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“I’ll be right back.” He laughs and heads to the bar to get me another drink.

“Beer this time, please!” I yell after him.

I fish my phone out of my hoodie pocket to check in with my other best friend. I don’t even get our text thread opened before I’m interrupted.

“Lexy?”

My head spins around, searching for whoever is calling me. My eyes scan the surrounding space until they land on him.

“Troy?” Damn, he looks good, even better than I remember. His blond hair is flawlessly styled, his piercing blue eyes are a perfect match to his t-shirt. The way his dark blue jeans look… whoa, suck on an ice cube, Lex.

“I thought that was you.” He smiles, and I force myself to stop imagining what he looks like under all his very well fitting clothes. “I didn’t know you could sing.”

A wave of fresh heat hits my cheeks, and I know it has nothing to do with the liquor. Embarrassment is not a feeling I’m used to nor enjoy. I shake it off. “You witnessed my debut performance. Lucky you.” I shoot him a wink, myfake it til you make itconfidence in full force.

“Oh yeah? Lucky me.” His tone is flirty, but I doubt he’s actually trying to flirt with me. Flirtiness is part of his personality too from what I remember. My stomach flips nonetheless. I refuse to give any attention to it.

“Two bartenders, both with a holiday off? What are the chances of that?”

“A miracle, is what it is. Who’s here with you?” He must be wondering if Maci is nearby.

Like magic, Mack returns with my beer in his hand.

He looks at Troy, his surprise evident. It’s rare I give any guy the time of day, unless I’m in the mood for a hookup, and he knows it. He directs his gaze at me with a smirk. It took me 21 years to find someone I connect with well enough to be such good friends, but the way he can read me feels like a curse right now. I ignore him.

“Mack, Troy. Troy, Mack.” My hand bounces between them with the introduction.

“Hey, man.” Troy reaches out to shake Mack’s hand, his gesture returned. “You guys were great up there.” He nods to the stage.

“Thanks. How do you two know each other?” Mack flicks his finger between the two of us.

I speak before Troy has a chance to. “He works at 3rd Base–that place I go for Happy Hour sometimes.”

“Oh nice.” Mack moves to sit down in the booth, on the side opposite where Troy stands.

I shift my focus back to Troy. “Who are you here with?”

He chuckles, leaning against the dark wood frame of the booth. “No one now. Nolan took off an hour ago with some chick.”

“Figures.” I laugh. Nolan is an even bigger flirt than I am. We had an unspoken mutual agreement of just having fun and sex in Vegas, and it was everything I needed to forget the weird feeling I had around Troy. I never thought I’d have to see him again after that weekend.

Mack clears his throat, and my attention goes back to him. I’d completely forgotten he existed. “Umm, I totally forgot I have to get to the recording studio early in the morning. I should probably head out soon.”

“Oh, umm yeah. We can go.” I glance at Troy before meeting Mack’s gaze. It’s then I realize he doesn’t have to go to the studio tomorrow. There’s no way. Mack’s eyes flash to Troy so quickly there’s no way anyone else would have caught it. He’s trying to wingman me.

Troy’s voice comes from behind me. “I can give you a ride home, if you want to stay.”

“Uhhh.” Mack kicks me under the table. I must have been expecting it because I didn’t even flinch. “Yeah, sure, that would be great. Thanks.”

Mack stands, taking a sip of his water and setting it back down on the table. “Nice to meet you, Troy. I’ll see you tomorrow, Lex.”

CHAPTER SIX

TROY

“Solidwingmanyouhavethere.” I chuckle. I will give it to the guy, he was subtle. I’ve just been playing that game with Nolan for long enough to read the signs.

Lexy laughs like she’s not embarrassed in the slightest I caught onto what was happening. “He means well. I don’t give attention to someone unless I think the reward will be worth it, if you catch my drift. He must have thought that’s what was happening.” She chuckles to herself like us together is a ridiculous notion then casually takes a sip of her beer. Anyone would be insane to deny it wasn’t cute as hell.

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