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Searching once more, I finally spotted him. He was standing against the far wall covered in shadows beside the piano, talking to someone who had their back to me. No hat this time, his curls neatly gelled, and even his mustache had been trimmed nicely with the tips turning out and up.
The sleeves to his crisp, navy button-up were rolled halfway up his forearms, and he’d paired it with his usual large buckle and a nicely starched pair of dark wranglers. He looked very handsome, even more so than I remembered.
Weston hadn’t noticed me yet, his eyes still fixed on his red-headed companion as a beautiful woman approached the two of them. She looked much like Weston and Cassidy, and I assumed it was his sister Pearl, which meant that the man with his back to me had to be Cash.
I desperately wanted Weston to see me, while still not knowing what I would say to him. It confused me as to why I cared so much about him interacting with me, but I did miss my friend.
I made it to the kitchen counter, and added my dish to the rest of the stash before slipping silently over to the edge. Weston was to my right, the rest of the kitchen appliances to my left, and I watched my siblings approach Nancy and my mom; Cassidy was no longer with her. Any restraint I had was gone as I consistently kept looking over at Weston, who was deeply enthralled in conversation.
Glass sliding across the counter pulled my attention in front of me. “Long time no see,” Cassidy said, pushing some wine in my direction.
“Hey,” I replied, mildly amused and running my finger around the base of the glass.
“Your siblings are nice.” He leaned forward on the counter as I glanced back at Weston.
“Mmm,” I mumbled in reply.
“My parents are happy you’re here for Thanksgiving. I’m happy you're here,” Cassidy said, and I glanced back at his perfectly proportioned face. His hazel eyes watched me, simple and kind, yet I felt nothing else. He had on a very nice red and black checkered flannel, black jeans held up by a buckle, as well. Cassidy’s hair was styled nicely, but lacked the refinement that Weston’s had.
“We appreciate the invitation,” I replied, my gaze sliding back to Weston as he leaned up against the wall and took a sip of his beer.
“I was thinking after dinner we could disappear somewhere together,” Cassidy pressed, while I studied the features of the man who’d saved my life.
“After dinner, I’ll be taking a nap,” I lightheartedly replied, tearing my gaze from Weston and gave a small smile to the man beside me.
“We can nap together then,” Cassidy teased with a wink, and I shook my head as my eyes returned to Weston. “Or maybe you’d rather disappear with someone else.”
I sucked in my cheek as Weston’s eyes finally slid over the shoulder of his friend, locking onto mine. The bluest of blues, just as they had been the first night he’d stopped and helped me change my tire. Maybe Cassidy wasn’t wrong. Maybe it was Weston that I wanted to disappear with, just for a moment. Without anyone else knowing. If no one else knew, then my dad couldn’t get mad. I wasn’t doing anything wrong seeing my friend. Right?
“You haven’t been playing hard to get, have you?” Cassidy stated beside me as Weston raised one side of his lips in a crooked grin. I peeled my gaze from the man in the corner to meet Cassidy’s eyes.
“Is that what you’ve been thinking this entire time?”
He nodded.
“Cassidy, you are a very handsome man, and I’ve been grateful to know you, but I have no romantic feelings for you,” I explicitly stated. “You could have any girl in town that you want.”
He sighed. “Except you.”
I didn’t say anything, which was an answer on its own, as my eyes slid to the corner once more. Weston’s gaze flashed to mine, and he raised both brows at me. I couldn’t stop the smile and blush from settling upon my cheeks.
“But Weston could,” Cassidy stated, and I whipped my head towards him.
“What?” I asked, furrowing my brows and standing up straight as he took a sip from his beer bottle.
“Weston could have you if he wanted.”
I rolled my eyes. “Cassidy, I’ve also told you before that we are just friends.”
“Just friends don’t look at each other the way you two do.” He gave me a mischievous smile.
“That’s because you don’t think two people of the opposite gender can be friends.” I took a sip of my wine and glanced back towards the corner.
“No, I do not,” Cassidy said, as Weston pushed himself off of the wall and began wading through the sea of people in our direction.
“Well, you are being proven wrong,” I replied with a foolish, winning grin, and he shook his head.
“He is the only worthy opponent for me to lose to.” Cassidy winked at me, and I gave him an annoyed sigh. He chuckled, raised his beer towards Weston, and then slipped away from the counter as the very man we’d been talking about stopped beside me.
