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Lucas nodded. “I think I heard about that.”
Taven folded his arms, his eyes darting once again to Ella. “I didn’t realize you moved back to town, Ella. Couldn’t hack it in the city?”
Ella’s eyes narrowed and her lips thinned, but before she could say something she might regret, Lucas came between them, his back to his old friend.
“Hey, would you mind getting us a couple of drinks?” Lucas pulled out a twenty. “We could go enjoy them on the balcony.”
Ella’s eyes said it all. Fury, irritation, and surprise flickered through her gaze. But the worst part was a split second of dismay. But what did she expect? He couldn’t just let the two of them have at it in the middle of the dance floor. He didn’t want them to cause a scene. This was supposed to be a nice night out.
“I’ll be right there. Just give me a couple minutes.”
“Yeah, sweetheart, give him a couple minutes to catch up with an old friend,” Taven said from behind him.
Ella’s hand tightened around the bill into a fist. Her voice lowered so that only Lucas could hear it. “What is he doing here?” she hissed.
“I don’t know.” Lucas placed both hands on her shoulders. “But just let me tell him to leave us alone for the night. Even he will get that I want to spend time with my date over him.”
She heaved a sigh. “What do you want to drink?”
“Just get me a bottle of water. I’m going to need to stay hydrated if we’re going to get back out there. Maybe you should do the same.” He said it with a teasing smile, but her eyes flashed again.
The way she was scowling at him reminded him all too vividly how she’d treated him in the beginning. It shouldn’t have been a surprise she’d hold a similar animosity toward the ringleader of her childhood trauma.
“I’ll be right there,” he repeated.
She nodded and headed away. He watched until she was definitely out of earshot before he turned to face his friend.
“Dude! You realize who that is, right?”
Lucas’s head snapped back, and he frowned. “What are you talking about?”
“I mean, sure, she’s grown into her body a little better, but it’s definitely her. What did we call her?” He tapped his foot, but before Lucas could tell him to knock it off, he let out a laugh. “Oh yeah! Ella-phant. You have to remember. She was like the biggest girl in our grade.” Taven leaned to the side and snickered. “I can’t believe you’re here with her. What happened? Did you run out of hot chicks?”
The words being spewed from Taven’s mouth made Lucas sick to his stomach. Was this really how bad it had been when they were younger?
Taven clapped a hand on Lucas’s shoulder. “Don’t worry. I get it. Some guys are chubby-chasers. I just didn’t think you were one of them.”
Lucas pulled away from his friend. “Will you stop talking about her that way? She’s my date.”
His friend laughed but then sobered up quickly. “Wait, you really mean that.”
“Of course I do.”
Taven’s eyes narrowed as he peered at Lucas a little closer. Then his brows lifted, and he chuckled. “Oh, I get it. You’re giving her a pity date. Did someone put you up to this? Please tell me you didn’t lose a bet to Brad.”
Lucas stiffened. What had he ever seen in Taven?
Then his friend snapped his fingers. “No, wait. I see it now. You’re doing this out of guilt.”
That statement caught him off guard. Lucas didn’t know what it was about Taven’s supposed revelation that made him second guess himself, but there it was. Did he feel guilty over how she’d been treated? That would make sense. They’d made a connection based on how people had treated them.
Lucas shook off that thought. Somehow it didn’t sit right with him either. He refused to believe he was here with her because he felt bad for her. There were several redeeming qualities about Ella that he adored.
“Whatever it is,” Taven murmured, “I’m glad I ran into you. I could use some help at my mom’s place. You’re still running your ranch, right?”
“Yeah,” Lucas said distractedly.
“Good. I have some stuff I’d like you or your brothers to look at. Do you think you could stop by sometime next week?”
