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“What?” Lincoln yelled, unable to hear me over the loud music.
I raised my voice and repeated myself, “This place is huge!”
Lincoln glanced around and shouted back, “Yeah, I bet all the bars in Beaufort could fit in here.”
I chuckled. “You’re probably right.”
Lincoln placed his hand on my lower back, guiding me toward the closest bar. He leaned in, his breath feathering my neck as he asked, “What do you want to drink?”
Goose bumps ran over my skin, and I fought the shiver that followed. “Moscow mule please.”
Lincoln ordered from the bartender, then handed me my drink. I was hoping the liquor would calm my nerves a little since my stomach wouldn’t stop somersaulting around him.
Lincoln leaned in again. “You want to go outside so we don’t have to yell at each other to talk?”
I nodded, and he placed his hand on my lower back again to guide me outside. The music was still loud but not so much so that we couldn’t hear each other.
Lincoln gestured his head upward. “Wanna go up top?”
“Sure.”
We had to push our way through the throng of people on the dock to get to the stairs that led up to the deck. Another bar and dance floor with a DJ were on the top floor. It wasn’t as packed as downstairs but still had a good amount of people milling about inside.
Lincoln grabbed my hand and led me through the crowd to the deck outside. His touch set off more butterflies in my stomach and took me back to our high school days.
My lips curved up. Back then, if Lincoln and I were together, we were holding hands. We were practically inseparable after we met, and it was almost hard to believe how we once were looking back on it.
Once outside, we found a spot against the railing in the corner of the deck. The moon cast a beautiful light on the water, making the ripples on the surface sparkle and shimmer.
I leaned forward on the railing as Lincoln took a swig of his beer. There was a soft breeze that tickled my nose with the salty sea air. I inhaled deeply and closed my eyes, savoring the smell I’d long missed since moving to the city. The closest beach was about four hours away, and I missed being so close to the water.
Lincoln leaned back against the railing. “Do you remember when we skipped school and went to the beach during your sophomore year?”
I chuckled as memories of that day flashed in my mind. We’d gotten in so much trouble, but it had been worth every minute. “Yes. My parents grounded me for weeks.” I shook my head. “My father hated you after that.”
Lincoln laughed. “It was worth all the laughs and smiles I got out of you that day.”
My chest tightened. “It was a great day. One of the best.”
Lincoln stared forward, regret flashing in his eyes. “Yeah. It was.”
We fell into an awkward silence, and I feared we wouldn’t be able to bridge the chasm between us. So many broken promises and whispered lies had turned what we had into something I barely recognized.
I took a long drink of my Moscow mule, finishing almost three-quarters of it. Lincoln cocked a brow as he watched me, and I raised my glass to him. “Let’s get drunk.”
I had a pleasurable buzz going after another Moscow mule and a few shots. The awkward tension from earlier had all but evaporated thanks to the alcohol. Lincoln and I were laughing at some corny joke he’d made when all of sudden he stopped, then stared at me with a lopsided grin.
When I realized he was staring at me, my face flushed with heat. “What?”
He shook his head. “Nothing. I just miss seeing that smile.”
Our eyes locked for several seconds. His smile faded, and the expression that took over his face made more than just my cheeks heat.
I knew what that expression meant. Lincoln always wore his emotions on his sleeve, and he had looked at me like that plenty of times in the past. My heart started to race as intimate memories of us played in my mind.
A country ballad came on, changing the mood of the bar. Couples flooded the dance floor, slow dancing to the romantic tune.
“Wanna dance?” Lincoln asked, looking at me expectantly.
