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The only chair in question is on the other side of Kyle. I watch him quirk a brow at Hudson, who grins. Kyle shakes his head and smirks.
Something clenches, sharp and unpleasant, deep in my stomach. An ugly twisting.
I chug the remainder of my beer and stand. “We still dancing?”
Julia and Ella immediately rise. Julia grabs my hand, taking the lead and pulling me away from the table into the dancing fray.
There’s no sultry beat playing. The song is upbeat and distinctly country, filled with the croon of a fiddle and the pluck of a banjo. I look to the two other women for guidance on how to dance to it, but the general vibe seems to be that there’snoright way to dance here. I spin and sway, letting myself get lost in the sound.
I’m sweaty and breathless by the time I point toward the bar, letting Julia and Ella know I’m grabbing another drink.
I find an opening and slip into it, waiting for the bartender to work his way down here.
“Hey.”
“Hi.” I smile at the guy on the stool next to me, taking in the jeans and the tucked plaid shirt with sleeves rolled up. He’s one of the few not wearing a cowboy hat, revealing a messy head of black hair.
There’s a boyish earnestness to his expression that’s endearing and absent from most men I meet. It’s certainly different from the annoyance and avoidance I’m used to getting around Kyle.
We smile at each other as I enjoy the warm buzz of life feeling simple and easy.
“I’m Jack,” he tells me.
“Piper.”
“Can I buy you a drink, Piper?” Jack’s gaze dips down to my chest for a half second before it bobs back up to my face, making his interest obvious.
And…I’m tempted.Verytempted. It’s been a long time since I had a guy between my legs. The most explosive part of my relationship with my most recent ex was our breakup, so it feels like it’s been even longer than it has. Plus I’m craving a distraction from where I am and why.
But I’m not tipsy enough to forget who drove me here. Whose house I’m sleeping in. There’s no way I’ll be bringing a guy back to Kyle’s ranch, and I’m not about to go to a stranger’s house in a town I’ve visited exactly once. Not to mention suffer the humiliating ordeal of asking him to drop me off at Kyle’s after or, even worse, have to ask Kyle to pick me up. I very much doubt this town has a rideshare service.
So, I smile, shake my head, and then slip away. Weave around the stools until I reach an opening at the bar closer to the opposite end.
I turn and rest my elbows on the wooden surface, studying the crowd while I wait to be served. My attention snags on two girls huddled at a table in the corner of the bar.
They’re not focused on me. They’re looking at where Kyle is seated, the blonde of the pair shaking her head and blushing while her brunette friend elbows her. The brunette suddenly stands.
The blonde quickly grabs her arm and yanks her back down, her mouthed, panickedNoobvious from across the room.
Her friend pouts and takes a sip of her beer while the blonde steals another peek at Kyle.
He’s entirely oblivious to the drama around him—or at the very least, he’s putting on a convincing act of it. He’s talking with Morgan, Hudson, and Natasha. I glance away quickly.
There’s no doubt everyone noticed his arrival, but I’ve yet to see anyone approach him. His presence appears to be a novelty at this bar.
I wonder if he doesn’t come here much or if he’s just reached the elusive level of fame where the appeal never wears off, not even in your own hometown.
“What can I get you, ma’am?”
I turn to face the middle-aged bartender. “Just an ice water, please.”
He nods. “Coming right up.”
I thank him and then glance back at the crowd. A flash of light hair recaptures my attention. The blonde woman is walking, approaching Kyle’s table with sure steps. She falters about ten feet away, glancing back at the dark-haired friend, who sends her a supportive thumbs-up.
I’m nervous for her, watching the rest of the distance between her and Kyle’s chair close.
Nothing is more heartbreaking than watching someone put on a brave face and summon up their courage, only to get knocked down.
