busied myself restocking glasses, trying not to stare at the woman I couldn't have.
She looked amazing tonight. The skin tight jeans she wore hugged every curve. And her hair was up in a loose bun with soft curls that framed her beautiful face.
"You're cleaning that thing enough to wear a hole in it," James chuckled as he sidled up to the bar. "What's got you so distracted tonight?"
“Just trying to get used to the fact this will be our last night here.”
"Gonna miss this place, huh?" He asked.
I nodded. "Yeah, it's been good to me over the years. Time for a change though."
James gave me a knowing look. "Time to get over a certain someone too?" He inclined his head towards Lana.
I shrugged, avoiding his gaze. "What do you mean?"
"I've seen the way you look atLanawhen you think no one else is watching," James said gently. "And how moony you get when she's around. Face it, son. You've got it bad for her."
Before I could respond, James held up a hand. "But I get it, she's with Todd."
I met his sympathetic gaze.
"Yeah, it's...complicated. But it doesn't matter. Nothing can happen between us." Saying the words aloud only made the situation more real.
James nodded. "For what it's worth, I've seen the way Lana looks at you sometimes too when she thinks no one is watching. Makes me wonder if the feelings aren't entirely one-sided."
He gave me a meaningful look before heading back into the party.
My eyes drifted to Lana, laughing with Todd across the room.
The sight made my chest tighten. I quickly looked away.
I couldn’t avoid their table all night, though. I wouldn’t, because Grandpa deserved better than that. But I could make myself scarce when Todd and Lana were there.
When the music started, Lana and Todd got up to dance, so I stopped at the table for a few minutes to visit and get Grandpa a drink.
