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“We have to get our shit together,” she says as she stops in front of a small liquor store and hauls open the door. “If that means that I have to sink to your level to get through to you, then that’s what I’m going to do.”
“Holy shit,” I say, my tone mocking as I follow her inside. “You’re actually going to loosen up and have fun for once?Imagine that. I never thought that I would see the day when Cassie Wyman let down her hair.”
She flips me off before heading straight for the cheap beer in the back of the store. As she leans down to inspect the cases on the bottom shelf, one of the employees comes over. He spends a little too long staring at her, his eyes widening slightly.
“Is there a problem?” I step between the two of them.
The employee shakes his head. “No. Is there anything I can help the two of you find today?”
“Nope,” Cassie says as she stands up with a smile and a case of beer in her hands. “I found what I was looking for.”
The case is one that we used to buy when we were a broke band performing in bars. Even though Cassie didn’t drink much, when she did, it was that beer. My chest tightens as she follows the employee to the register.
Why the hell is she buying a beer we used to drink?
As soon as the beer is paid for, she takes off into the streets again. I sigh and run my hand through my hair. Right now, I could go back home and try to enjoy the rest of my night.
I could, but I want to know why she’s trying so hard to spend time with me.
The selfish part of me wants to spend time with her too, even if the guilt is eating me alive. Letting her find out the band was dropping her was one of the worst things I’ve ever done. I should have told her the night before instead of letting her walk into that meeting blind.
I was stupid then and I’m stupid now. I should be putting more distance between us. Not following her around the damn city like a lost puppy.
With long strides, I fall into step beside her and take the case of beer. The corner of her mouth twitches as we turn down an alley and head onto a back street.
A car idles with a woman behind the wheel, her blue hair tied on top of her head. Cassie leans in the window and says something to her before climbing in the back. As I slide in beside her, the scent of her perfume fills the small space.
“Tyler Finch, this is Paige Lyle, my best friend.” Cassie rolls down the window as Paige drives through the back streets. “Paige, this is Tyler.”
“Hey.” I put the case of beer at my feet and look over at Cassie. “Why do we need a driver? I thought we were going to have a good time.”
“We are.”
I rub my temples, trying to chase off a new headache that seems determined to make my hangover worse. “Cassie, riding around in a car with a case of beer isn’t fun. Going out to the clubs is.”
She shrugs one shoulder and toys with the end of her hair. “That may be your definition of fun, but it doesn’t really seem to be working out for you right now. The guys have told me what’s going on.”
“They’re full of shit.” I pull a can from the case of beer and crack it open. “I’m just enjoying life while we’re young enough to enjoy it.”
Cassie says nothing, her full lips pressing into a line as the car pulls into the beach parking lot. My heart races as I look out at the waves crashing against the shore. This is the beach we used to come to years ago. Our entire first album was written here.
“What are we doing here?” I ask as Cassie opens the door and gets out of the car.
“We have to work on our chemistry. Now come on, bring the beer and let’s go.”
She takes off her boots and tosses them in the car. The wind sends her hair blowing in every direction as she steps onto the sand and takes off toward the water.
“I don’t suppose I could convince you to leave her here and take me home, could I?” I lean between the seats, giving Paige a charming smile and hoping it will be enough to win her over.
“If you hurt her again, I’m going to make your life a living hell.”
I lean back in the seat, trying to figure out how much Cassie would have told Paige. Her icy glare in the rearview mirror suggests that she knows everything. I groan and leave my shoes in the car before grabbing the beer and following Cassie.
The sand is cool against my feet as I follow her to the little cove where we used to spend countless hours. She climbs up the rocks until she finds one wide enough for both of us to sit on. I pass the beer up before climbing up to her.
Sitting beside her and staring out at the water feels exactly like it used to. Some of the tension eases from my body and everything else on my mind fades away. I focus on the sound of the crashing waves as Cassie cracks open her own beer.
“We used to spend so much time out here together in the early days,” she says, her voice soft and wistful. “Sometimes I still think about it, you know. I don’t want to, but there are times when I can’t help it.”
